diff --git a/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/dialog.subr b/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/dialog.subr
--- a/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/dialog.subr
+++ b/usr.sbin/bsdconfig/share/dialog.subr
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 # Default name of dialog(1) utility
 # NOTE: This is changed to "Xdialog" by the optional `-X' argument
 #
-DIALOG="dialog"
+DIALOG="bsddialog"
 
 #
 # Default dialog(1) title and backtitle text
@@ -80,9 +80,15 @@
 DIALOG_CANCEL=${FAILURE:-1}
 DIALOG_HELP=2
 DIALOG_EXTRA=3
-DIALOG_ITEM_HELP=4
-export DIALOG_ERROR=254 # sh(1) can't handle the default of `-1'
-DIALOG_ESC=255
+if [ $DIALOG = "bsddialog" ]; then
+	DIALOG_ITEM_HELP=2
+	DIALOG_ERROR=255
+	DIALOG_ESC=5
+else
+	DIALOG_ITEM_HELP=4
+	export DIALOG_ERROR=254 # sh(1) can't handle the default of `-1'
+	DIALOG_ESC=255
+fi
 
 #
 # Default behavior is to call f_dialog_init() automatically when loaded.
@@ -2230,7 +2236,7 @@
 	if ! f_have $DIALOG; then
 		unset USE_XDIALOG
 		local failed_dialog="$DIALOG"
-		DIALOG=dialog
+		DIALOG=bsddialog
 		f_die 1 "$msg_no_such_file_or_directory" "$pgm" "$failed_dialog"
 	fi
 
@@ -2262,7 +2268,7 @@
 		if ! f_have xauth; then
 			# Die gracefully, as we [likely] can't use Xdialog(1)
 			unset USE_XDIALOG
-			DIALOG=dialog
+			DIALOG=bsddialog
 			f_die 1 "$msg_no_such_file_or_directory" "$pgm" "xauth"
 		fi
 		HOSTNAME=$( hostname )