diff --git a/lib/libbe/be.h b/lib/libbe/be.h
index 1b3218c206a4..f532718b81d6 100644
--- a/lib/libbe/be.h
+++ b/lib/libbe/be.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ const char *be_nextboot_path(libbe_handle_t *);
 const char *be_root_path(libbe_handle_t *);
 
 int be_get_bootenv_props(libbe_handle_t *, nvlist_t *);
+int be_prop_list_alloc(nvlist_t **be_list);
 void be_prop_list_free(nvlist_t *be_list);
 
 int be_activate(libbe_handle_t *, char *, bool);
diff --git a/lib/libbe/be_info.c b/lib/libbe/be_info.c
index 3f638163a783..7cb014086db0 100644
--- a/lib/libbe/be_info.c
+++ b/lib/libbe/be_info.c
@@ -207,6 +207,13 @@ prop_list_builder(prop_data_t *data)
 }
 
 
+int
+be_prop_list_alloc(nvlist_t **be_list)
+{
+
+	return (nvlist_alloc(be_list, NV_UNIQUE_NAME, KM_SLEEP));
+}
+
 /*
  * frees property list and its children
  */
diff --git a/lib/libbe/libbe.3 b/lib/libbe/libbe.3
index 2ddb2b0a0c58..db94dca78467 100644
--- a/lib/libbe/libbe.3
+++ b/lib/libbe/libbe.3
@@ -129,6 +129,14 @@ of state to be retained, such as errors from previous operations.
 .Ft int
 .Fn be_add_child "libbe_handle_t *, char *, bool" ;
 .Pp
+.Ft int
+.Fn be_prop_list_alloc "nvlist_t **" ;
+.Pp
+.Ft int
+.Fn be_get_bootenv_props "libbe_handle_t *, nvlist_t *" ;
+.Pp
+.Ft void
+.Fn be_prop_list_free "nvlist_t *" ;
 .\" .Ft void
 .\" .Fn mp_mfree "MINT *mp" ;
 .\" .Bd -ragged -offset indent
diff --git a/sbin/bectl/bectl.c b/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
index 98a9121a2cf3..74f7130e33c8 100644
--- a/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
+++ b/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/jail.h>
-#include <sys/malloc.h>
 #include <sys/mount.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
@@ -418,6 +417,7 @@ bectl_cmd_list(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int opt;
 	bool show_all_datasets, show_space, hide_headers, show_snaps;
 
+	props = NULL;
 	show_all_datasets = show_space = hide_headers = show_snaps = false;
 	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "aDHs")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ bectl_cmd_list(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 
-	if (nvlist_alloc(&props, NV_UNIQUE_NAME, M_WAITOK) != 0) {
+	if (be_prop_list_alloc(&props) != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "bectl list: failed to allocate prop nvlist\n");
 		return (1);
 	}
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ bectl_cmd_list(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 	dump_nvlist(props, 0);
-	nvlist_free(props);
+	be_prop_list_free(props);
 
 	return (0);
 }