diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.8 b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.8
index 5a93c52bee60..20d195d71121 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.8
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.8
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd September 12, 2016
+.Dd November 5, 2017
 .Dt PW 8
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -611,6 +611,14 @@ that the account expires.
 A value of 0 suppresses automatic calculation of the expiry date.
 .It Fl p Ar days
 Set the default password expiration period in days.
+When
+.Fl D
+is used, the
+.Ar days
+argument is interpreted differently.
+It must be numeric and represents the number of days between forced
+password changes.
+A value of 0 suppresses automatic calculation of the expiry date.
 .It Fl g Ar group
 Set the default group for new users.
 If a blank group is specified using
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c b/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
index 92d5c6c5dbb5..3de3f2aa5b74 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
  * LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
  * OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
  * SUCH DAMAGE.
- * 
+ *
  */
 
 #ifndef lint
@@ -1123,7 +1123,8 @@ validate_mode(char *mode)
 }
 
 static void
-mix_config(struct userconf *cmdcnf, struct userconf *cfg)
+mix_config(struct userconf *cmdcnf, struct userconf *cfg, bool genconf,
+    char *edays, char *pdays)
 {
 
 	if (cmdcnf->default_password == 0)
@@ -1164,10 +1165,62 @@ mix_config(struct userconf *cmdcnf, struct userconf *cfg)
 		cmdcnf->min_gid = cfg->min_gid;
 	if (cmdcnf->max_gid == 0)
 		cmdcnf->max_gid = cfg->max_gid;
-	if (cmdcnf->expire_days == 0)
+
+	/*
+	 * If we are writing the config, use the values specified on the command
+	 * line.  Otherwise, if the values are not specified, use the ones from
+	 * config file.
+	 */
+	if (genconf) {
+		const char *errstr;
+
 		cmdcnf->expire_days = cfg->expire_days;
-	if (cmdcnf->password_days == 0)
+		if (edays != NULL) {
+			cmdcnf->expire_days = strtonum(edays, 0, INT_MAX,
+			    &errstr);
+			if (errstr != NULL) {
+				errx(EX_USAGE, "argument to -e must be "
+				    "numeric if -D is specified");
+			}
+		}
+
 		cmdcnf->password_days = cfg->password_days;
+		if (pdays != NULL) {
+			cmdcnf->password_days = strtonum(pdays, 0, INT_MAX,
+			    &errstr);
+			if (errstr != NULL) {
+				errx(EX_USAGE, "argument to -p must be "
+				    "numeric if -D is specified");
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		char *tmp;
+		time_t now;
+
+		if (edays != NULL)
+			tmp = strdup(edays);
+		else if (cfg->expire_days != 0)
+			asprintf(&tmp, "+%ldd", cfg->expire_days);
+		else
+			tmp = strdup("0");
+		if (tmp == NULL)
+			errx(EX_UNAVAILABLE, "out of memory");
+		now = time(NULL);
+		cmdcnf->expire_days = parse_date(now, tmp);
+		free(tmp);
+
+		if (pdays != NULL)
+			tmp = strdup(pdays);
+		else if (cfg->password_days != 0)
+			asprintf(&tmp, "+%ldd", cfg->password_days);
+		else
+			tmp = strdup("0");
+		if (tmp == NULL)
+			errx(EX_UNAVAILABLE, "out of memory");
+		now = time(NULL);
+		cmdcnf->password_days = parse_date(now, tmp);
+		free(tmp);
+	}
 }
 
 int
@@ -1181,11 +1234,11 @@ pw_user_add(int argc, char **argv, char *arg1)
 	char line[_PASSWORD_LEN+1], path[MAXPATHLEN];
 	char *gecos, *homedir, *skel, *walk, *userid, *groupid, *grname;
 	char *default_passwd, *name, *p;
+	char *edays = NULL, *pdays = NULL;
 	const char *cfg = NULL;
 	login_cap_t *lc;
 	FILE *pfp, *fp;
 	intmax_t id = -1;
-	time_t now;
 	int rc, ch, fd = -1;
 	size_t i;
 	bool dryrun, nis, pretty, quiet, createhome, precrypted, genconf;
@@ -1226,12 +1279,10 @@ pw_user_add(int argc, char **argv, char *arg1)
 			homedir = optarg;
 			break;
 		case 'e':
-			now = time(NULL);
-			cmdcnf->expire_days = parse_date(now, optarg);
+			edays = optarg;
 			break;
 		case 'p':
-			now = time(NULL);
-			cmdcnf->password_days = parse_date(now, optarg);
+			pdays = optarg;
 			break;
 		case 'g':
 			validate_grname(cmdcnf, optarg);
@@ -1317,7 +1368,7 @@ pw_user_add(int argc, char **argv, char *arg1)
 
 	cnf = get_userconfig(cfg);
 
-	mix_config(cmdcnf, cnf);
+	mix_config(cmdcnf, cnf, genconf, edays, pdays);
 	if (default_passwd)
 		cmdcnf->default_password = passwd_val(default_passwd,
 		    cnf->default_password);