diff --git a/etc/defaults/rc.conf b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
index e8847f9494ec..32bf9b3e1255 100644
--- a/etc/defaults/rc.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
@@ -335,16 +335,17 @@ lpd_program="/usr/sbin/lpd"	# path to lpd, if you want a different one.
 lpd_flags=""		# Flags to lpd (if enabled).
 usbd_enable="NO"	# Run the usbd daemon.
 usbd_flags=""		# Flags to usbd (if enabled).
-sendmail_enable="NO"	# Run the sendmail inbound daemon (YES/NO).
+sendmail_enable="NO"	# Run the sendmail inbound daemon (YES/NO/NONE).
+			# If NONE, don't start any sendmail processes.
 sendmail_flags="-L sm-mta -bd -q30m" # Flags to sendmail (as a server)
+sendmail_submit_enable="YES"	# Start a localhost-only MTA for mail submission
+sendmail_submit_flags="-L sm-mta -bd -q30m -ODaemonPortOptions=Addr=localhost"
+				# Flags for localhost-only MTA
 sendmail_outbound_enable="YES"	# Dequeue stuck mail (YES/NO).
 sendmail_outbound_flags="-L sm-queue -q30m" # Flags to sendmail (outbound only)
 sendmail_msp_queue_enable="YES"	# Dequeue stuck clientmqueue mail (YES/NO).
 sendmail_msp_queue_flags="-L sm-msp-queue -Ac -q30m"
-				# Dequeue stuck clientmqueue mail (YES/NO).
-sendmail_submit_enable="YES"	# Start a localhost-only MTA for mail submission
-sendmail_submit_flags="-L sm-mta-submit -bd -q30m -ODaemonPortOptions=Addr=localhost"
-				# Flags for localhost-only MTA
+				# Flags for sendmail_msp_queue daemon.
 dumpdev="NO"		# Device name to crashdump to (or NO).
 dumpdir="/var/crash"	# Directory where crash dumps are to be stored
 savecore_flags=""	# Used if dumpdev is enabled above, and present.
diff --git a/etc/rc b/etc/rc
index 7c556cf9af6f..1ac04b26910a 100644
--- a/etc/rc
+++ b/etc/rc
@@ -702,35 +702,47 @@ case ${usbd_enable} in
 	;;
 esac
 
+# Note: Please keep the sendmail startup code here in sync with the code
+#       in src/etc/mail/Makefile.
 case ${sendmail_enable} in
+[Nn][Oo][Nn][Ee])
+	;;
 [Yy][Ee][Ss])
 	echo -n ' sendmail'
 	/usr/sbin/sendmail ${sendmail_flags}
 	;;
 *)
-	case ${sendmail_outbound_enable} in
-	[Yy][Ee][Ss])
-		echo -n ' sendmail-outbound'
-		/usr/sbin/sendmail ${sendmail_outbound_flags}
-		;;
-	esac
 	case ${sendmail_submit_enable} in
 	[Yy][Ee][Ss])
 		echo -n ' sendmail-submit'
 		/usr/sbin/sendmail ${sendmail_submit_flags}
 		;;
+	*)
+		case ${sendmail_outbound_enable} in
+		[Yy][Ee][Ss])
+			echo -n ' sendmail-outbound'
+			/usr/sbin/sendmail ${sendmail_outbound_flags}
+			;;
+		esac
+		;;
 	esac
 	;;
 esac
 
-if [ -r /etc/mail/submit.cf ]; then
-	case ${sendmail_msp_queue_enable} in
-	[Yy][Ee][Ss])
-		echo -n ' sendmail-clientmqueue'
-		/usr/sbin/sendmail ${sendmail_msp_queue_flags}
-		;;
-	esac
-fi
+case ${sendmail_enable} in
+[Nn][Oo][Nn][Ee])
+	;;
+*)
+	if [ -r /etc/mail/submit.cf ]; then
+		case ${sendmail_msp_queue_enable} in
+		[Yy][Ee][Ss])
+			echo -n ' sendmail-clientmqueue'
+			/usr/sbin/sendmail ${sendmail_msp_queue_flags}
+			;;
+		esac
+	fi
+	;;
+esac
 
 echo '.'
 
diff --git a/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5 b/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
index e62bfab54e68..3a310404c4f1 100644
--- a/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
+++ b/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
@@ -1717,12 +1717,17 @@ these are the flags to pass to the
 .Xr lpd 8
 daemon.
 .It Va sendmail_enable
-.Pq Vt bool
+.Pq Vt str
 If set to
 .Dq Li YES ,
 run the
 .Xr sendmail 8
 daemon at system boot time.
+If set to
+.Dq Li NONE ,
+do not run any
+.Xr sendmail 8
+daemons at system boot time.
 .It Va sendmail_flags
 .Pq Vt str
 If
@@ -1754,9 +1759,11 @@ as a non-set-user-ID binary.
 .Pq Vt bool
 If set to
 .Dq Li YES
-and
+and both
 .Va sendmail_enable
-is set to
+and
+.Va sendmail_submit_enable
+are set to
 .Dq Li NO ,
 run
 .Xr sendmail 8
@@ -1768,9 +1775,11 @@ This is intended to allow local mail queue management
 for systems that do not offer a listening SMTP service.
 .It Va sendmail_outbound_flags
 .Pq Vt str
-If
+If both
 .Va sendmail_enable
-is set to
+and
+.Va sendmail_submit_enable
+are set to
 .Dq Li NO
 and
 .Va sendmail_outbound_enable