diff --git a/release/tools/azure.conf b/release/tools/azure.conf
--- a/release/tools/azure.conf
+++ b/release/tools/azure.conf
@@ -52,7 +52,5 @@
 mlx5en_load="YES"
 EOF
 
-	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
-
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/release/tools/basic-ci.conf b/release/tools/basic-ci.conf
--- a/release/tools/basic-ci.conf
+++ b/release/tools/basic-ci.conf
@@ -30,7 +30,5 @@
 UsePAM no
 EOF
 
-	touch_firstboot
-
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/release/tools/basic-cloudinit.conf b/release/tools/basic-cloudinit.conf
--- a/release/tools/basic-cloudinit.conf
+++ b/release/tools/basic-cloudinit.conf
@@ -34,7 +34,5 @@
 UsePAM no
 EOF
 
-	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
-
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/release/tools/ec2.conf b/release/tools/ec2.conf
--- a/release/tools/ec2.conf
+++ b/release/tools/ec2.conf
@@ -128,9 +128,6 @@
 EOF
 	chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}/etc/autofs/special_efs
 
-	# The first time the AMI boots, run "first boot" scripts.
-	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
-
 	return 0
 }
 
diff --git a/release/tools/gce.conf b/release/tools/gce.conf
--- a/release/tools/gce.conf
+++ b/release/tools/gce.conf
@@ -119,8 +119,6 @@
 	## of the image prior to packaging for upload to GCE.
 	#sed -E -i '' 's/^([^#].*[[:space:]])on/\1off/' ${DESTDIR}/etc/ttys
 
-	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
-
 	return 0
 }
 
diff --git a/release/tools/openstack.conf b/release/tools/openstack.conf
--- a/release/tools/openstack.conf
+++ b/release/tools/openstack.conf
@@ -47,6 +47,5 @@
 	echo 'debug.debugger_on_panic=0' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/sysctl.conf
 	echo 'kern.panic_reboot_wait_time=0' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/sysctl.conf
 
-	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/release/tools/oracle.conf b/release/tools/oracle.conf
--- a/release/tools/oracle.conf
+++ b/release/tools/oracle.conf
@@ -87,7 +87,5 @@
 	sed -i '' -E -e 's/^pool.*iburst/server 169.254.169.254 iburst/' \
         ${DESTDIR}/etc/ntp.conf
 
-	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
-
 	return 0
 }
diff --git a/release/tools/vmimage.subr b/release/tools/vmimage.subr
--- a/release/tools/vmimage.subr
+++ b/release/tools/vmimage.subr
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@
 			${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
 		# Expand the filesystem to fill the disk.
 		echo 'growfs_enable="YES"' >> ${DESTDIR}/etc/rc.conf
-		touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
 	fi
 
 	return 0
@@ -351,6 +350,11 @@
 			>> ${DESTDIR}/etc/fstab
 	fi
 
+	# Add a marker file which indicates that this image has never
+	# been booted.  Some services run only upon the first boot.
+	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
+	metalog_add_data ./firstboot
+
 	echo "Building filesystem...  Please wait."
 	buildfs
 
@@ -375,8 +379,3 @@
 
 	return 0
 }
-
-touch_firstboot() {
-	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
-	metalog_add_data ./firstboot
-}
diff --git a/tests/ci/tools/ci.conf b/tests/ci/tools/ci.conf
--- a/tests/ci/tools/ci.conf
+++ b/tests/ci/tools/ci.conf
@@ -119,7 +119,6 @@
 EOF
 	mkdir -p ${DESTDIR}/usr/local/etc/rc.d
 	cp -p ${scriptdir}/../../tests/ci/tools/freebsdci ${DESTDIR}/usr/local/etc/rc.d/
-	touch ${DESTDIR}/firstboot
 
 	return 0
 }