diff --git a/release/sysinstall/sysinstall.8 b/release/sysinstall/sysinstall.8
index 738e13103429..67f59528cd0e 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/sysinstall.8
+++ b/release/sysinstall/sysinstall.8
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.\"	$Id: sysinstall.8,v 1.4 1997/09/08 11:09:10 jkh Exp $
+.\"	$Id: sysinstall.8,v 1.5 1997/09/10 10:15:41 jkh Exp $
 .\"
 .Dd August 9, 1997
 .Dt SYSINSTALL 8
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ Select an FTP site as the installation media.
 \fBVariables:\fR
 .Bl -tag -width indent
 .It hostname
-The name of the host being installed (optional).
+The name of the host being installed (non-optional).
 .It domainname
 The domain name of the host being installed (optional).
 .It defaultrouter
@@ -651,6 +651,9 @@ Which host interface to use (
 or
 .Ar ep0 ,
 for example.  Non-optional).
+.It netInteractive
+If set, bring up the interactive network setup form even
+if all relevant configuration variables are already set (optional).
 .It ipaddr
 The IP address for the selected host interface (non-optional).
 .It netmask
@@ -689,7 +692,7 @@ interested in.
 \fBVariables:\fR
 .Bl -tag -width indent
 .It hostname
-The name of the host being installed (optional).
+The name of the host being installed (non-optional).
 .It domainname
 The domain name of the host being installed (optional).
 .It defaultrouter
@@ -700,6 +703,9 @@ Which host interface to use (
 or
 .Ar ep0 ,
 for example.  Non-optional).
+.It netInteractive
+If set, bring up the interactive network setup form even
+if all relevant configuration variables are already set (optional).
 .It ipaddr
 The IP address for the selected host interface (non-optional).
 .It netmask
diff --git a/release/sysinstall/tcpip.c b/release/sysinstall/tcpip.c
index 33c7f3077a8c..f702e71706e4 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/tcpip.c
+++ b/release/sysinstall/tcpip.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: tcpip.c,v 1.69 1997/06/18 05:11:37 jkh Exp $
+ * $Id: tcpip.c,v 1.70 1997/09/08 11:09:11 jkh Exp $
  *
  * Copyright (c) 1995
  *      Gary J Palmer. All rights reserved.
@@ -211,8 +211,14 @@ tcpOpenDialog(Device *devp)
 
     save = savescr();
     /* If non-interactive, jump straight over the dialog crap and into config section */
-    if (variable_get(VAR_NONINTERACTIVE) && hostname[0])
-	goto netconfig;
+    if (variable_get(VAR_NONINTERACTIVE) && !variable_get("netInteractive")) {
+	if (!hostname[0])
+	    msgConfirm("WARNING: hostname variable not set and is a non-optional\n"
+		       "parameter.  Please add this to your installation script\n"
+		       "or set the netInteractive variable (see sysinstall man page)");
+	else
+	    goto netconfig;
+    }
 
     /* Now do all the screen I/O */
     dialog_clear_norefresh();
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sade/sade.8 b/usr.sbin/sade/sade.8
index 738e13103429..67f59528cd0e 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sade/sade.8
+++ b/usr.sbin/sade/sade.8
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.\"	$Id: sysinstall.8,v 1.4 1997/09/08 11:09:10 jkh Exp $
+.\"	$Id: sysinstall.8,v 1.5 1997/09/10 10:15:41 jkh Exp $
 .\"
 .Dd August 9, 1997
 .Dt SYSINSTALL 8
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ Select an FTP site as the installation media.
 \fBVariables:\fR
 .Bl -tag -width indent
 .It hostname
-The name of the host being installed (optional).
+The name of the host being installed (non-optional).
 .It domainname
 The domain name of the host being installed (optional).
 .It defaultrouter
@@ -651,6 +651,9 @@ Which host interface to use (
 or
 .Ar ep0 ,
 for example.  Non-optional).
+.It netInteractive
+If set, bring up the interactive network setup form even
+if all relevant configuration variables are already set (optional).
 .It ipaddr
 The IP address for the selected host interface (non-optional).
 .It netmask
@@ -689,7 +692,7 @@ interested in.
 \fBVariables:\fR
 .Bl -tag -width indent
 .It hostname
-The name of the host being installed (optional).
+The name of the host being installed (non-optional).
 .It domainname
 The domain name of the host being installed (optional).
 .It defaultrouter
@@ -700,6 +703,9 @@ Which host interface to use (
 or
 .Ar ep0 ,
 for example.  Non-optional).
+.It netInteractive
+If set, bring up the interactive network setup form even
+if all relevant configuration variables are already set (optional).
 .It ipaddr
 The IP address for the selected host interface (non-optional).
 .It netmask
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/sysinstall.8 b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/sysinstall.8
index 738e13103429..67f59528cd0e 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/sysinstall.8
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/sysinstall.8
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.\"	$Id: sysinstall.8,v 1.4 1997/09/08 11:09:10 jkh Exp $
+.\"	$Id: sysinstall.8,v 1.5 1997/09/10 10:15:41 jkh Exp $
 .\"
 .Dd August 9, 1997
 .Dt SYSINSTALL 8
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ Select an FTP site as the installation media.
 \fBVariables:\fR
 .Bl -tag -width indent
 .It hostname
-The name of the host being installed (optional).
+The name of the host being installed (non-optional).
 .It domainname
 The domain name of the host being installed (optional).
 .It defaultrouter
@@ -651,6 +651,9 @@ Which host interface to use (
 or
 .Ar ep0 ,
 for example.  Non-optional).
+.It netInteractive
+If set, bring up the interactive network setup form even
+if all relevant configuration variables are already set (optional).
 .It ipaddr
 The IP address for the selected host interface (non-optional).
 .It netmask
@@ -689,7 +692,7 @@ interested in.
 \fBVariables:\fR
 .Bl -tag -width indent
 .It hostname
-The name of the host being installed (optional).
+The name of the host being installed (non-optional).
 .It domainname
 The domain name of the host being installed (optional).
 .It defaultrouter
@@ -700,6 +703,9 @@ Which host interface to use (
 or
 .Ar ep0 ,
 for example.  Non-optional).
+.It netInteractive
+If set, bring up the interactive network setup form even
+if all relevant configuration variables are already set (optional).
 .It ipaddr
 The IP address for the selected host interface (non-optional).
 .It netmask
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/tcpip.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/tcpip.c
index 33c7f3077a8c..f702e71706e4 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/tcpip.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/tcpip.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: tcpip.c,v 1.69 1997/06/18 05:11:37 jkh Exp $
+ * $Id: tcpip.c,v 1.70 1997/09/08 11:09:11 jkh Exp $
  *
  * Copyright (c) 1995
  *      Gary J Palmer. All rights reserved.
@@ -211,8 +211,14 @@ tcpOpenDialog(Device *devp)
 
     save = savescr();
     /* If non-interactive, jump straight over the dialog crap and into config section */
-    if (variable_get(VAR_NONINTERACTIVE) && hostname[0])
-	goto netconfig;
+    if (variable_get(VAR_NONINTERACTIVE) && !variable_get("netInteractive")) {
+	if (!hostname[0])
+	    msgConfirm("WARNING: hostname variable not set and is a non-optional\n"
+		       "parameter.  Please add this to your installation script\n"
+		       "or set the netInteractive variable (see sysinstall man page)");
+	else
+	    goto netconfig;
+    }
 
     /* Now do all the screen I/O */
     dialog_clear_norefresh();