diff --git a/Mk/bsd.port.mk b/Mk/bsd.port.mk
--- a/Mk/bsd.port.mk
+++ b/Mk/bsd.port.mk
@@ -4670,47 +4670,51 @@
 # Generate packing list.  Also tests to make sure all required package
 # files exist.
 
-PLIST_SUB_SANITIZED=	${PLIST_SUB:N*_regex=*}
-
 .    if !target(generate-plist)
 generate-plist: ${WRKDIR}
 	@${ECHO_MSG} "===>   Generating temporary packing list"
 	@${MKDIR} ${TMPPLIST:H}
 	@if [ ! -f ${DESCR} ]; then ${ECHO_MSG} "** Missing pkg-descr for ${PKGNAME}."; exit 1; fi
 	@>${TMPPLIST}
+	@echo @include ${WRKDIR}/subs.plist >> ${TMPPLIST}
 	@for file in ${PLIST_FILES}; do \
-		${ECHO_CMD} $${file} | ${SED} ${PLIST_SUB_SANITIZED:S/$/!g/:S/^/ -e s!%%/:S/=/%%!/} >> ${TMPPLIST}; \
+		${ECHO_CMD} $${file} >> ${TMPPLIST}; \
 	done
 .      for sp in ${_PKGS}
 .        if ${sp} != ${PKGBASE}
 	@for file in ${PLIST_FILES${_SP.${sp}}}; do \
-		${ECHO_CMD} $${file} | ${SED} ${PLIST_SUB_SANITIZED:S/$/!g/:S/^/ -e s!%%/:S/=/%%!/} -e 's/^/@@${_SP.${sp}:S/^.//}@@/' >> ${TMPPLIST}; \
+		${ECHO_CMD} $${file} >> ${TMPPLIST}; \
 	done
 .        endif
 .      endfor
 .      if !empty(PLIST)
 .        for f in ${PLIST}
 	@if [ -f "${f}" ]; then \
-		${SED} ${PLIST_SUB_SANITIZED:S/$/!g/:S/^/ -e s!%%/:S/=/%%!/} ${f} >> ${TMPPLIST}; \
+		cat ${f} >> ${TMPPLIST}; \
 		for i in owner group mode; do ${ECHO_CMD} "@$$i"; done >> ${TMPPLIST}; \
 	fi
 .        endfor
 .      endif
 
 .      for dir in ${PLIST_DIRS}
-	@${ECHO_CMD} ${dir} | ${SED} ${PLIST_SUB_SANITIZED:S/$/!g/:S/^/ -e s!%%/:S/=/%%!/} -e 's,^,@dir ,' >> ${TMPPLIST}
+	@${ECHO_CMD} ${dir} >> ${TMPPLIST}
 .      endfor
 
 .      for sp in ${_PKGS}
 .        if ${sp} != ${PKGBASE}
 .          for dir in ${PLIST_DIRS${_SP.${sp}}}
-	@${ECHO_CMD} ${dir} | ${SED} ${PLIST_SUB_SANITIZED:S/$/!g/:S/^/ -e s!%%/:S/=/%%!/} -e 's,^,@@${_SP.${sp}:S/^.//}@@@dir ,' >> ${TMPPLIST}
+	@${ECHO_CMD} ${dir} >> ${TMPPLIST}
 .          endfor
 .        endif
 .      endfor
 .    endif
 
-${TMPPLIST}:
+${WRKDIR}/subs.plist:
+.    for sub in ${PLIST_SUB}
+		@echo "@var ${sub:C/=/ /}" >> ${.TARGET}
+.    endfor
+
+${TMPPLIST}: ${WRKDIR}/subs.plist
 	@cd ${.CURDIR} && ${MAKE} generate-plist
 
 .    for _type in EXAMPLES DOCS