diff --git a/etc/defaults/rc.conf b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
index 5b4bf73391b3..5aecc676aa7a 100644
--- a/etc/defaults/rc.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ ip6addrctl_verbose="NO"	# Set to YES to enable verbose configuration messages
 ###  System console options  #################################
 ##############################################################
 
+keyboard=""		# keyboard device to use (default /dev/kbd0).
 keymap="NO"		# keymap in /usr/share/syscons/keymaps/* (or NO).
 keyrate="NO"		# keyboard rate to: slow, normal, fast (or NO).
 keybell="NO" 		# See kbdcontrol(1) for options.  Use "off" to disable.
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/syscons b/etc/rc.d/syscons
index 249421cdbe30..ac0144fe42a7 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/syscons
+++ b/etc/rc.d/syscons
@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ syscons_start()
 {
 	echo -n 'Configuring syscons:'
 
+	# keyboard
+	#
+	if [ -n "${keyboard}" ]; then
+		echo -n ' keyboard';	kbdcontrol < ${kbddev} \
+		    -k "${keyboard}" >/dev/null
+	fi
+
 	# keymap
 	#
 	case ${keymap} in