diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include "acpi.h"
 #include "atkbdc.h"
 #include "bhyverun.h"
+#include "bootrom.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "e820.h"
@@ -241,6 +242,18 @@
 			bhyve_usage(1);
 		}
 	}
+
+	/* Handle backwards compatibility aliases in config options. */
+	if (get_config_value("lpc.bootrom") != NULL &&
+	    get_config_value("bootrom") == NULL) {
+		warnx("lpc.bootrom is deprecated, use '-o bootrom' instead");
+		set_config_value("bootrom", get_config_value("lpc.bootrom"));
+	}
+	if (get_config_value("lpc.bootvars") != NULL &&
+	    get_config_value("bootvars") == NULL) {
+		warnx("lpc.bootvars is deprecated, use '-o bootvars' instead");
+		set_config_value("bootvars", get_config_value("lpc.bootvars"));
+	}
 }
 
 void
@@ -291,7 +304,7 @@
 	int error;
 
 	if (bsp) {
-		if (lpc_bootrom()) {
+		if (bootrom_boot()) {
 			error = vm_set_capability(vcpu,
 			    VM_CAP_UNRESTRICTED_GUEST, 1);
 			if (error != 0) {
@@ -332,6 +345,9 @@
 	rtc_init(ctx);
 	sci_init(ctx);
 	error = e820_init(ctx);
+	if (error != 0)
+		return (error);
+	error = bootrom_loadrom(ctx);
 	if (error != 0)
 		return (error);
 
@@ -355,7 +371,7 @@
 	if (error != 0)
 		return (error);
 
-	if (lpc_bootrom() && strcmp(lpc_fwcfg(), "bhyve") == 0)
+	if (bootrom_boot() && strcmp(lpc_fwcfg(), "bhyve") == 0)
 		fwctl_init();
 
 	if (get_config_bool("acpi_tables")) {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/ioapic.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/ioapic.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/ioapic.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/ioapic.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <machine/vmm.h>
 #include <vmmapi.h>
 
+#include "bootrom.h"
 #include "ioapic.h"
 #include "pci_emul.h"
 #include "pci_lpc.h"
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@
 
 	if (pci_pins == 0)
 		return (-1);
-	if (lpc_bootrom()) {
+	if (bootrom_boot()) {
 		/* For external bootrom use fixed mapping. */
 		return (16 + (4 + pi->pi_slot + pi->pi_lintr.pin) % 8);
 	}
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_irq.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_irq.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_irq.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_irq.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include <vmmapi.h>
 
 #include "acpi.h"
+#include "bootrom.h"
 #include "inout.h"
 #include "ioapic.h"
 #include "pci_emul.h"
@@ -205,7 +206,7 @@
 
 	pirq_cold = 0;
 
-	if (lpc_bootrom()) {
+	if (bootrom_boot()) {
 		/* For external bootrom use fixed mapping. */
 		best_pin = (4 + pi->pi_slot + pi->pi_lintr.pin) % 8;
 	} else {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.h b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.h
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.h
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@
 void    lpc_print_supported_devices(void);
 char	*lpc_pirq_name(int pin);
 void	lpc_pirq_routed(void);
-const char *lpc_bootrom(void);
 const char *lpc_fwcfg(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
 			if (romfile == NULL) {
 				errx(4, "invalid bootrom option \"%s\"", opts);
 			}
-			set_config_value("lpc.bootrom", romfile);
+			set_config_value("bootrom", romfile);
 
 			varfile = strsep(&str, ",");
 			if (varfile == NULL) {
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
 				goto done;
 			}
 			if (strchr(varfile, '=') == NULL) {
-				set_config_value("lpc.bootvars", varfile);
+				set_config_value("bootvars", varfile);
 			} else {
 				/* varfile doesn't exist, it's another config
 				 * option */
@@ -182,13 +182,6 @@
 	printf("%s\n", pctestdev_getname());
 }
 
