diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/config.h b/usr.sbin/config/config.h
index 941a65f60216..ead56b95303e 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/config.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/config.h
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ extern int	debugging;
 extern int	found_defaults;
 
 extern int	maxusers;
+extern int	versreq;
 
 extern char *PREFIX;		/* Config file name - for error messages */
 extern char srcdir[];		/* root of the kernel source tree */
diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/configvers.h b/usr.sbin/config/configvers.h
index 993fb9403cf0..e65986f19fcd 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/configvers.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/configvers.h
@@ -49,5 +49,8 @@
  *
  * $FreeBSD$
  */
-#define	CONFIGVERS	600015
+#define	CONFIGVERS	600016
 #define	MAJOR_VERS(x)	((x) / 100000)
+
+/* Last config(8) version to require envmode/hintmode */
+#define	CONFIGVERS_ENVMODE_REQ	600015
diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/main.c b/usr.sbin/config/main.c
index e1f2aadcadbd..f52cc2f4d329 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/main.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/main.c
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ int	incignore;
  * literally).
  */
 int	filebased = 0;
+int	versreq;
 
 static void configfile(void);
 static void get_srcdir(void);
@@ -743,7 +744,7 @@ kernconfdump(const char *file)
 }
 
 static void 
-badversion(int versreq)
+badversion()
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: version of config(8) does not match kernel!\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "config version = %d, ", CONFIGVERS);
@@ -763,7 +764,6 @@ checkversion(void)
 {
 	FILE *ifp;
 	char line[BUFSIZ];
-	int versreq;
 
 	ifp = open_makefile_template();
 	while (fgets(line, BUFSIZ, ifp) != 0) {
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ checkversion(void)
 		if (MAJOR_VERS(versreq) == MAJOR_VERS(CONFIGVERS) &&
 		    versreq <= CONFIGVERS)
 			continue;
-		badversion(versreq);
+		badversion();
 	}
 	fclose(ifp);
 }
diff --git a/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c b/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
index edde07ce694a..8559c1af5060 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/config/mkmakefile.c
@@ -307,6 +307,13 @@ makehints(void)
 	fprintf(ofp, "#include <sys/types.h>\n");
 	fprintf(ofp, "#include <sys/systm.h>\n");
 	fprintf(ofp, "\n");
+	/*
+	 * Write out hintmode for older kernels. Remove when config(8) major
+	 * version rolls over.
+	 */
+	if (versreq <= CONFIGVERS_ENVMODE_REQ)
+		fprintf(ofp, "int hintmode = %d;\n",
+			STAILQ_EMPTY(&hints) ? 1 : 0);
 	fprintf(ofp, "char static_hints[] = {\n");
 	nvl = nvlist_create(0);
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(hint, &hints, hint_next) {
@@ -341,6 +348,13 @@ makeenv(void)
 	fprintf(ofp, "#include <sys/types.h>\n");
 	fprintf(ofp, "#include <sys/systm.h>\n");
 	fprintf(ofp, "\n");
+	/*
+	 * Write out envmode for older kernels. Remove when config(8) major
+	 * version rolls over.
+	 */
+	if (versreq <= CONFIGVERS_ENVMODE_REQ)
+		fprintf(ofp, "int envmode = %d;\n",
+			STAILQ_EMPTY(&envvars) ? 1 : 0);
 	fprintf(ofp, "char static_env[] = {\n");
 	nvl = nvlist_create(0);
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(envvar, &envvars, envvar_next) {