diff --git a/etc/Makefile b/etc/Makefile
index 4be00aabea4..2dc2b2c8f35 100644
--- a/etc/Makefile
+++ b/etc/Makefile
@@ -92,10 +92,12 @@ distribution:
 	(cd ${.CURDIR}; ${INSTALL} -c -o ${BINOWN} -g ${BINGRP} -m 644 ${SSL} \
 	    ${DESTDIR}/etc/ssl )
 .endif
-.if !defined(NO_MAKEDEV)
+.if !defined(NO_MAKEDEV_INSTALL)
 	( cd ${.CURDIR}; ${INSTALL} -c -o ${BINOWN} -g ${BINGRP} -m 555 \
 	     MAKEDEV.local MAKEDEV ${DESTDIR}/dev )
+.if !defined(NO_MAKEDEV_RUN)
 	(cd ${DESTDIR}/dev; sh MAKEDEV all)
+.endif
 .endif
 	(cd ${.CURDIR}/root; \
 		${INSTALL} -c -o ${BINOWN} -g ${BINGRP} -m 644 dot.cshrc \
diff --git a/etc/defaults/make.conf b/etc/defaults/make.conf
index 3860a147548..532898435b2 100644
--- a/etc/defaults/make.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults/make.conf
@@ -128,8 +128,11 @@ BDECFLAGS=	-W -Wall -ansi -pedantic -Wbad-function-cast -Wcast-align \
 # be OK to use for any non-commercial use.  This is optional.
 #MAKE_IDEA=	YES	# IDEA (128 bit symmetric encryption)
 #
-# To avoid running MAKEDEV all on /dev during install:
-#NO_MAKEDEV=	true
+# To avoid running MAKEDEV all on /dev during install set NO_MAKEDEV_RUN.
+# If you don't want to install MAKEDEV set NO_MAKEDEV_INSTALL, this implies
+# NO_MAKEDEV_RUN.
+#NO_MAKEDEV_INSTALL=	true
+#NO_MAKEDEV_RUN=	true
 #
 # If you do not want unformatted manual pages to be compressed
 # when they are installed:
diff --git a/share/examples/etc/make.conf b/share/examples/etc/make.conf
index 3860a147548..532898435b2 100644
--- a/share/examples/etc/make.conf
+++ b/share/examples/etc/make.conf
@@ -128,8 +128,11 @@ BDECFLAGS=	-W -Wall -ansi -pedantic -Wbad-function-cast -Wcast-align \
 # be OK to use for any non-commercial use.  This is optional.
 #MAKE_IDEA=	YES	# IDEA (128 bit symmetric encryption)
 #
-# To avoid running MAKEDEV all on /dev during install:
-#NO_MAKEDEV=	true
+# To avoid running MAKEDEV all on /dev during install set NO_MAKEDEV_RUN.
+# If you don't want to install MAKEDEV set NO_MAKEDEV_INSTALL, this implies
+# NO_MAKEDEV_RUN.
+#NO_MAKEDEV_INSTALL=	true
+#NO_MAKEDEV_RUN=	true
 #
 # If you do not want unformatted manual pages to be compressed
 # when they are installed: