diff --git a/sys/nfs/bootp_subr.c b/sys/nfs/bootp_subr.c
--- a/sys/nfs/bootp_subr.c
+++ b/sys/nfs/bootp_subr.c
@@ -1501,7 +1501,7 @@
 void
 bootpc_init(void)
 {
-	struct bootpc_ifcontext *ifctx;		/* Interface BOOTP contexts */
+	struct bootpc_ifcontext *ifctx = NULL;	/* Interface BOOTP contexts */
 	struct bootpc_globalcontext *gctx; 	/* Global BOOTP context */
 	struct ifnet *ifp;
 	struct sockaddr_dl *sdl;
@@ -1571,9 +1571,13 @@
 		}
 		ifcnt++;
 	}
+
 	IFNET_RUNLOCK();
-	if (ifcnt == 0)
-		panic("%s: no eligible interfaces", __func__);
+	if (ifcnt == 0) {
+		printf("WARNING: BOOTP found no eligible network interfaces, skipping!\n");
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	for (; ifcnt > 0; ifcnt--)
 		allocifctx(gctx);
 #endif