diff --git a/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c b/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
--- a/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/syslogd/syslogd.c
@@ -2405,7 +2405,7 @@
 }
 
 static void
-readconfigfile(FILE *cf, int allow_includes)
+parseconfigfile(FILE *cf, bool allow_includes)
 {
 	FILE *cf2;
 	struct filed *f;
@@ -2466,8 +2466,8 @@
 				if (cf2 == NULL)
 					continue;
 				dprintf("reading %s\n", file);
-				readconfigfile(cf2, 0);
-				fclose(cf2);
+				parseconfigfile(cf2, true);
+				(void)fclose(cf2);
 			}
 			free(ent);
 			continue;
@@ -2542,6 +2542,29 @@
 	}
 }
 
+static void
+readconfigfile(const char *path)
+{
+	FILE *cf;
+	struct filed *f;
+
+	/* open the configuration file */
+	if ((cf = fopen(path, "r")) != NULL) {
+		parseconfigfile(cf, true);
+		(void)fclose(cf);
+	} else {
+		dprintf("cannot open %s\n", ConfFile);
+		f = cfline("*.ERR\t/dev/console", "*", "*", "*");
+		if (f != NULL)
+			addfile(f);
+		free(f);
+		f = cfline("*.PANIC\t*", "*", "*", "*");
+		if (f != NULL)
+			addfile(f);
+		free(f);
+	}
+}
+
 static void
 sighandler(int signo)
 {
@@ -2557,7 +2580,6 @@
 init(int signo)
 {
 	int i;
-	FILE *cf;
 	struct filed *f;
 	char *p;
 	char oldLocalHostName[MAXHOSTNAMELEN];
@@ -2648,27 +2670,7 @@
 		free(f);
 	}
 
-	/* open the configuration file */
-	if ((cf = fopen(ConfFile, "r")) == NULL) {
-		dprintf("cannot open %s\n", ConfFile);
-		f = cfline("*.ERR\t/dev/console", "*", "*", "*");
-		if (f != NULL)
-			addfile(f);
-		free(f);
-		f = cfline("*.PANIC\t*", "*", "*", "*");
-		if (f != NULL)
-			addfile(f);
-		free(f);
-		Initialized = 1;
-
-		return;
-	}
-
-	readconfigfile(cf, 1);
-
-	/* close the configuration file */
-	(void)fclose(cf);
-
+	readconfigfile(ConfFile);
 	Initialized = 1;
 
 	if (Debug) {