diff --git a/sys/amd64/conf/NOTES b/sys/amd64/conf/NOTES
index 6ffb34a698c..a96b36a70e3 100644
--- a/sys/amd64/conf/NOTES
+++ b/sys/amd64/conf/NOTES
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ device		nvram		# Access to rtc cmos via /dev/nvram
 # MISCELLANEOUS DEVICES AND OPTIONS
 
 device		speaker		#Play IBM BASIC-style noises out your speaker
-hint.speaker.0.at="isa"
-hint.speaker.0.port="0x61"
+envvar		hint.speaker.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.speaker.0.port="0x61"
 
 
 #####################################################################
@@ -199,8 +199,8 @@ options 	X86BIOS
 
 # PS/2 mouse
 device		psm
-hint.psm.0.at="atkbdc"
-hint.psm.0.irq="12"
+envvar		hint.psm.0.at="atkbdc"
+envvar		hint.psm.0.irq="12"
 
 # Options for psm:
 options 	PSM_HOOKRESUME		#hook the system resume event, useful
@@ -209,13 +209,13 @@ options 	PSM_RESETAFTERSUSPEND	#reset the device at the resume event
 
 # The keyboard controller; it controls the keyboard and the PS/2 mouse.
 device		atkbdc
-hint.atkbdc.0.at="isa"
-hint.atkbdc.0.port="0x060"
+envvar		hint.atkbdc.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.atkbdc.0.port="0x060"
 
 # The AT keyboard
 device		atkbd
-hint.atkbd.0.at="atkbdc"
-hint.atkbd.0.irq="1"
+envvar		hint.atkbd.0.at="atkbdc"
+envvar		hint.atkbd.0.irq="1"
 
 # Options for atkbd:
 options 	ATKBD_DFLT_KEYMAP	# specify the built-in keymap
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ makeoptions	ATKBD_DFLT_KEYMAP=fr.dvorak
 
 # Video card driver for VGA adapters.
 device		vga
-hint.vga.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.vga.0.at="isa"
 
 # Options for vga:
 # Try the following option if the mouse pointer is not drawn correctly
@@ -523,8 +523,8 @@ device 		xenpci		# Xen HVM Hypervisor services driver
 
 device		ipmi
 device		pbio
-hint.pbio.0.at="isa"
-hint.pbio.0.port="0x360"
+envvar		hint.pbio.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.pbio.0.port="0x360"
 device		smbios
 device		vpd
 device		asmc
diff --git a/sys/conf/NOTES b/sys/conf/NOTES
index 1a73000b043..7aa957efa27 100644
--- a/sys/conf/NOTES
+++ b/sys/conf/NOTES
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 # 'makeoptions', 'hints', etc. go into the kernel configuration that you
 # run config(8) with.
 #
-# Lines that begin with 'hint.' are NOT for config(8), they go into your
-# hints file.  See /boot/device.hints and/or the 'hints' config(8) directive.
+# Lines that begin with 'envvar hint.' should go into your hints file.
+# See /boot/device.hints and/or the 'hints' config(8) directive.
 #
 # Please use ``make LINT'' to create an old-style LINT file if you want to
 # do kernel test-builds.
@@ -1292,22 +1292,22 @@ options 	FFCLOCK
 
 # The syntax for wiring down devices is:
 
-hint.scbus.0.at="ahc0"
-hint.scbus.1.at="ahc1"
-hint.scbus.1.bus="0"
-hint.scbus.3.at="ahc2"
-hint.scbus.3.bus="0"
-hint.scbus.2.at="ahc2"
-hint.scbus.2.bus="1"
-hint.da.0.at="scbus0"
-hint.da.0.target="0"
-hint.da.0.unit="0"
-hint.da.1.at="scbus3"
-hint.da.1.target="1"
-hint.da.2.at="scbus2"
-hint.da.2.target="3"
-hint.sa.1.at="scbus1"
-hint.sa.1.target="6"
+envvar		hint.scbus.0.at="ahc0"
+envvar		hint.scbus.1.at="ahc1"
+envvar		hint.scbus.1.bus="0"
+envvar		hint.scbus.3.at="ahc2"
+envvar		hint.scbus.3.bus="0"
+envvar		hint.scbus.2.at="ahc2"
+envvar		hint.scbus.2.bus="1"
+envvar		hint.da.0.at="scbus0"
+envvar		hint.da.0.target="0"
+envvar		hint.da.0.unit="0"
+envvar		hint.da.1.at="scbus3"
+envvar		hint.da.1.target="1"
+envvar		hint.da.2.at="scbus2"
+envvar		hint.da.2.target="3"
+envvar		hint.sa.1.at="scbus1"
+envvar		hint.sa.1.target="6"
 
