diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.d/dumpon b/libexec/rc/rc.d/dumpon
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.d/dumpon
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.d/dumpon
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 	[Nn][Oo] | '')
 		;;
 	[Aa][Uu][Tt][Oo])
+		root_hold_wait
 		dev=$(/bin/kenv -q dumpdev)
 		if [ -n "${dev}" ] ; then
 			dumpon_try "${dev}"
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@
 		return 1
 		;;
 	*)
+		root_hold_wait
 		dumpon_try "${dumpdev}"
 		;;
 	esac
diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.d/zpool b/libexec/rc/rc.d/zpool
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.d/zpool
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.d/zpool
@@ -22,7 +22,14 @@
 
 	for cachefile in /etc/zfs/zpool.cache /boot/zfs/zpool.cache; do
 		if [ -r $cachefile ]; then
-			zpool import -c $cachefile -a -N && break
+			zpool import -c $cachefile -a -N
+			if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+				echo "Import of zpool cache ${cachefile} failed," \
+				    "will retry after root mount hold release"
+				root_hold_wait
+				zpool import -c $cachefile -a -N
+			fi
+			break
 		fi
 	done
 }