diff --git a/sys/contrib/libnv/bsd_nvpair.c b/sys/contrib/libnv/bsd_nvpair.c
index 6405dcd1c51..00eee223fe9 100644
--- a/sys/contrib/libnv/bsd_nvpair.c
+++ b/sys/contrib/libnv/bsd_nvpair.c
@@ -661,11 +661,13 @@ nvpair_unpack_header(bool isbe, nvpair_t *nvp, const unsigned char *ptr,
 	if (!isbe) {
 		nvphdr.nvph_namesize = le16toh(nvphdr.nvph_namesize);
 		nvphdr.nvph_datasize = le64toh(nvphdr.nvph_datasize);
+		nvphdr.nvph_nitems = le64toh(nvphdr.nvph_nitems);
 	}
 #else
 	if (isbe) {
 		nvphdr.nvph_namesize = be16toh(nvphdr.nvph_namesize);
 		nvphdr.nvph_datasize = be64toh(nvphdr.nvph_datasize);
+		nvphdr.nvph_nitems = be64toh(nvphdr.nvph_nitems);
 	}
 #endif