Index: sys/kern/kern_environment.c
===================================================================
--- sys/kern/kern_environment.c
+++ sys/kern/kern_environment.c
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@
 
 static char *_getenv_dynamic_locked(const char *name, int *idx);
 static char *_getenv_dynamic(const char *name, int *idx);
+static char *_getenv_static_from(char *chkenv, const char *name);
+static int kenv_to_bool(const char *val, bool *data);
 
 static char *kenv_acquire(const char *name);
 static void kenv_release(const char *buf);
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@
 char		*md_envp;
 static int	md_env_len;
 static int	md_env_pos;
+bool		loader_hints_disabled;
 
 static char	*kernenv_next(char *);
 
@@ -354,7 +357,15 @@
 			kern_envp[1] = '\0';
 		}
 	}
-	if (getenv_is_true("static_hints.disabled")) {
+
+	/*
+	 * Nothing to act on here, it'll fail if it's unset and it will
+	 * fail if it's malformed.  The former is not an error here, and
+	 * the latter case will already helpfully print an error.
+	 */
+	(void)kenv_to_bool(_getenv_static_from(static_hints,
+	    "loader_hints.disabled"), &loader_hints_disabled);
+	if (!loader_hints_disabled && getenv_is_true("static_hints.disabled")) {
 		static_hints[0] = '\0';
 		static_hints[1] = '\0';
 	}
@@ -387,6 +398,11 @@
 				goto sanitize;
 			}
 			*eqpos = 0;
+
+			if (loader_hints_disabled &&
+			    strncmp(cp, "hint.", 5) == 0)
+				goto sanitize;
+
 			/*
 			 * De-dupe the environment as we go.  We don't add the
 			 * duplicated assignments because config(8) will flip
@@ -985,6 +1001,24 @@
 	return (0);
 }
 
+static int
+kenv_to_bool(const char *val, bool *data)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = 0;
+	if (val == NULL)
+		return (EINVAL);
+
+	if ((strcmp(val, "1") == 0) || (strcasecmp(val, "true") == 0))
+		*data = true;
+	else if ((strcmp(val, "0") == 0) || (strcasecmp(val, "false") == 0))
+		*data = false;
+	else
+		ret = EDOM;
+	return (ret);
+}
+
 /*
  * Return a boolean value from an environment variable. This can be in
  * numerical or string form, i.e. "1" or "true".
@@ -999,23 +1033,17 @@
 		return (0);
 
 	val = kern_getenv(name);
-	if (val == NULL)
-		return (0);
+	ret = kenv_to_bool(val, data);
+	freeenv(val);
 
-	if ((strcmp(val, "1") == 0) || (strcasecmp(val, "true") == 0)) {
-		*data = true;
-		ret = 1;
-	} else if ((strcmp(val, "0") == 0) || (strcasecmp(val, "false") == 0)) {
-		*data = false;
-		ret = 1;
-	} else {
+	if (ret == EDOM) {
 		/* Spit out a warning for malformed boolean variables. */
 		printf("Environment variable %s has non-boolean value \"%s\"\n",
 		    name, val);
 	}
-	freeenv(val);
 
-	return (ret);
+	/* Returns non-zero if result is valid. */
+	return (ret == 0 ? 1 : 0);
 }
 
 /*
Index: sys/kern/subr_hints.c
===================================================================
--- sys/kern/subr_hints.c
+++ sys/kern/subr_hints.c
@@ -177,7 +177,8 @@
 			switch (fbacklvl) {
 			case FBACK_MDENV:
 				fbacklvl++;
-				if (_res_checkenv(md_envp)) {
+				if (!loader_hints_disabled &&
+				    _res_checkenv(md_envp)) {
 					hintp = md_envp;
 					break;
 				}
Index: sys/sys/kenv.h
===================================================================
--- sys/sys/kenv.h
+++ sys/sys/kenv.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 extern struct mtx kenv_lock;
 extern char *kern_envp;
 extern char *md_envp;
+extern bool loader_hints_disabled;
 extern char static_env[];
 extern char static_hints[];	/* by config for now */
 
Index: usr.sbin/config/config.5
===================================================================
--- usr.sbin/config/config.5
+++ usr.sbin/config/config.5
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd October 28, 2021
+.Dd November 3, 2021
 .Dt CONFIG 5
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -131,8 +131,8 @@
 environment.
 Disabling the
 .Xr loader 8
-should be done with caution and due consideration for whether or not it supplies
-environment variables needed for properly booting the system.
+environment should be done with caution and due consideration for whether or not
+it supplies environment variables needed for properly booting the system.
 .Pp
 .Va static_env.disabled=1
 may be specified in the
@@ -209,6 +209,16 @@
 the dynamic environment.
 The dynamic environment will then be used for all searches of hints.
 .Pp
+.Va loader_hints.disabled=1
+may be specified in the compiled-in environment to disable use of hints from
+the
+.Xr loader 8
+environment.
+Disabling hints from the
+.Xr loader 8
+environment should be done with caution and due consideration for whether or not
+it supplies hints needed for properly booting the system.
+.Pp
 .Va static_hints.disabled=1
 may be specified in either a compiled-in environment or the
 .Xr loader 8
@@ -216,6 +226,9 @@
 This option has no effect if specified in any environment after the
 .Xr loader 8
 environment is processed.
+This option also has no effect if loader hints have been disabled by the static
+environment setting
+.Va loader_hints.disabled=1 .
 .Pp
 The file
 .Ar filename