diff --git a/etc/periodic/daily/400.status-disks b/etc/periodic/daily/400.status-disks
index 63b2b6bef67..dc525a5bcca 100755
--- a/etc/periodic/daily/400.status-disks
+++ b/etc/periodic/daily/400.status-disks
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ case "$daily_status_disks_enable" in
 	df $daily_status_disks_df_flags && rc=1 || rc=3
 
 	# display which filesystems need backing up
+	if ! [ -f /etc/fstab ]; then
+		export PATH_FSTAB=/dev/null
+	fi
 
 	echo ""
 	dump W || rc=3;;
diff --git a/etc/periodic/security/200.chkmounts b/etc/periodic/security/200.chkmounts
index 2558d0e01ff..17b114ef0a8 100755
--- a/etc/periodic/security/200.chkmounts
+++ b/etc/periodic/security/200.chkmounts
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ case "$daily_status_security_chkmounts_enable" in
 		ignore="${ignore}|^amd:"
 	esac
 	[ -n "$ignore" ] && cmd="egrep -v ${ignore#|}" || cmd=cat
+	if ! [ -f /etc/fstab ]; then
+		export PATH_FSTAB=/dev/null
+	fi
 	mount -p | sort | ${cmd} |
 	  check_diff mount - "${host} changes in mounted filesystems:"
 	rc=$?;;