diff --git a/share/man/man4/ddb.4 b/share/man/man4/ddb.4
--- a/share/man/man4/ddb.4
+++ b/share/man/man4/ddb.4
@@ -524,13 +524,23 @@
 argument limits the search.
 .\"
 .Pp
-.It Ic reboot Op Ar seconds
-.It Ic reset Op Ar seconds
+.It Xo
+.Ic Ic reboot Ns Op Li / Ns Cm s
+.Op Ar seconds
+.Xc
+.It Xo
+.Ic Ic reset Ns Op Li / Ns Cm s
+.Op Ar seconds
+.Xc
 Hard reset the system.
 If the optional argument
 .Ar seconds
 is given, the debugger will wait for this long, at most a week,
 before rebooting.
+When the
+.Cm s
+modifier is given, the command will skip running any registered shutdown
+handlers and attempt the most basic reset.
 .Pp
 .It Ic thread Ar addr | tid
 Switch the debugger to the thread with ID
diff --git a/sys/ddb/db_command.c b/sys/ddb/db_command.c
--- a/sys/ddb/db_command.c
+++ b/sys/ddb/db_command.c
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@
 
 static void
 db_reset(db_expr_t addr, bool have_addr, db_expr_t count __unused,
-    char *modif __unused)
+    char *modif)
 {
 	int delay, loop;
 
@@ -770,6 +770,13 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Conditionally try the standard reboot path, so registered
+	 * shutdown/reset handlers have a chance.
+	 */
+	if (modif[0] != 's')
+		kern_reboot(RB_NOSYNC);
+
 	cpu_reset();
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_shutdown.c b/sys/kern/kern_shutdown.c
--- a/sys/kern/kern_shutdown.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_shutdown.c
@@ -270,8 +270,6 @@
 	    SHUTDOWN_PRI_LAST + 100);
 	EVENTHANDLER_REGISTER(shutdown_final, shutdown_panic, NULL,
 	    SHUTDOWN_PRI_LAST + 100);
-	EVENTHANDLER_REGISTER(shutdown_final, shutdown_reset, NULL,
-	    SHUTDOWN_PRI_LAST + 200);
 }
 
 SYSINIT(shutdown_conf, SI_SUB_INTRINSIC, SI_ORDER_ANY, shutdown_conf, NULL);
@@ -548,6 +546,12 @@
 
 	EVENTHANDLER_INVOKE(shutdown_final, howto);
 
+	/*
+	 * Call this directly so that reset is attempted even if shutdown
+	 * handlers are not yet registered.
+	 */
+	shutdown_reset(NULL, howto);
+
 	for(;;) ;	/* safety against shutdown_reset not working */
 	/* NOTREACHED */
 }