diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.d/ipfw b/libexec/rc/rc.d/ipfw
index 50d95543023d..5d0bcc816560 100755
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.d/ipfw
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.d/ipfw
@@ -1,154 +1,167 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # $FreeBSD$
 #
 
 # PROVIDE: ipfw
 # REQUIRE: ppp
 # KEYWORD: nojailvnet
 
 . /etc/rc.subr
 . /etc/network.subr
 
 name="ipfw"
 desc="Firewall, traffic shaper, packet scheduler, in-kernel NAT"
 rcvar="firewall_enable"
 start_cmd="ipfw_start"
 start_precmd="ipfw_prestart"
 start_postcmd="ipfw_poststart"
 stop_cmd="ipfw_stop"
 status_cmd="ipfw_status"
 required_modules="ipfw"
 extra_commands="status"
 
 set_rcvar_obsolete ipv6_firewall_enable
 
 ipfw_prestart()
 {
 	if checkyesno dummynet_enable; then
 		required_modules="$required_modules dummynet"
 	fi
 	if checkyesno natd_enable; then
 		required_modules="$required_modules ipdivert"
 	fi
 	if checkyesno firewall_nat_enable; then
 		required_modules="$required_modules ipfw_nat"
 	fi
 	if checkyesno firewall_nat64_enable; then
 		required_modules="$required_modules ipfw_nat64"
 	fi
 	if checkyesno firewall_nptv6_enable; then
 		required_modules="$required_modules ipfw_nptv6"
 	fi
 	if checkyesno firewall_pmod_enable; then
 		required_modules="$required_modules ipfw_pmod"
 	fi
 }
 
 ipfw_start()
 {
-	local   _firewall_type
+	local   _firewall_type _module _sysctl_reload
 
 	if [ -n "${1}" ]; then
 		_firewall_type=$1
 	else
 		_firewall_type=${firewall_type}
 	fi
 
+	_sysctl_reload=no
+	for _module in ${required_modules}
+	do
+		if kldstat -qn ${_module}; then
+			_sysctl_reload=yes
+			break
+		fi
+	done
+
+	if [ ${_sysctl_reload} = yes ]; then
+		/etc/rc.d/sysctl reload
+	fi
+
 	# set the firewall rules script if none was specified
 	[ -z "${firewall_script}" ] && firewall_script=/etc/rc.firewall
 
 	if [ -r "${firewall_script}" ]; then
 		/bin/sh "${firewall_script}" "${_firewall_type}"
 		echo 'Firewall rules loaded.'
 	elif [ "`ipfw list 65535`" = "65535 deny ip from any to any" ]; then
 		echo 'Warning: kernel has firewall functionality, but' \
 		    ' firewall rules are not enabled.'
 		echo '           All ip services are disabled.'
 	fi
 
 	# Firewall logging
 	#
 	if checkyesno firewall_logging; then
 		echo 'Firewall logging enabled.'
 		${SYSCTL} net.inet.ip.fw.verbose=1 >/dev/null
 	fi
 	if checkyesno firewall_logif; then
 		if ! ifconfig ipfw0 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 			ifconfig ipfw0 create
 			echo 'Firewall logging pseudo-interface (ipfw0)' \
 			    'created.'
 		else
 			echo 'Firewall logging pseudo-interface (ipfw0)' \
 			    'already created.'
 		fi
 	fi
 }
 
 ipfw_poststart()
 {
 	local	_coscript
 
 	# Start firewall coscripts
 	#
 	for _coscript in ${firewall_coscripts} ; do
 		if [ -f "${_coscript}" ]; then
 			${_coscript} quietstart
 		fi
 	done
 
 	# Enable the firewall
 	#
 	if ! ${SYSCTL} net.inet.ip.fw.enable=1 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 		warn "failed to enable IPv4 firewall"
 	fi
 	if afexists inet6; then
 		if ! ${SYSCTL} net.inet6.ip6.fw.enable=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
 		then
 			warn "failed to enable IPv6 firewall"
 		fi
 	fi
 }
 
 ipfw_stop()
 {
 	local	_coscript
 
 	# Disable the firewall
 	#
 	${SYSCTL} net.inet.ip.fw.enable=0 >/dev/null
 	if afexists inet6; then
 		${SYSCTL} net.inet6.ip6.fw.enable=0 >/dev/null
 	fi
 
 	# Stop firewall coscripts
 	#
 	for _coscript in `reverse_list ${firewall_coscripts}` ; do
 		if [ -f "${_coscript}" ]; then
 			${_coscript} quietstop
 		fi
 	done
 }
 
 ipfw_status()
 {
 	status=$(sysctl -i -n net.inet.ip.fw.enable)
 	: ${status:=0}
 	if afexists inet6; then
 		status6=$(sysctl -i -n net.inet6.ip6.fw.enable)
 		: ${status6:=0}
 		status=$((${status} + ${status6}))
 	fi
 	if [ ${status} -eq 0 ]; then
 		echo "ipfw is not enabled"
 		exit 1
 	else
 		echo "ipfw is enabled"
 		exit 0
 	fi
 }
 
 load_rc_config $name
 firewall_coscripts="/etc/rc.d/natd ${firewall_coscripts}"
 
 run_rc_command $*