diff --git a/sbin/reboot/nextboot.8 b/sbin/reboot/nextboot.8
index 99986b1204ff..eb383197ae8f 100644
--- a/sbin/reboot/nextboot.8
+++ b/sbin/reboot/nextboot.8
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd November 4, 2002
+.Dd January 31, 2012
 .Dt NEXTBOOT 8
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -32,15 +32,17 @@
 .Nd "specify an alternate kernel and boot flags for the next reboot"
 .Sh SYNOPSIS
 .Nm
+.Op Fl e Ar variable=value
 .Op Fl f
+.Op Fl k Ar kernel
 .Op Fl o Ar options
-.Fl k Ar kernel
 .Nm
 .Fl D
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 The
 .Nm
-utility allows specifying an alternate kernel and/or boot flags for the
+utility allows specifying some combination of an alternate kernel, boot flags
+and kernel environment for the
 next time the machine is booted.
 Once the
 .Xr loader 8
@@ -58,6 +60,11 @@ with this
 option removes an existing
 .Nm
 configuration.
+.It Fl e Ar variable=value
+This option adds the provided variable and value to the kernel environment.
+The value is quoted when written to the
+.Nm
+configuration.
 .It Fl f
 This
 option disables the sanity checking which checks if the kernel really exists
diff --git a/sbin/reboot/nextboot.sh b/sbin/reboot/nextboot.sh
index bb90c63d13c3..253ccf797b2f 100644
--- a/sbin/reboot/nextboot.sh
+++ b/sbin/reboot/nextboot.sh
@@ -2,31 +2,59 @@
 #
 # Copyright 2002. Gordon Tetlow.
 # gordon@FreeBSD.org
+# Copyright (c) 2012 Sandvine Incorporated. All rights reserved.
 #
 # $FreeBSD$
 
 delete="NO"
+kenv=
 force="NO"
 nextboot_file="/boot/nextboot.conf"
 
+add_kenv()
+{
+	local var value
+
+	var=$1
+	# strip literal quotes if passed in
+	value=${2%\"*}
+	value=${value#*\"}
+
+	if [ -n "${kenv}" ]; then
+		kenv="${kenv}
+"
+	fi
+	kenv="${kenv}${var}=\"${value}\""
+}
+
 display_usage() {
-	echo "Usage: nextboot [-f] [-o options] -k kernel"
+	echo "Usage: nextboot [-e variable=value] [-f] [-k kernel] [-o options]"
 	echo "       nextboot -D"
 }
 
-while getopts "Dfk:o:" argument ; do
+while getopts "De:fk:o:" argument ; do
 	case "${argument}" in
 	D)
 		delete="YES"
 		;;
+	e)
+		var=${OPTARG%%=*}
+		value=${OPTARG#*=}
+		if [ -z "$var" -o -z "$value" ]; then
+			display_usage
+			exit 1
+		fi
+		add_kenv "$var" "$value"
+		;;
 	f)
 		force="YES"
 		;;
 	k)
 		kernel="${OPTARG}"
+		add_kenv kernel "$kernel"
 		;;
 	o)
-		kernel_options="${OPTARG}"
+		add_kenv kernel_options "${OPTARG}"
 		;;
 	*)
 		display_usage
@@ -40,12 +68,12 @@ if [ ${delete} = "YES" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-if [ "xxx${kernel}" = "xxx" ]; then
+if [ -z "${kenv}" ]; then
 	display_usage
 	exit 1
 fi
 
-if [ ${force} = "NO" -a ! -d /boot/${kernel} ]; then
+if [ -n "${kernel}" -a ${force} = "NO" -a ! -d /boot/${kernel} ]; then
 	echo "Error: /boot/${kernel} doesn't exist. Use -f to override."
 	exit 1
 fi
@@ -60,6 +88,5 @@ done
 
 cat > ${nextboot_file} << EOF
 nextboot_enable="YES"
-kernel="${kernel}"
-kernel_options="${kernel_options}"
+$kenv
 EOF