diff --git a/etc/defaults/rc.conf b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
index f82addf7b47..316705e341f 100644
--- a/etc/defaults/rc.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ ntpdate_program="/usr/sbin/ntpdate"	# path to ntpdate, if you want a different o
 ntpdate_flags="-b"		# Flags to ntpdate (if enabled).
 ntpd_enable="NO"		# Run ntpd Network Time Protocol (or NO).
 ntpd_program="/usr/sbin/ntpd"	# path to ntpd, if you want a different one.
+ntpd_config="/etc/ntp.conf"	# ntpd(8) configuration file
 ntpd_sync_on_start="NO"		# Sync time on ntpd startup, even if offset is high
 ntpd_flags="-p /var/run/ntpd.pid -f /var/db/ntpd.drift"
 				# Flags to ntpd (if enabled).
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/ntpd b/etc/rc.d/ntpd
index 5cc7aac2e6a..ba01b436a45 100755
--- a/etc/rc.d/ntpd
+++ b/etc/rc.d/ntpd
@@ -15,12 +15,17 @@ rcvar=`set_rcvar`
 command="/usr/sbin/${name}"
 pidfile="/var/run/${name}.pid"
 start_precmd="ntpd_precmd"
-required_files="/etc/ntp.conf"
+
+load_rc_config $name
+
+required_files="${ntpd_config}"
 
 ntpd_precmd()
 {
+	rc_flags="-c ${ntpd_config} ${ntpd_flags}"
+
 	if checkyesno ntpd_sync_on_start; then
-		rc_flags="-g ${ntpd_flags}"
+		rc_flags="-g $rc_flags"
 	fi
 
 	if [ -z "$ntpd_chrootdir" ]; then
@@ -47,5 +52,4 @@ ntpd_precmd()
 	rc_flags="-u ntpd:ntpd -i ${ntpd_chrootdir} $rc_flags"
 }
 
-load_rc_config $name
 run_rc_command "$1"
diff --git a/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5 b/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
index cc404a6daac..5a8b2766d01 100644
--- a/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
+++ b/share/man/man5/rc.conf.5
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 .\"
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd April 8, 2006
+.Dd April 18, 2006
 .Dt RC.CONF 5
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -1804,6 +1804,13 @@ Path to
 .Xr ntpd 8
 (default
 .Pa /usr/sbin/ntpd ) .
+.It Va ntpd_config
+.Pq Vt str
+Path to
+.Xr ntpd 8
+configuration file.
+(default
+.Pa /etc/ntp.conf ) .
 .It Va ntpd_flags
 .Pq Vt str
 If