diff --git a/sys/dev/syscons/syscons.c b/sys/dev/syscons/syscons.c
index f3ffa837a7f..7c5958ec65c 100644
--- a/sys/dev/syscons/syscons.c
+++ b/sys/dev/syscons/syscons.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include <sys/conf.h>
 #include <sys/proc.h>
 #include <sys/signalvar.h>
+#include <sys/sysctl.h>
 #include <sys/tty.h>
 #include <sys/kernel.h>
 #include <sys/malloc.h>
@@ -114,6 +115,10 @@ static	void		(*current_saver)(sc_softc_t *, int) = none_saver;
 
 static	bios_values_t	bios_value;
 
+static	int		enable_panic_key;
+SYSCTL_INT(_machdep, OID_AUTO, enable_panic_key, CTLFLAG_RW, &enable_panic_key,
+	   0, "");
+
 #define SC_MOUSE 	128
 #define SC_CONSOLECTL	255
 
@@ -3738,6 +3743,11 @@ next_code:
 #endif /* SC_DISABLE_DDBKEY */
 		break;
 
+	    case PNC:
+		if (enable_panic_key)
+			panic("Forced by the panic key");
+		break;
+
 	    case NEXT:
 		this_scr = scp->index;
 		for (i = (this_scr - sc->first_vty + 1)%sc->vtys;