diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.d/zfs b/libexec/rc/rc.d/zfs
index 2d35f9b5464..5181fbbbb7f 100755
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.d/zfs
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.d/zfs
@@ -25,7 +25,11 @@ zfs_start_jail()
 
 zfs_start_main()
 {
-	zfs mount -va
+	if checkyesno "${zfs_mount_encrypted}"; then
+		zfs mount -lav
+	else
+		zfs mount -va
+	fi
 	zfs share -a
 	if [ ! -r /etc/zfs/exports ]; then
 		touch /etc/zfs/exports
@@ -64,4 +68,6 @@ zfs_stop()
 }
 
 load_rc_config $name
+: ${zfs_mount_encrypted:=no}
 run_rc_command "$1"
+
diff --git a/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5 b/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
index 473406660b8..db036e20e8e 100644
--- a/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
+++ b/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
@@ -2007,6 +2007,15 @@ If set to
 .Pa /etc/rc.d/zfs
 will attempt to automatically mount ZFS file systems and initialize ZFS volumes
 (ZVOLs).
+.It Va zfs_mount_encrypted
+.Pq Vt bool
+If set to
+.Dq Li YES ,
+.Pa /etc/rc.d/zfs
+will attempt to automatically load keys for encrypted ZFS file systems and
+will include these encrypted file systems when mounting if
+.Pa zfs_enable
+is enabled.
 .It Va gptboot_enable
 .Pq Vt bool
 If set to