diff --git a/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/media/nfs.subr b/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/media/nfs.subr
index 461db1ce5f08..d78dec6708ec 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/media/nfs.subr
+++ b/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/media/nfs.subr
@@ -103,9 +103,8 @@ f_media_set_nfs()
 		f_dprintf "%s: $msg_net_device_init_failed\n" f_media_set_nfs
 
 	local hostname="${nfs%%:*}"
-	if f_quietly f_getvar $VAR_NAMESERVER && ! {
-		f_validate_ipaddr "$hostname" ||
-		f_validate_ipaddr6 "$hostname"
+	if f_isset $VAR_NAMESERVER && ! {
+		f_validate_ipaddr "$hostname" || f_validate_ipaddr6 "$hostname"
 	}; then
 		f_show_info "$msg_looking_up_host" "$hostname"
 		f_dprintf "%s Looking up hostname, %s, using host(1)" \
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/media/tcpip.subr b/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/media/tcpip.subr
index b7b7b7e300c7..f1664f228b69 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/media/tcpip.subr
+++ b/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/media/tcpip.subr
@@ -1133,11 +1133,12 @@ f_device_dialog_tcp()
 		# Otherwise, ask the question interactively.
 		#
 		local try6
-		if ! f_quietly f_getvar $VAR_NO_INET6 && {
+		if ! f_isset $VAR_NO_INET6 && {
 		   { f_getvar $VAR_TRY_RTSOL try6 && [ "$try6" = "YES" ]; } ||
 		   {
-			! f_quietly f_getvar $VAR_TRY_RTSOL &&
-			f_dialog_noyes "$msg_try_ipv6_configuration"
+			# Only prompt the user when VAR_TRY_RTSOL is unset
+			! f_isset $VAR_TRY_RTSOL &&
+				f_dialog_noyes "$msg_try_ipv6_configuration"
 		   }
 		}; then
 			local i
@@ -1169,8 +1170,9 @@ f_device_dialog_tcp()
 		#
 		local try4
 		if { f_getvar $VAR_TRY_DHCP try4 && [ "$try4" = "YES" ]; } || {
-			! f_quietly f_getvar $VAR_TRY_DHCP &&
-			f_dialog_noyes "$msg_try_dhcp_configuration"
+			# Only prompt the user when VAR_TRY_DHCP is unset
+			! f_isset $VAR_TRY_DHCP &&
+				f_dialog_noyes "$msg_try_dhcp_configuration"
 		}; then
 			f_quietly ifconfig $dev delete
 			f_quietly mkdir -p /var/db
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/packages/categories.subr b/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/packages/categories.subr
index 25345160f169..6c354318d36c 100755
--- a/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/packages/categories.subr
+++ b/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/packages/categories.subr
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ f_category_desc_set()
 	for cat in $CATEGORIES; do
 		[ "$cat" = "$category" ] || continue
 		f_str2varname $cat varcat
-		f_quietly f_getvar _category_$varcat || continue
+		f_isset _category_$varcat || continue
 		found=1 && break
 	done
 	if [ ! "$found" ]; then