diff --git a/include/paths.h b/include/paths.h
index c9c156381503..33d47ed9f67a 100644
--- a/include/paths.h
+++ b/include/paths.h
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@
 /* All standard utilities path. */
 #define	_PATH_STDPATH \
 	"/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:"
+/* Locate system binaries */
+#define _PATH_SYSPATH	\
+	"/sbin:/usr/sbin"
 
 #define	_PATH_AUTHCONF	"/etc/auth.conf"
 #define	_PATH_BSHELL	"/bin/sh"
diff --git a/sbin/fsck/fsck.c b/sbin/fsck/fsck.c
index 35a4b91d64f6..f11ee8910dd4 100644
--- a/sbin/fsck/fsck.c
+++ b/sbin/fsck/fsck.c
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#include "pathnames.h"
 #include "fsutil.h"
 
 static enum { IN_LIST, NOT_IN_LIST } which = NOT_IN_LIST;
@@ -281,16 +280,10 @@ static int
 checkfs(const char *pvfstype, const char *spec, const char *mntpt,
     char *auxopt, pid_t *pidp)
 {
-	/* List of directories containing fsck_xxx subcommands. */
-	static const char *edirs[] = {
-		_PATH_SBIN,
-		_PATH_USRSBIN,
-		NULL
-	};
-	const char **argv, **edir;
+	const char **argv;
 	pid_t pid;
 	int argc, i, status, maxargc;
-	char *optbuf, execname[MAXPATHLEN + 1], execbase[MAXPATHLEN];
+	char *optbuf, execbase[MAXPATHLEN];
 	char *vfstype = NULL;
 	const char *extra = NULL;
 
@@ -361,25 +354,11 @@ checkfs(const char *pvfstype, const char *spec, const char *mntpt,
 			_exit(0);
 
 		/* Go find an executable. */
-		edir = edirs;
-		do {
-			(void)snprintf(execname,
-			    sizeof(execname), "%s/%s", *edir, execbase);
-			execv(execname, (char * const *)argv);
-			if (errno != ENOENT) {
-				if (spec)
-					warn("exec %s for %s", execname, spec);
-				else
-					warn("exec %s", execname);
-			}
-		} while (*++edir != NULL);
-
-		if (errno == ENOENT) {
-			if (spec)
-				warn("exec %s for %s", execname, spec);
-			else
-				warn("exec %s", execname);
-		}
+		execvP(execbase, _PATH_SYSPATH, (char * const *)argv);
+		if (spec)
+			warn("exec %s for %s in %s", execbase, spec, _PATH_SYSPATH);
+		else
+			warn("exec %s in %s", execbase, _PATH_SYSPATH);
 		_exit(1);
 		/* NOTREACHED */
 
diff --git a/sbin/fsck/pathnames.h b/sbin/fsck/pathnames.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 5f3166e80c6e..000000000000
--- a/sbin/fsck/pathnames.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: pathnames.h,v 1.1 1996/09/11 20:27:15 christos Exp $	*/
-
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 1996 Christos Zoulas.  All rights reserved.
- *
- * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
- * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
- * are met:
- * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
- *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
- * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
- *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
- *    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
- * 3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software
- *    must display the following acknowledgement:
- *	This product includes software developed by Christos Zoulas.
- * 4. The name of the author may not be used to endorse or promote products
- *    derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
- *
- * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR
- * IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
- * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
- * IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
- * INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
- * NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
- * DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
- * THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
- * (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
- * THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
- *
- * $FreeBSD$
- */
-
-#define _PATH_SBIN	"/sbin"
-#define _PATH_USRSBIN	"/usr/sbin"
diff --git a/sbin/mount/mount.c b/sbin/mount/mount.c
index 4fccd91aa3dc..bb4579dac534 100644
--- a/sbin/mount/mount.c
+++ b/sbin/mount/mount.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ static const char rcsid[] =
 #include <err.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fstab.h>
+#include <paths.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -392,13 +393,8 @@ mountfs(vfstype, spec, name, flags, options, mntopts)
 	const char *vfstype, *spec, *name, *options, *mntopts;
 	int flags;
 {
-	/* List of directories containing mount_xxx subcommands. */
-	static const char *edirs[] = {
-		_PATH_SBIN,
-		_PATH_USRSBIN,
-		NULL
-	};
 	const char *argv[100], **edir;
+	char *path, *cur;
 	struct statfs sf;
 	pid_t pid;
 	int argc, i, status;
@@ -469,25 +465,10 @@ mountfs(vfstype, spec, name, flags, options, mntopts)
 			exit(mount_ufs(argc, (char * const *) argv));
 
 		/* Go find an executable. */
-		for (edir = edirs; *edir; edir++) {
-			(void)snprintf(execname,
-			    sizeof(execname), "%s/mount_%s", *edir, vfstype);
-			execv(execname, (char * const *)argv);
-		}
+		(void)snprintf(execname, sizeof(execname), "mount_%s", vfstype);
+		execvP(execname, _PATH_SYSPATH, (char * const *)argv);
 		if (errno == ENOENT) {
-			int len = 0;
-			char *cp;
-			for (edir = edirs; *edir; edir++)
-				len += strlen(*edir) + 2;	/* ", " */
-			if ((cp = malloc(len)) == NULL)
-				errx(1, "malloc failed");
-			cp[0] = '\0';
-			for (edir = edirs; *edir; edir++) {
-				strcat(cp, *edir);
-				if (edir[1] != NULL)
-					strcat(cp, ", ");
-			}
-			warn("exec mount_%s not found in %s", vfstype, cp);
+			warn("exec mount_%s not found in %s", vfstype, path);
 		}
 		exit(1);
 		/* NOTREACHED */
diff --git a/sbin/mount/pathnames.h b/sbin/mount/pathnames.h
index 45a4a010c1cf..5209f04b020c 100644
--- a/sbin/mount/pathnames.h
+++ b/sbin/mount/pathnames.h
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@
  * SUCH DAMAGE.
  *
  *	@(#)pathnames.h	8.2 (Berkeley) 3/27/94
+ *	$FreeBSD$
  */
 
-#define _PATH_SBIN	"/sbin"
-#define _PATH_USRSBIN	"/usr/sbin"
 #define	_PATH_MOUNTDPID	"/var/run/mountd.pid"