Index: head/include/ttyent.h
===================================================================
--- head/include/ttyent.h
+++ head/include/ttyent.h
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
 #define	TTY_SECURE	0x02	/* allow uid of 0 to login */
 #define	TTY_DIALUP	0x04	/* is a dialup tty */
 #define	TTY_NETWORK	0x08	/* is a network tty */
+#define	TTY_IFEXISTS	0x10	/* configured as "onifexists" */
+#define	TTY_IFCONSOLE	0x20	/* configured as "onifconsole" */
 	int	ty_status;	/* status flags */
 	char 	*ty_window;	/* command to start up window manager */
 	char	*ty_comment;	/* comment field */
Index: head/lib/libc/gen/getttyent.3
===================================================================
--- head/lib/libc/gen/getttyent.3
+++ head/lib/libc/gen/getttyent.3
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@
 #define	TTY_SECURE	0x02	/* allow uid of 0 to login */
 #define	TTY_DIALUP	0x04	/* is a dialup tty */
 #define	TTY_NETWORK	0x08	/* is a network tty */
+#define	TTY_IFEXISTS	0x10	/* configured as "onifexists" */
+#define	TTY_IFCONSOLE	0x20	/* configured as "onifconsole" */
 	int	ty_status;	/* status flags */
 	char	*ty_window;	/* command to start up window manager */
 	char	*ty_comment;	/* comment field */
@@ -115,6 +117,10 @@
 If this flag is set, then
 .Fn isnettty
 will return a non-zero value.
+.It Dv TTY_IFEXISTS
+Identifies a tty that does not neccessarily exist.
+.It Dv TTY_IFCONSOLE
+Identifies a tty that might be a system console.
 .El
 .It Fa ty_window
 The command to execute for a window system associated with the line.
Index: head/lib/libc/gen/getttyent.c
===================================================================
--- head/lib/libc/gen/getttyent.c
+++ head/lib/libc/gen/getttyent.c
@@ -75,11 +75,14 @@
 {
 	size_t len;
 	char *buf, *cons, *nextcons;
+	int rv;
 
+	rv = TTY_IFCONSOLE;
+
 	/* Check if this is an enabled kernel console line */
 	buf = NULL;
 	if (sysctlbyname("kern.console", NULL, &len, NULL, 0) == -1)
-		return (0); /* Errors mean don't enable */
+		return (rv); /* Errors mean don't enable */
 	buf = malloc(len);
 	if (sysctlbyname("kern.console", buf, &len, NULL, 0) == -1)
 		goto done;
@@ -90,14 +93,14 @@
 	nextcons = buf;
 	while ((cons = strsep(&nextcons, ",")) != NULL && strlen(cons) != 0) {
 		if (strcmp(cons, ty_name) == 0) {
-			free(buf);
-			return (TTY_ON);
+			rv |= TTY_ON;
+			break;
 		}
 	}
 
 done:
 	free(buf);
-	return (0);
+	return (rv);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -107,13 +110,13 @@
 	char *dev;
 	int rv;
 
-	rv = 0;
+	rv = TTY_IFEXISTS;
 	if (*ty_name == '/')
 		asprintf(&dev, "%s", ty_name);
 	else
 		asprintf(&dev, "/dev/%s", ty_name);
 	if (dev != NULL && stat(dev, &sb) == 0)
-		rv = TTY_ON;
+		rv |= TTY_ON;
 	free(dev);
 	return (rv);
 }
Index: head/sbin/init/init.c
===================================================================
--- head/sbin/init/init.c
+++ head/sbin/init/init.c
@@ -156,6 +156,8 @@
 	int	se_flags;		/* status of session */
 #define	SE_SHUTDOWN	0x1		/* session won't be restarted */
 #define	SE_PRESENT	0x2		/* session is in /etc/ttys */
+#define	SE_IFEXISTS	0x4		/* session defined as "onifexists" */
+#define	SE_IFCONSOLE	0x8		/* session defined as "onifconsole" */
 	int	se_nspace;		/* spacing count */
 	char	*se_device;		/* filename of port */
 	char	*se_getty;		/* what to run on that port */
@@ -1262,7 +1264,6 @@
 new_session(session_t *sprev, struct ttyent *typ)
 {
 	session_t *sp;
-	int fd;
 
 	if ((typ->ty_status & TTY_ON) == 0 ||
 	    typ->ty_name == 0 ||
@@ -1273,21 +1274,15 @@
 
 	sp->se_flags |= SE_PRESENT;
 
+	if ((typ->ty_status & TTY_IFEXISTS) != 0)
+		sp->se_flags |= SE_IFEXISTS;
+
+	if ((typ->ty_status & TTY_IFCONSOLE) != 0)
+		sp->se_flags |= SE_IFCONSOLE;
+
 	if (asprintf(&sp->se_device, "%s%s", _PATH_DEV, typ->ty_name) < 0)
 		err(1, "asprintf");
 
-	/*
-	 * Attempt to open the device, if we get "device not configured"
-	 * then don't add the device to the session list.
-	 */
-	if ((fd = open(sp->se_device, O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK, 0)) < 0) {
-		if (errno == ENXIO) {
-			free_session(sp);
-			return (0);
-		}
-	} else
-		close(fd);
-
 	if (setupargv(sp, typ) == 0) {
 		free_session(sp);
 		return (0);
@@ -1507,6 +1502,30 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ * Return 1 if the session is defined as "onifexists"
+ * or "onifconsole" and the device node does not exist.
+ */
+static int
+session_has_no_tty(session_t *sp)
+{
+	int fd;
+
+	if ((sp->se_flags & SE_IFEXISTS) == 0 &&
+	    (sp->se_flags & SE_IFCONSOLE) == 0)
+		return (0);
+
+	fd = open(sp->se_device, O_RDONLY | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
+	if (fd < 0) {
+		if (errno == ENOENT)
+			return (1);
+		return (0);
+	}
+
+	close(fd);
+	return (0);
+}
+
+/*
  * Collect exit status for a child.
  * If an exiting login, start a new login running.
  */
@@ -1524,7 +1543,8 @@
 	del_session(sp);
 	sp->se_process = 0;
 
-	if (sp->se_flags & SE_SHUTDOWN) {
+	if (sp->se_flags & SE_SHUTDOWN ||
+	    session_has_no_tty(sp)) {
 		if ((sprev = sp->se_prev) != NULL)
 			sprev->se_next = sp->se_next;
 		else
@@ -1610,6 +1630,8 @@
 
 	for (sp = sessions; sp; sp = sp->se_next) {
 		if (sp->se_process)
+			continue;
+		if (session_has_no_tty(sp))
 			continue;
 		if ((pid = start_getty(sp)) == -1) {
 			/* serious trouble */