diff --git a/security/strongswan/Makefile b/security/strongswan/Makefile
index 2a0d6853d12e..9640c1227e33 100644
--- a/security/strongswan/Makefile
+++ b/security/strongswan/Makefile
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ UNBOUND_CONFIGURE_ON=	--enable-unbound
 UNITY_CONFIGURE_ON=	--enable-unity
 VIA_CONFIGURE_ON=	--enable-padlock
 VICI_CONFIGURE_ON=	--enable-vici
+VICI_SUB_LIST=	INTERFACE="vici"
+VICI_SUB_LIST_OFF=	INTERFACE="stroke"
 VSTR_LIB_DEPENDS=	libvstr.so:devel/vstr
 VSTR_CONFIGURE_ON=	--with-printf-hooks=vstr
 XAUTH_CONFIGURE_ON=	--enable-xauth-eap \
diff --git a/security/strongswan/files/strongswan.in b/security/strongswan/files/strongswan.in
index 6bb22a8c7b3b..443e2e4738a2 100644
--- a/security/strongswan/files/strongswan.in
+++ b/security/strongswan/files/strongswan.in
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #	Valid options are:
 #	"stroke" for the old ipsec/startr interface
 #	"vici" for the newer swanctl intrface
-#	Default is "stroke"
+#	Default is "%%INTERFACE%%"
 
 . /etc/rc.subr
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ rcvar=strongswan_enable
 load_rc_config $name
 
 : ${strongswan_enable:=NO}
-: ${strongswan_interface:="vici"}
+: ${strongswan_interface:="%%INTERFACE%%"}
 
 extra_commands="reload statusall"
 
diff --git a/security/strongswan/pkg-message b/security/strongswan/pkg-message
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e882f4d0f7c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/security/strongswan/pkg-message
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+[
+{ type: install
+  message: <<EOM
+The default strongSwan configuration interface have been updated to vici since version 5.9.2_1.
+To use the stroke interface by default either compile the port without the vici option or
+set 'strongswan_interface="stroke"' in your rc.conf file.
+EOM
+}
+{
+  type: upgrade
+  minimum_version: "5.9.2_1"
+  message: <<EOM
+The default strongSwan configuration interface have been updated to vici.
+To use the stroke interface by default either compile the port without the vici option or
+set 'strongswan_interface="stroke"' in your rc.conf file.
+EOM
+}
+]
+