diff --git a/sys/boot/common/loader.8 b/sys/boot/common/loader.8
index f20b656..e585830 100644
--- a/sys/boot/common/loader.8
+++ b/sys/boot/common/loader.8
@@ -759,6 +759,8 @@ Root file system and extra options for
 .Nm initrd .
 See
 .Xr mkinitrd 8 .
+.It Va vfs.root.wakedelay
+Specify an additional delay (default is 2 seconds if unspecified) before trying to mount root.
 .El
 .Sh FILES
 .Bl -tag -width /boot/defaults/dloader.menu -compact
diff --git a/sys/boot/dloader/loader.conf b/sys/boot/dloader/loader.conf
index 75daa34..b7cbe37 100644
--- a/sys/boot/dloader/loader.conf
+++ b/sys/boot/dloader/loader.conf
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ bitmap_type="splash_image_data" # and place it on the module_path
 #kern.ipc.nmbufs=""		# Set the maximum number of mbufs
 #kern.vm.kmem.size=""		# Sets the size of kernel memory (bytes)
 #net.inet.tcp.tcbhashsize=""	# Set the value of TCBHASHSIZE
+#vfs.root.wakedelay=""		# Delay in seconds before trying to mount the root
 #vfs.root.mountfrom=""		# Specify root partition in a way the
 				# kernel understands. You can specify a semicolon
 				# separated device list which will be tried.
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_conf.c b/sys/kern/vfs_conf.c
index 2795314..944d8bd 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_conf.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_conf.c
@@ -102,7 +102,10 @@ char		*rootdevnames[2] = {NULL, NULL};
 static int	setrootbyname(char *name);
 
 SYSINIT(mountroot, SI_SUB_MOUNT_ROOT, SI_ORDER_SECOND, vfs_mountroot, NULL);
-	
+
+static int wakedelay = 2;	/* delay before mounting root: defaults to 2 seconds */
+TUNABLE_INT("vfs.root.wakedelay", &wakedelay);
+
 /*
  * Find and mount the root filesystem
  */
@@ -121,12 +124,12 @@ vfs_mountroot(void *junk)
 	 * Messages can fly around here so get good synchronization
 	 * coverage.
 	 *
-	 * XXX - Delay an additional 2 seconds to help drivers which pickup
+	 * XXX - Delay some more (default: 2s) to help drivers which pickup
 	 *       devices asynchronously and are not caught by CAM's initial
 	 *	 probe.
 	 */
 	sync_devs();
-	tsleep(&dummy, 0, "syncer", hz*2);
+	tsleep(&dummy, 0, "syncer", hz*wakedelay);
 
 
 	/*