 # "units" (SCSI logical unit number) that are not specified are
 # treated as if specified as LUN 0.
@@ -1536,21 +1536,21 @@ device		ahd
 device		esp
 device		iscsi_initiator
 device		isp
-hint.isp.0.disable="1"
-hint.isp.0.role="3"
-hint.isp.0.prefer_iomap="1"
-hint.isp.0.prefer_memmap="1"
-hint.isp.0.fwload_disable="1"
-hint.isp.0.ignore_nvram="1"
-hint.isp.0.fullduplex="1"
-hint.isp.0.topology="lport"
-hint.isp.0.topology="nport"
-hint.isp.0.topology="lport-only"
-hint.isp.0.topology="nport-only"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.disable="1"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.role="3"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.prefer_iomap="1"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.prefer_memmap="1"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.fwload_disable="1"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.ignore_nvram="1"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.fullduplex="1"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.topology="lport"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.topology="nport"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.topology="lport-only"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.topology="nport-only"
 # we can't get u_int64_t types, nor can we get strings if it's got
 # a leading 0x, hence this silly dodge.
-hint.isp.0.portwnn="w50000000aaaa0000"
-hint.isp.0.nodewnn="w50000000aaaa0001"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.portwnn="w50000000aaaa0000"
+envvar		hint.isp.0.nodewnn="w50000000aaaa0001"
 device		ispfw
 device		mpr			# LSI-Logic MPT-Fusion 3
 device		mps			# LSI-Logic MPT-Fusion 2
@@ -1715,12 +1715,12 @@ device		ata
 
 #
 # For older non-PCI, non-PnPBIOS systems, these are the hints lines to add:
-hint.ata.0.at="isa"
-hint.ata.0.port="0x1f0"
-hint.ata.0.irq="14"
-hint.ata.1.at="isa"
-hint.ata.1.port="0x170"
-hint.ata.1.irq="15"
+envvar		hint.ata.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.ata.0.port="0x1f0"
+envvar		hint.ata.0.irq="14"
+envvar		hint.ata.1.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.ata.1.port="0x170"
+envvar		hint.ata.1.irq="15"
 
 #
 # uart: newbusified driver for serial interfaces.  It consolidates the sio(4),
@@ -1736,16 +1736,16 @@ options 	UART_POLL_FREQ		# Set polling rate, used when hw has
 
 # The following hint should only be used for pure ISA devices.  It is not
 # needed otherwise.  Use of hints is strongly discouraged.
-hint.uart.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.uart.0.at="isa"
 
 # The following 3 hints are used when the UART is a system device (i.e., a
 # console or debug port), but only on platforms that don't have any other
 # means to pass the information to the kernel.  The unit number of the hint
 # is only used to bundle the hints together.  There is no relation to the
 # unit number of the probed UART.
-hint.uart.0.port="0x3f8"
-hint.uart.0.flags="0x10"
-hint.uart.0.baud="115200"
+envvar		hint.uart.0.port="0x3f8"
+envvar		hint.uart.0.flags="0x10"
+envvar		hint.uart.0.baud="115200"
 
 # `flags' for serial drivers that support consoles like sio(4) and uart(4):
 #	0x10	enable console support for this unit.  Other console flags
@@ -1954,7 +1954,7 @@ device		cas		# Sun Cassini/Cassini+ and NS DP83065 Saturn
 device		dc		# DEC/Intel 21143 and various workalikes
 device		et		# Agere ET1310 10/100/Gigabit Ethernet
 device		fxp		# Intel EtherExpress PRO/100B (82557, 82558)
-hint.fxp.0.prefer_iomap="0"
+envvar		hint.fxp.0.prefer_iomap="0"
 device		gem		# Apple GMAC/Sun ERI/Sun GEM
 device		hme		# Sun HME (Happy Meal Ethernet)
 device		jme		# JMicron JMC250 Gigabit/JMC260 Fast Ethernet
@@ -2138,20 +2138,20 @@ device		snd_via82c686
 device		snd_vibes
 
