Index: head/sys/boot/common/dev_net.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/boot/common/dev_net.c
+++ head/sys/boot/common/dev_net.c
@@ -97,6 +97,14 @@
 	net_cleanup
 };
 
+static struct uri_scheme {
+	const char *scheme;
+	int proto;
+} uri_schemes[] = {
+	{ "tftp:/", NET_TFTP },
+	{ "nfs:/", NET_NFS },
+};
+
 static int
 net_init(void)
 {
@@ -334,11 +342,8 @@
 		return (EIO);
 	}
 exit:
-	netproto = NET_TFTP;
-	if ((rootaddr = net_parse_rootpath()) != INADDR_NONE) {
-		netproto = NET_NFS;
+	if ((rootaddr = net_parse_rootpath()) != INADDR_NONE)
 		rootip.s_addr = rootaddr;
-	}
 
 #ifdef	NETIF_DEBUG
 	if (debug) {
@@ -387,14 +392,51 @@
 uint32_t
 net_parse_rootpath()
 {
-	n_long addr = INADDR_NONE;
-	char *ptr;
+	n_long addr = htonl(INADDR_NONE);
+	size_t i;
+	char ip[FNAME_SIZE];
+	char *ptr, *val;
+
+	netproto = NET_NONE;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < nitems(uri_schemes); i++) {
+		if (strncmp(rootpath, uri_schemes[i].scheme,
+		    strlen(uri_schemes[i].scheme)) != 0)
+			continue;
 
+		netproto = uri_schemes[i].proto;
+		break;
+	}
 	ptr = rootpath;
-	(void)strsep(&ptr, ":");
-	if (ptr != NULL) {
-		addr = inet_addr(rootpath);
-		bcopy(ptr, rootpath, strlen(ptr) + 1);
+	/* Fallback for compatibility mode */
+	if (netproto == NET_NONE) {
+		netproto = NET_NFS;
+		(void)strsep(&ptr, ":");
+		if (ptr != NULL) {
+			addr = inet_addr(rootpath);
+			bcopy(ptr, rootpath, strlen(ptr) + 1);
+		}
+	} else {
+		ptr += strlen(uri_schemes[i].scheme);
+		if (*ptr == '/') {
+			/* we are in the form <scheme>://, we do expect an ip */
+			ptr++;
+			/*
+			 * XXX when http will be there we will need to check for
+			 * a port, but right now we do not need it yet
+			 */
+			val = strchr(ptr, '/');
+			if (val != NULL) {
+				snprintf(ip, sizeof(ip), "%.*s",
+				    (int)((uintptr_t)val - (uintptr_t)ptr), ptr);
+				printf("%s\n", ip);
+				addr = inet_addr(ip);
+				bcopy(val, rootpath, strlen(val) + 1);
+			}
+		} else {
+			ptr--;
+			bcopy(ptr, rootpath, strlen(ptr) + 1);
+		}
 	}
 
 	return (addr);