Index: etc/defaults/rc.conf
===================================================================
--- etc/defaults/rc.conf
+++ etc/defaults/rc.conf
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #
 # $FreeBSD$
 
+: ${__RC_CONF=/etc/rc.conf}
+
 ##############################################################
 ###  Important initial Boot-time options  ####################
 ##############################################################
@@ -701,6 +703,9 @@
 	source_rc_confs_defined=yes
 	source_rc_confs() {
 		local i sourced_files
+		if [ ! -z "${__RC_CONF}" ]; then
+			rc_conf_files=${__RC_CONF}
+		fi
 		for i in ${rc_conf_files}; do
 			case ${sourced_files} in
 			*:$i:*)
Index: etc/rc.subr
===================================================================
--- etc/rc.subr
+++ etc/rc.subr
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #
 
 : ${RC_PID:=$$}; export RC_PID
+: ${__RC_CONF=/etc/rc.conf}
 
 #
 #	Operating System dependent/independent variables
@@ -1373,9 +1374,9 @@
 			debug "Sourcing /etc/defaults/rc.conf"
 			. /etc/defaults/rc.conf
 			source_rc_confs
-		elif [ -r /etc/rc.conf ]; then
-			debug "Sourcing /etc/rc.conf (/etc/defaults/rc.conf doesn't exist)."
-			. /etc/rc.conf
+		elif [ -r ${__RC_CONF} ]; then
+			debug "Sourcing ${__RC_CONF} (/etc/defaults/rc.conf doesn't exist)."
+			. ${__RC_CONF}
 		fi
 		_rc_conf_loaded=true
 	fi