diff --git a/etc/network.subr b/etc/network.subr
index a4992f18918..69c7d89ea08 100644
--- a/etc/network.subr
+++ b/etc/network.subr
@@ -608,11 +608,7 @@ network_pass3() {
 		if [ ! -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key ]; then
 			echo creating ssh host key
 			/usr/bin/ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
-			echo now starting sshd
-		else
-			echo -n ' sshd';
 		fi
-		${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ${sshd_flags}
 		;;
 	esac
 
diff --git a/etc/rc b/etc/rc
index 2ebd36ee8c3..67c90fd88e5 100644
--- a/etc/rc
+++ b/etc/rc
@@ -395,6 +395,15 @@ case ${sendmail_enable} in
 	;;
 esac
 
+case ${sshd_enable} in
+[Yy][Ee][Ss])
+	if [ -x ${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ]; then
+		echo -n ' sshd';
+		${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ${sshd_flags}
+	fi
+	;;
+esac
+
 case ${usbd_enable} in
 [Yy][Ee][Ss])
 	echo -n ' usbd';	/usr/sbin/usbd ${usbd_flags}
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/netoptions b/etc/rc.d/netoptions
index a4992f18918..69c7d89ea08 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/netoptions
+++ b/etc/rc.d/netoptions
@@ -608,11 +608,7 @@ network_pass3() {
 		if [ ! -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key ]; then
 			echo creating ssh host key
 			/usr/bin/ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
-			echo now starting sshd
-		else
-			echo -n ' sshd';
 		fi
-		${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ${sshd_flags}
 		;;
 	esac
 
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/network1 b/etc/rc.d/network1
index a4992f18918..69c7d89ea08 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/network1
+++ b/etc/rc.d/network1
@@ -608,11 +608,7 @@ network_pass3() {
 		if [ ! -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key ]; then
 			echo creating ssh host key
 			/usr/bin/ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
-			echo now starting sshd
-		else
-			echo -n ' sshd';
 		fi
-		${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ${sshd_flags}
 		;;
 	esac
 
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/network2 b/etc/rc.d/network2
index a4992f18918..69c7d89ea08 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/network2
+++ b/etc/rc.d/network2
@@ -608,11 +608,7 @@ network_pass3() {
 		if [ ! -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key ]; then
 			echo creating ssh host key
 			/usr/bin/ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
-			echo now starting sshd
-		else
-			echo -n ' sshd';
 		fi
-		${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ${sshd_flags}
 		;;
 	esac
 
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/network3 b/etc/rc.d/network3
index a4992f18918..69c7d89ea08 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/network3
+++ b/etc/rc.d/network3
@@ -608,11 +608,7 @@ network_pass3() {
 		if [ ! -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key ]; then
 			echo creating ssh host key
 			/usr/bin/ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
-			echo now starting sshd
-		else
-			echo -n ' sshd';
 		fi
-		${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ${sshd_flags}
 		;;
 	esac
 
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/routing b/etc/rc.d/routing
index a4992f18918..69c7d89ea08 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/routing
+++ b/etc/rc.d/routing
@@ -608,11 +608,7 @@ network_pass3() {
 		if [ ! -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key ]; then
 			echo creating ssh host key
 			/usr/bin/ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
-			echo now starting sshd
-		else
-			echo -n ' sshd';
 		fi
-		${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ${sshd_flags}
 		;;
 	esac
 
diff --git a/etc/rc.network b/etc/rc.network
index a4992f18918..69c7d89ea08 100644
--- a/etc/rc.network
+++ b/etc/rc.network
@@ -608,11 +608,7 @@ network_pass3() {
 		if [ ! -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key ]; then
 			echo creating ssh host key
 			/usr/bin/ssh-keygen -N "" -f /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
-			echo now starting sshd
-		else
-			echo -n ' sshd';
 		fi
-		${sshd_program:-/usr/sbin/sshd} ${sshd_flags}
 		;;
 	esac