-const char *
-lpc_bootrom(void)
-{
-
-	return (get_config_value("lpc.bootrom"));
-}
-
 const char *
 lpc_fwcfg(void)
 {
@@ -256,14 +249,6 @@
 	const char *backend, *name;
 	char *node_name;
 	int unit, error;
-	const nvlist_t *nvl;
-
-	nvl = find_config_node("lpc");
-	if (nvl != NULL && nvlist_exists(nvl, "bootrom")) {
-		error = bootrom_loadrom(ctx, nvl);
-		if (error)
-			return (error);
-	}
 
 	/* COM1 and COM2 */
 	for (unit = 0; unit < LPC_UART_NUM; unit++) {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyve_config.5 b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyve_config.5
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyve_config.5
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyve_config.5
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.Dd November 20, 2023
+.Dd August 13, 2024
 .Dt BHYVE_CONFIG 5
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -120,6 +120,17 @@
 .Xr expand_number 3 .
 .It Va memory.wired Ta bool Ta false Ta
 Wire guest memory.
+.It Va bootrom Ta path Ta Ta
+Path to a boot ROM.
+During initialization of the guest, the contents of this file are copied into
+the guest's memory.
+If a boot ROM is present, a firmware interface device is
+also enabled for use by the boot ROM.
+.It Va bootvars Ta path Ta Ta
+Path to boot VARS.
+The contents of this file are copied beneath the boot ROM.
+Firmware can write to it to save variables.
+All variables will be persistent even on reboots of the guest.
 .It Va acpi_tables Ta bool Ta true Ta
 Generate ACPI tables.
 .It Va acpi_tables_in_memory Ta bool Ta true Ta
@@ -550,17 +561,6 @@
 .Va lpc :
 .Bl -column "pc-testdev" "Format" "Default"
 .It Sy Name Ta Sy Format Ta Sy Default Ta Sy Description
-.It Va bootrom Ta path Ta Ta
-Path to a boot ROM.
-The contents of this file are copied into the guest's
-memory ending just before the 4GB physical address.
-If a boot ROM is present, a firmware interface device is
-also enabled for use by the boot ROM.
-.It Va bootvars Ta path Ta Ta
-Path to boot VARS.
-The contents of this file are copied beneath the boot ROM.
-Firmware can write to it to save variables.
-All variables will be persistent even on reboots of the guest.
 .It Va com1 Ta node Ta Ta
 Settings for the COM1 serial port device.
 .It Va com2 Ta node Ta Ta
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
@@ -525,12 +525,7 @@
 
 	reinit = false;
 
-#ifdef __amd64__
-	romboot = lpc_bootrom() != NULL;
-#else
-	romboot = true;
-#endif
-
+	romboot = bootrom_boot();
 	error = vm_create(vmname);
 	if (error) {
 		if (errno == EEXIST) {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.h b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.h
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 };
 int bootrom_alloc(struct vmctx *ctx, size_t len, int prot, int flags,
     char **region_out, uint64_t *gpa_out);
-int bootrom_loadrom(struct vmctx *ctx, const nvlist_t *nvl);
+bool bootrom_boot(void);
+int bootrom_loadrom(struct vmctx *ctx);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@
 }
 
 int
-bootrom_loadrom(struct vmctx *ctx, const nvlist_t *nvl)
+bootrom_loadrom(struct vmctx *ctx)
 {
 	struct stat sbuf;
 	ssize_t rlen;
@@ -204,9 +204,9 @@
 	rv = -1;
 	varfd = -1;
 
-	bootrom = get_config_value_node(nvl, "bootrom");
+	bootrom = get_config_value("bootrom");
 	if (bootrom == NULL) {
-		return (-1);
+		return (0);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@
 
 	rom_size = sbuf.st_size;
 
-	varfile = get_config_value_node(nvl, "bootvars");
+	varfile = get_config_value("bootvars");
 	var_size = 0;
 	if (varfile != NULL) {
 		varfd = open(varfile, O_RDWR);
@@ -314,3 +314,12 @@
 	free(romfile);
 	return (rv);
 }
+
+/*
+ * Are we relying on a bootrom to initialize the guest's CPU context?
+ */
+bool
+bootrom_boot(void)
+{
+	return (get_config_value("bootrom") != NULL);
+}