diff --git a/sys/kern/subr_firmware.c b/sys/kern/subr_firmware.c
--- a/sys/kern/subr_firmware.c
+++ b/sys/kern/subr_firmware.c
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@
 
 static const char *fw_path = "/boot/firmware/";
 
-static void
+static bool
 try_binary_file(const char *imagename, uint32_t flags)
 {
 	struct nameidata nd;
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@
 	if (bootverbose)
 		printf("%s: Loaded binary firmware using %s\n", imagename, fn);
 	sbuf_delete(sb);
-	return;
+	return (true);
 
 err2: /* cleanup in vn_open through vn_close */
 	VOP_UNLOCK(nd.ni_vp);
@@ -339,8 +339,10 @@
 err:
 	free(data, M_FIRMWARE);
 	if (bootverbose || warn)
-		printf("%s: could not load binary firmware %s either\n", imagename, fn);
+		printf("%s: could not load binary firmware %s from file\n", imagename, fn);
 	sbuf_delete(sb);
+
+	return (false);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -353,10 +355,14 @@
 
 	error = linker_reference_module(fwli->imagename, NULL, &result);
 	if (error != 0) {
-		if (bootverbose || (fwli->flags & FIRMWARE_GET_NOWARN) == 0)
+		if (bootverbose)
+			printf("%s: could not load firmware module, error %d\n",
+			    fwli->imagename, error);
+
+		if (!try_binary_file(fwli->imagename, fwli->flags))
 			printf("%s: could not load firmware image, error %d\n",
 			    fwli->imagename, error);
-		try_binary_file(fwli->imagename, fwli->flags);
+
 		mtx_lock(&firmware_mtx);
 		goto done;
 	}