 # For non-PnP sound cards:
-hint.pcm.0.at="isa"
-hint.pcm.0.irq="10"
-hint.pcm.0.drq="1"
-hint.pcm.0.flags="0x0"
-hint.sbc.0.at="isa"
-hint.sbc.0.port="0x220"
-hint.sbc.0.irq="5"
-hint.sbc.0.drq="1"
-hint.sbc.0.flags="0x15"
-hint.gusc.0.at="isa"
-hint.gusc.0.port="0x220"
-hint.gusc.0.irq="5"
-hint.gusc.0.drq="1"
-hint.gusc.0.flags="0x13"
+envvar		hint.pcm.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.pcm.0.irq="10"
+envvar		hint.pcm.0.drq="1"
+envvar		hint.pcm.0.flags="0x0"
+envvar		hint.sbc.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.sbc.0.port="0x220"
+envvar		hint.sbc.0.irq="5"
+envvar		hint.sbc.0.drq="1"
+envvar		hint.sbc.0.flags="0x15"
+envvar		hint.gusc.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.gusc.0.port="0x220"
+envvar		hint.gusc.0.irq="5"
+envvar		hint.gusc.0.drq="1"
+envvar		hint.gusc.0.flags="0x13"
 
 #
 # Following options are intended for debugging/testing purposes:
@@ -2333,8 +2333,8 @@ options 	PCFCLOCK_VERBOSE         # Verbose pcfclock driver
 options 	PCFCLOCK_MAX_RETRIES=5   # Maximum read tries (default 10)
 
 device		ppc
-hint.ppc.0.at="isa"
-hint.ppc.0.irq="7"
+envvar		hint.ppc.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.ppc.0.irq="7"
 device		ppbus
 device		lpt
 device		plip
diff --git a/sys/i386/conf/NOTES b/sys/i386/conf/NOTES
index 249ab4a2165..9e8e4f23b2f 100644
--- a/sys/i386/conf/NOTES
+++ b/sys/i386/conf/NOTES
@@ -273,8 +273,8 @@ device		nvram		# Access to rtc cmos via /dev/nvram
 # MISCELLANEOUS DEVICES AND OPTIONS
 
 device		speaker		#Play IBM BASIC-style noises out your speaker
-hint.speaker.0.at="isa"
-hint.speaker.0.port="0x61"
+envvar		hint.speaker.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.speaker.0.port="0x61"
 device		apm_saver	# Requires APM
 
 
@@ -342,8 +342,8 @@ options 	X86BIOS
 
 #
 # Hints for the non-optional Numeric Processing eXtension driver.
-hint.npx.0.flags="0x0"
-hint.npx.0.irq="13"
+envvar		hint.npx.0.flags="0x0"
+envvar		hint.npx.0.irq="13"
 
 #
 # `flags' for npx0:
@@ -369,8 +369,8 @@ hint.npx.0.irq="13"
 
 # PS/2 mouse
 device		psm
-hint.psm.0.at="atkbdc"
-hint.psm.0.irq="12"
+envvar		hint.psm.0.at="atkbdc"
+envvar		hint.psm.0.irq="12"
 
 # Options for psm:
 options 	PSM_HOOKRESUME		#hook the system resume event, useful
@@ -379,13 +379,13 @@ options 	PSM_RESETAFTERSUSPEND	#reset the device at the resume event
 
 # The keyboard controller; it controls the keyboard and the PS/2 mouse.
 device		atkbdc
-hint.atkbdc.0.at="isa"
-hint.atkbdc.0.port="0x060"
+envvar		hint.atkbdc.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.atkbdc.0.port="0x060"
 
 # The AT keyboard
 device		atkbd
-hint.atkbd.0.at="atkbdc"
-hint.atkbd.0.irq="1"
+envvar		hint.atkbd.0.at="atkbdc"
+envvar		hint.atkbd.0.irq="1"
 
 # Options for atkbd:
 options 	ATKBD_DFLT_KEYMAP	# specify the built-in keymap
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ makeoptions	ATKBD_DFLT_KEYMAP=fr.dvorak
 
 # Video card driver for VGA adapters.
 device		vga
-hint.vga.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.vga.0.at="isa"
 
