diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.conf b/libexec/rc/rc.conf
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.conf
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.conf
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@
 moused_nondefault_enable="NO" # Treat non-default mice as enabled unless
 			       # specifically overridden in rc.conf(5).
 moused_enable="NO"	# Run the mouse daemon.
-moused_type="auto"	# See man page for rc.conf(5) for available settings.
+moused_type="evdev"	# See man page for rc.conf(5) for available settings.
 moused_port="auto"	# Set to your mouse port.
 moused_flags=""		# Any additional flags to moused.
 mousechar_start="NO"	# if 0xd0-0xd3 default range is occupied in your
diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.d/moused b/libexec/rc/rc.d/moused
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.d/moused
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.d/moused
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 pidprefix="/var/run/moused"
 pidfile="${pidprefix}.pid"
 pidarg=
+typearg=
 load_rc_config $name
 
 # doesn't make sense to run in a svcj: nojail keyword
@@ -49,15 +50,17 @@
 		eval myflags=\${moused_${ms}_flags-$moused_flags}
 		eval myport=\${moused_${ms}_port-/dev/$ms}
 		eval mytype=\${moused_${ms}_type-$moused_type}
+		if [ -n "$mytype" ] && check_kern_features evdev_support; then
+			typearg="-t ${mytype}"
+		fi
 	else
 		ms="default"
 		myflags="$moused_flags"
 		myport="$moused_port"
-		mytype="$moused_type"
 	fi
 
 	startmsg -n "Starting ${ms} moused"
-	/usr/sbin/moused ${myflags} -p ${myport} -t ${mytype} ${pidarg}
+	/usr/sbin/moused ${myflags} -p ${myport} ${typearg} ${pidarg}
 	startmsg '.'
 
 	mousechar_arg=
diff --git a/usr.sbin/moused/moused/moused.8 b/usr.sbin/moused/moused/moused.8
--- a/usr.sbin/moused/moused/moused.8
+++ b/usr.sbin/moused/moused/moused.8
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 .Op Fl m Ar N=M
 .Op Fl w Ar N
 .Op Fl z Ar target
-.Op Fl t Ar mousetype
+.Op Fl t Ar interfacetype
 .Op Fl l Ar level
 .Op Fl 3 Op Fl E Ar timeout
 .Op Fl T Ar distance Ns Op , Ns Ar time Ns Op , Ns Ar after
@@ -329,9 +329,32 @@
 .Ar high .
 This option may not be supported by all the device.
 .It Fl t Ar type
-Ignored.
-Used for compatibiliy with legacy
-.Nm .
+Force the interface type of the mouse attached to the port.
+You may explicitly specify a type listed below, or use
+.Ar auto
+to let the
+.Nm
+utility automatically select an appropriate protocol for the given
+character device.
+If you entirely omit this option in the command line,
+.Fl t Ar auto
+is assumed.
+.Pp
+Valid types for this option are listed below.
+.Bl -tag -compact -width systemmouse
+.It Ar evdev
+Input event device usualy residing in
+.Pa /dev/input .
+.It Ar sysmouse
+Traditional protocol used by e.g.
+.Xr ums 4
+and
+.Xr psm 4
+drivers.
+.El
+.Pp
+Note that this option restricts usage of the given port rather then gives
+a hint.
 .It Fl q Ar config
 Path to configuration file.
 .It Fl Q Ar quirks
diff --git a/usr.sbin/moused/moused/moused.c b/usr.sbin/moused/moused/moused.c
--- a/usr.sbin/moused/moused/moused.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/moused/moused/moused.c
@@ -448,6 +448,7 @@
 #endif
 static const char *quirks_path = QUIRKSDIR;
 static struct quirks_context *quirks;
+static enum device_if force_if = DEVICE_IF_UNKNOWN;
 
 static int	opt_rate = 0;
 static int	opt_resolution = MOUSE_RES_UNKNOWN;
@@ -529,7 +530,8 @@
 	struct rodent *r;
 	pid_t mpid;
 	int c;
-	int	i;
+	u_int i;
+	int n;
 	u_long ul;
 	char *errstr;
 
@@ -552,26 +554,26 @@
 			break;
 
 		case 'a':
-			i = sscanf(optarg, "%lf,%lf", &opt_accelx, &opt_accely);
-			if (i == 0) {
+			n = sscanf(optarg, "%lf,%lf", &opt_accelx, &opt_accely);
+			if (n == 0) {
 				warnx("invalid linear acceleration argument "
 				    "'%s'", optarg);
 				usage();
 			}
-			if (i == 1)
+			if (n == 1)
 				opt_accely = opt_accelx;
 			break;
 
 		case 'A':
 			opt_exp_accel = true;
-			i = sscanf(optarg, "%lf,%lf", &opt_expoaccel,
+			n = sscanf(optarg, "%lf,%lf", &opt_expoaccel,
 			    &opt_expoffset);
-			if (i == 0) {
+			if (n == 0) {
 				warnx("invalid exponential acceleration "
 				    "argument '%s'", optarg);
 				usage();
 			}
-			if (i == 1)
+			if (n == 1)
 				opt_expoffset = 1.0;
 			break;
 
@@ -646,8 +648,19 @@
 			break;
 
 		case 't':
-			if (strcmp(optarg, "auto") != 0)
-				warnx("ignore mouse type `%s'", optarg);
+			if (strcmp(optarg, "auto") == 0) {
+				force_if = DEVICE_IF_UNKNOWN;
+				break;
+			}
+			for (i = 0; i < nitems(rifs); i++)
+				if (strcmp(optarg, rifs[i].name) == 0) {
+					force_if = i;
+					break;
+				}
+			if (i == nitems(rifs)) {
+				warnx("no such interface type `%s'", optarg);
+				usage();
+			}
 			break;
 
 		case 'w':
@@ -1224,7 +1237,7 @@
 	fprintf(stderr, "%s\n%s\n%s\n%s\n%s\n",
 	    "usage: moused [-dfg] [-I file] [-F rate] [-r resolution]",
 	    "              [-VH [-U threshold]] [-a X[,Y]] [-C threshold] [-m N=M] [-w N]",
-	    "              [-z N] [-t <mousetype>] [-l level] [-3 [-E timeout]]",
+	    "              [-z N] [-t <interfacetype>] [-l level] [-3 [-E timeout]]",
 	    "              [-T distance[,time[,after]]] -p <port> [-q config] [-Q quirks]",
 	    "       moused [-d] -i <port|if|type|model|all> -p <port>");
 	exit(1);
@@ -1338,9 +1351,11 @@
 {
 	int dummy;
 
-	if (ioctl(fd, EVIOCGVERSION, &dummy) >= 0)
+	if ((force_if == DEVICE_IF_UNKNOWN || force_if == DEVICE_IF_EVDEV) &&
+	    ioctl(fd, EVIOCGVERSION, &dummy) >= 0)
 		return (DEVICE_IF_EVDEV);
-	if (ioctl(fd, MOUSE_GETLEVEL, &dummy) >= 0)
+	if ((force_if == DEVICE_IF_UNKNOWN || force_if == DEVICE_IF_SYSMOUSE) &&
+	    ioctl(fd, MOUSE_GETLEVEL, &dummy) >= 0)
 		return (DEVICE_IF_SYSMOUSE);
 	return (DEVICE_IF_UNKNOWN);
 }