diff --git a/module/zfs/spa_config.c b/module/zfs/spa_config.c
index 5165c37040..60d1f1b6fd 100644
--- a/module/zfs/spa_config.c
+++ b/module/zfs/spa_config.c
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ spa_config_write(spa_config_dirent_t *dp, nvlist_t *nvl)
 	/*
 	 * Pack the configuration into a buffer.
 	 */
-	buf = fnvlist_pack(nvl, &buflen);
+	buf = fnvlist_pack_xdr(nvl, &buflen);
 	temp = kmem_zalloc(MAXPATHLEN, KM_SLEEP);
 
 	/*