 # Options for vga:
 # Try the following option if the mouse pointer is not drawn correctly
@@ -521,34 +521,34 @@ device		cpufreq
 device          bxe             # Broadcom NetXtreme II BCM5771X/BCM578XX 10GbE
 device		ce
 device		cp
-hint.cs.0.at="isa"
-hint.cs.0.port="0x300"
+envvar		hint.cs.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.cs.0.port="0x300"
 #options 	NETGRAPH_CRONYX		# Enable NETGRAPH support for Cronyx adapter(s)
 options 	ED_3C503
 options 	ED_HPP
 options 	ED_SIC
-hint.ed.0.at="isa"
-hint.ed.0.port="0x280"
-hint.ed.0.irq="5"
-hint.ed.0.maddr="0xd8000"
+envvar		hint.ed.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.ed.0.port="0x280"
+envvar		hint.ed.0.irq="5"
+envvar		hint.ed.0.maddr="0xd8000"
 device		ipw		# Intel 2100 wireless NICs.
 device		iwi		# Intel 2200BG/2225BG/2915ABG wireless NICs.
 device		iwn		# Intel 4965/1000/5000/6000 wireless NICs.
 # Hint for the i386-only ISA front-end of le(4).
-hint.le.0.at="isa"
-hint.le.0.port="0x280"
-hint.le.0.irq="10"
-hint.le.0.drq="0"
+envvar		hint.le.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.le.0.port="0x280"
+envvar		hint.le.0.irq="10"
+envvar		hint.le.0.drq="0"
 device  	mthca		# Mellanox HCA InfiniBand
 device		mlx4		# Shared code module between IB and Ethernet
 device  	mlx4ib		# Mellanox ConnectX HCA InfiniBand
 device  	mlx4en		# Mellanox ConnectX HCA Ethernet
 device		nfe		# nVidia nForce MCP on-board Ethernet
 device		sbni
-hint.sbni.0.at="isa"
-hint.sbni.0.port="0x210"
-hint.sbni.0.irq="0xefdead"
-hint.sbni.0.flags="0"
+envvar		hint.sbni.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.sbni.0.port="0x210"
+envvar		hint.sbni.0.irq="0xefdead"
+envvar		hint.sbni.0.flags="0"
 device		vmx		# VMware VMXNET3 Ethernet
 device		wpi		# Intel 3945ABG wireless NICs.
 
@@ -762,14 +762,14 @@ device 		hyperv		# HyperV drivers
 #  of the Vaio extra features are controlled by this device.
 
 device		apm
-hint.apm.0.flags="0x20"
+envvar		hint.apm.0.flags="0x20"
 device		ipmi
 device		smapi
 device		smbios
 device		vpd
 device		pbio
-hint.pbio.0.at="isa"
-hint.pbio.0.port="0x360"
+envvar		hint.pbio.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.pbio.0.port="0x360"
 device		asmc
 device		tpm
 device		padlock_rng	# VIA Padlock RNG
@@ -797,9 +797,9 @@ options 	POWERFAIL_NMI	# make it beep instead of panicing
 # pcf	Philips PCF8584 ISA-bus controller
 #
 device		pcf
-hint.pcf.0.at="isa"
-hint.pcf.0.port="0x320"
-hint.pcf.0.irq="5"
+envvar		hint.pcf.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.pcf.0.port="0x320"
+envvar		hint.pcf.0.irq="5"
 
 #
 # Hardware watchdog timers:
diff --git a/sys/x86/conf/NOTES b/sys/x86/conf/NOTES
index 8894fecfefe..ad38de1a95f 100644
--- a/sys/x86/conf/NOTES
+++ b/sys/x86/conf/NOTES
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ options 	COMPAT_43
 
 # The syscons console driver (SCO color console compatible).
 device		sc
-hint.sc.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.sc.0.at="isa"
 options 	MAXCONS=16		# number of virtual consoles
 options 	SC_ALT_MOUSE_IMAGE	# simplified mouse cursor in text mode
 options 	SC_DFLT_FONT		# compile font in
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ device		warp_saver
 # the Y-E DATA External FDD (PC Card)
 #
 device		fdc
-hint.fdc.0.at="isa"
-hint.fdc.0.port="0x3F0"
-hint.fdc.0.irq="6"
-hint.fdc.0.drq="2"
+envvar		hint.fdc.0.at="isa"
+envvar		hint.fdc.0.port="0x3F0"
+envvar		hint.fdc.0.irq="6"
+envvar		hint.fdc.0.drq="2"
 #
 # FDC_DEBUG enables floppy debugging.  Since the debug output is huge, you
 # gotta turn it actually on by setting the variable fd_debug with DDB,
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ options 	FDC_DEBUG
 #hint.fdc.0.flags="1"
 
 # Specify floppy devices
-hint.fd.0.at="fdc0"
-hint.fd.0.drive="0"
-hint.fd.1.at="fdc0"
-hint.fd.1.drive="1"
+envvar		hint.fd.0.at="fdc0"
+envvar		hint.fd.0.drive="0"
+envvar		hint.fd.1.at="fdc0"
+envvar		hint.fd.1.drive="1"