Index: head/share/man/man8/beinstall.8
===================================================================
--- head/share/man/man8/beinstall.8
+++ head/share/man/man8/beinstall.8
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
-.Dd April 18, 2020
+.Dd October 30, 2020
 .Dt BEINSTALL.SH 8
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -65,10 +65,8 @@
 .Nm
 requires a fully built world and kernel.
 It also requires
-.Xr beadm 1
-and
 .Xr pkg 8 ,
-which are not present in the base system and have to be installed manually.
+which is not present in the base system and has to be installed manually.
 .Pp
 The
 .Ar options
@@ -82,6 +80,13 @@
 User modifiable variables.
 Set these in the environment if desired:
 .Bl -tag -width indent
+.It Ev BE_UTILITY Pq default: Dq Li "bectl"
+Utility to manage ZFS boot environments.
+This can be either
+.Xr bectl 8
+from the base system or
+.Xr beadm 1
+from ports (sysutils/beadm).
 .It Ev CONFIG_UPDATER Pq default: Dq Li "etcupdate"
 Config updater:
 .Xr etcupdate 8
@@ -110,9 +115,9 @@
 lives in the src tree.
 .El
 .Sh SEE ALSO
-.Xr beadm 1 ,
 .Xr build 7 ,
 .Xr development 7 ,
+.Xr bectl 8 ,
 .Xr etcupdate 8 ,
 .Xr mergemaster 8 ,
 .Xr pkg 8
Index: head/tools/build/beinstall.sh
===================================================================
--- head/tools/build/beinstall.sh
+++ head/tools/build/beinstall.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 # Install a boot environment using the current FreeBSD source tree.
 # Requires a fully built world & kernel.
 #
-# Non-base tools required: beadm, pkg
+# Non-base tools required: pkg
 #
 # In a sandbox for the new boot environment, this script also runs etcupdate
 # and pkg upgrade automatically in the sandbox.  Upon successful completion,
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@
 # beinstall [optional world/kernel flags e.g. KERNCONF]
 #
 ## User modifiable variables - set these in the environment if desired.
+# Utility to manage ZFS boot environments.
+BE_UTILITY="${BE_UTILITY:-"bectl"}"
 # If not empty, 'pkg upgrade' will be skipped.
 NO_PKG_UPGRADE="${NO_PKG_UPGRADE:-""}"
 # Config updater - 'etcupdate' and 'mergemaster' are supported.  Set to an
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@
 	if [ -n "${created_be_dirs}" ]; then
 		chroot ${BE_MNTPT} /bin/rm -rf ${created_be_dirs}
 	fi
-	beadm destroy -F ${BENAME}
+	${BE_UTILITY} destroy -F ${BENAME}
 }
 
 create_be_dirs() {
@@ -150,8 +152,8 @@
 	unmount_be
 	rmdir_be
 	echo "Post-mortem cleanup complete."
-	echo "To destroy the BE (recommended), run: beadm destroy ${BENAME}"
-	echo "To instead continue with the BE, run: beadm activate ${BENAME}"
+	echo "To destroy the BE (recommended), run: ${BE_UTILITY} destroy ${BENAME}"
+	echo "To instead continue with the BE, run: ${BE_UTILITY} activate ${BENAME}"
 }
 
 if [ -n "$BEINSTALL_CMD" ]; then
@@ -159,6 +161,9 @@
 	exit $?
 fi
 
+if [ "$(basename -- "${BE_UTILITY}")" = "bectl" ]; then
+	${BE_UTILITY} check || errx "${BE_UTILITY} sanity check failed"
+fi
 
 cleanup_commands=""
 trap 'errx "Interrupt caught"' HUP INT TERM
@@ -205,10 +210,10 @@
 BE_MM_ROOT=${BE_TMP}/mergemaster # mergemaster will create
 mkdir -p ${BE_MNTPT}
 
-beadm create ${BENAME} >/dev/null || errx "Unable to create BE ${BENAME}"
+${BE_UTILITY} create ${BENAME} >/dev/null || errx "Unable to create BE ${BENAME}"
 [ -z "$NO_CLEANUP_BE" ] && cleanup_commands="cleanup_be ${cleanup_commands}"
 
-beadm mount ${BENAME} ${BE_TMP}/mnt || errx "Unable to mount BE ${BENAME}."
+${BE_UTILITY} mount ${BENAME} ${BE_TMP}/mnt || errx "Unable to mount BE ${BENAME}."
 
 echo "Mounted ${BENAME} to ${BE_MNTPT}, performing install/update ..."
 make "$@" DESTDIR=${BE_MNTPT} installkernel || errx "Installkernel failed!"
@@ -252,8 +257,8 @@
 
 unmount_be || errx "Unable to unmount BE"
 rmdir_be || errx "Unable to cleanup BE"
-beadm activate ${BENAME} || errx "Unable to activate BE"
+${BE_UTILITY} activate ${BENAME} || errx "Unable to activate BE"
 echo
-beadm list
+${BE_UTILITY} list
 echo
 echo "Boot environment ${BENAME} setup complete; reboot to use it."