Index: ifconfig.8
===================================================================
RCS file: /home/ncvs/src/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.8,v
retrieving revision 1.137
diff -u -p -r1.137 ifconfig.8
--- ifconfig.8	17 Apr 2007 00:35:09 -0000	1.137
+++ ifconfig.8	21 May 2007 21:15:18 -0000
@@ -1579,6 +1579,11 @@ For example, the values of 802.11 WEP ke
 the current user.
 This information is not printed by default, as it may be considered
 sensitive.
+.Pp 
+If the network interface driver is not present in the kernel then the module
+will be loaded, the
+.Fl n
+flag suppresses this.
 .Pp
 Only the super-user may modify the configuration of a network interface.
 .Sh NOTES
Index: ifconfig.c
===================================================================
RCS file: /home/ncvs/src/sbin/ifconfig/ifconfig.c,v
retrieving revision 1.130
diff -u -p -r1.130 ifconfig.c
--- ifconfig.c	24 Mar 2007 20:26:54 -0000	1.130
+++ ifconfig.c	21 May 2007 21:16:12 -0000
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ usage(void)
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	int c, all, namesonly, downonly, uponly;
+	int c, all, namesonly, downonly, uponly, noload;
 	const struct afswtch *afp = NULL;
 	int ifindex;
 	struct ifaddrs *ifap, *ifa;
@@ -150,10 +150,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct option *p;
 	size_t iflen;
 
-	all = downonly = uponly = namesonly = verbose = 0;
+	all = downonly = uponly = namesonly = noload = verbose = 0;
 
 	/* Parse leading line options */
-	strlcpy(options, "adklmuv", sizeof(options));
+	strlcpy(options, "adklmnuv", sizeof(options));
 	for (p = opts; p != NULL; p = p->next)
 		strlcat(options, p->opt, sizeof(options));
 	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, options)) != -1) {
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case 'm':	/* show media choices in status */
 			supmedia = 1;
 			break;
+		case 'n':	/* suppress module loading */
+			noload++;
+			break;
 		case 'u':	/* restrict scan to "up" interfaces */
 			uponly++;
 			break;
@@ -898,6 +901,10 @@ ifmaybeload(const char *name)
 	char ifkind[35], *dp;
 	const char *cp;
 
+	/* loading suppressed by the user */
+	if (noload)
+		return;
+
 	/* turn interface and unit into module name */
 	strcpy(ifkind, "if_");
 	for (cp = name, dp = ifkind + 3;