diff --git a/sys/kern/subr_bus.c b/sys/kern/subr_bus.c
index 20262cd54bd3..dddea78823e6 100644
--- a/sys/kern/subr_bus.c
+++ b/sys/kern/subr_bus.c
@@ -256,7 +256,8 @@ dev_t		devctl_dev;
 static void
 devinit(void)
 {
-	devctl_dev = make_dev(&dev_cdevsw, 0, 0, 0, 0644, "devctl");
+	devctl_dev = make_dev(&dev_cdevsw, 0, UID_ROOT, GID_WHEEL, 0600,
+	    "devctl");
 	mtx_init(&devsoftc.mtx, "dev mtx", "devd", MTX_DEF);
 	cv_init(&devsoftc.cv, "dev cv");
 	TAILQ_INIT(&devsoftc.devq);