diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/ffs.c b/usr.sbin/makefs/ffs.c
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/ffs.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/ffs.c
@@ -685,9 +685,7 @@
 	dinp->di_mode = cur->inode->st.st_mode;
 	dinp->di_nlink = cur->inode->nlink;
 	dinp->di_size = cur->inode->st.st_size;
-#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_FLAGS
-	dinp->di_flags = cur->inode->st.st_flags;
-#endif
+	dinp->di_flags = FSINODE_ST_FLAGS(*cur->inode);
 	dinp->di_gen = random();
 	dinp->di_uid = cur->inode->st.st_uid;
 	dinp->di_gid = cur->inode->st.st_gid;
@@ -733,9 +731,7 @@
 	dinp->di_mode = cur->inode->st.st_mode;
 	dinp->di_nlink = cur->inode->nlink;
 	dinp->di_size = cur->inode->st.st_size;
-#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_FLAGS
-	dinp->di_flags = cur->inode->st.st_flags;
-#endif
+	dinp->di_flags = FSINODE_ST_FLAGS(*cur->inode);
 	dinp->di_gen = random();
 	dinp->di_uid = cur->inode->st.st_uid;
 	dinp->di_gid = cur->inode->st.st_gid;
diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.h b/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.h
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/makefs.h
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@
 #ifndef	_MAKEFS_H
 #define	_MAKEFS_H
 
+#if HAVE_NBTOOL_CONFIG_H
+#include "nbtool_config.h"
+#else
+#define	HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_FLAGS	1
+#endif
+
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <err.h>
 
@@ -85,8 +91,17 @@
 	enum fi_flags	 flags;		/* flags used by fs specific code */
 	void		*param;		/* for use by individual fs impls */
 	struct stat	 st;		/* stat entry */
+#if !HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_FLAGS
+	uint32_t	 st_flags;	/* stand-in for st.st_flags */
+#endif
 } fsinode;
 
+#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_FLAGS
+#define	FSINODE_ST_FLAGS(inode)	(inode).st.st_flags
+#else
+#define	FSINODE_ST_FLAGS(inode)	(inode).st_flags
+#endif
+
 typedef struct _fsnode {
 	struct _fsnode	*parent;	/* parent (NULL if root) */
 	struct _fsnode	*child;		/* child (if type == S_IFDIR) */
diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/mtree.c b/usr.sbin/makefs/mtree.c
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/mtree.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/mtree.c
@@ -533,13 +533,11 @@
 					break;
 				}
 				flset = flclr = 0;
-#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_FLAGS
 				if (!strtofflags(&value, &flset, &flclr)) {
-					st->st_flags &= ~flclr;
-					st->st_flags |= flset;
+					FSINODE_ST_FLAGS(*node->inode) &= ~flclr;
+					FSINODE_ST_FLAGS(*node->inode) |= flset;
 				} else
 					error = errno;
-#endif
 			} else
 				error = ENOSYS;
 			break;
diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c b/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
@@ -530,14 +530,12 @@
 		    dirnode->inode->st.st_uid, specnode->st_uid);
 		dirnode->inode->st.st_uid = specnode->st_uid;
 	}
-#if HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_FLAGS
 	if (specnode->flags & F_FLAGS) {
 		ASEPRINT("flags", "%#lX",
-		    (unsigned long)dirnode->inode->st.st_flags,
+		    (unsigned long)FSINODE_ST_FLAGS(*dirnode->inode),
 		    (unsigned long)specnode->st_flags);
-		dirnode->inode->st.st_flags = specnode->st_flags;
+		FSINODE_ST_FLAGS(*dirnode->inode) = specnode->st_flags;
 	}
-#endif
 /*	if (specnode->flags & F_DEV) {
 		ASEPRINT("rdev", "%#llx",
 		    (unsigned long long)dirnode->inode->st.st_rdev,