diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_subr.c b/sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
index 84219f3b5c1..823b8005aa4 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_subr.c
@@ -184,8 +184,6 @@ static struct vnode *vnode_list_reclaim_marker;
  */
 static long wantfreevnodes;
 static long __exclusive_cache_line freevnodes;
-SYSCTL_ULONG(_vfs, OID_AUTO, freevnodes, CTLFLAG_RD,
-    &freevnodes, 0, "Number of \"free\" vnodes");
 static long freevnodes_old;
 
 static counter_u64_t recycles_count;
@@ -350,6 +348,19 @@ SYSCTL_PROC(_kern, KERN_MAXVNODES, maxvnodes,
     CTLTYPE_ULONG | CTLFLAG_MPSAFE | CTLFLAG_RW, NULL, 0, sysctl_maxvnodes,
     "LU", "Target for maximum number of vnodes");
 
+static int
+sysctl_freevnodes(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS)
+{
+	u_long rfreevnodes;
+
+	rfreevnodes = vnlru_read_freevnodes();
+	return (sysctl_handle_long(oidp, &rfreevnodes, 0, req));
+}
+
+SYSCTL_PROC(_vfs, OID_AUTO, freevnodes,
+    CTLTYPE_ULONG | CTLFLAG_MPSAFE | CTLFLAG_RD, NULL, 0, sysctl_freevnodes,
+    "LU", "Number of \"free\" vnodes");
+
 static int
 sysctl_wantfreevnodes(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS)
 {