diff --git a/module/zfs/arc.c b/module/zfs/arc.c
index 4dca688ebb..52a926569e 100644
--- a/module/zfs/arc.c
+++ b/module/zfs/arc.c
@@ -6305,7 +6305,11 @@ top:
 			    metadata, misses);
 		}
 
-		if (vd != NULL && l2arc_ndev != 0 && !(l2arc_norw && devw)) {
+		/* Check if the spa even has l2 configured */
+		const boolean_t spa_has_l2 = l2arc_ndev != 0 &&
+		    spa->spa_l2cache.sav_count > 0;
+
+		if (vd != NULL && spa_has_l2 && !(l2arc_norw && devw)) {
 			/*
 			 * Read from the L2ARC if the following are true:
 			 * 1. The L2ARC vdev was previously cached.
@@ -6406,15 +6410,24 @@ top:
 		} else {
 			if (vd != NULL)
 				spa_config_exit(spa, SCL_L2ARC, vd);
+
 			/*
-			 * Skip ARC stat bump for block pointers with
-			 * embedded data. The data are read from the blkptr
-			 * itself via decode_embedded_bp_compressed().
+			 * Only a spa with l2 should contribute to l2
+			 * miss stats.  (Including the case of having a
+			 * faulted cache device - that's also a miss.)
 			 */
-			if (l2arc_ndev != 0 && !embedded_bp) {
-				DTRACE_PROBE1(l2arc__miss,
-				    arc_buf_hdr_t *, hdr);
-				ARCSTAT_BUMP(arcstat_l2_misses);
+			if (spa_has_l2) {
+				/*
+				 * Skip ARC stat bump for block pointers with
+				 * embedded data. The data are read from the
+				 * blkptr itself via
+				 * decode_embedded_bp_compressed().
+				 */
+				if (!embedded_bp) {
+					DTRACE_PROBE1(l2arc__miss,
+					    arc_buf_hdr_t *, hdr);
+					ARCSTAT_BUMP(arcstat_l2_misses);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/tests/runfiles/common.run b/tests/runfiles/common.run
index d935f5b042..ef4858cc7f 100644
--- a/tests/runfiles/common.run
+++ b/tests/runfiles/common.run
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ post =
 tags = ['functional', 'log_spacemap']
 
 [tests/functional/l2arc]
-tests = ['l2arc_arcstats_pos', 'l2arc_mfuonly_pos',
+tests = ['l2arc_arcstats_pos', 'l2arc_mfuonly_pos', 'l2arc_l2miss_pos',
     'persist_l2arc_001_pos', 'persist_l2arc_002_pos',
     'persist_l2arc_003_neg', 'persist_l2arc_004_pos', 'persist_l2arc_005_pos',
     'persist_l2arc_006_pos', 'persist_l2arc_007_pos', 'persist_l2arc_008_pos']
diff --git a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/Makefile.am b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/Makefile.am
index cac85fa46e..9baf580eea 100644
--- a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/Makefile.am
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ dist_pkgdata_SCRIPTS = \
 	cleanup.ksh \
 	setup.ksh \
 	l2arc_arcstats_pos.ksh \
+	l2arc_l2miss_pos.ksh \
 	l2arc_mfuonly_pos.ksh \
 	persist_l2arc_001_pos.ksh \
 	persist_l2arc_002_pos.ksh \
diff --git a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/l2arc.cfg b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/l2arc.cfg
index cd79af034a..0302392f4c 100644
--- a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/l2arc.cfg
+++ b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/l2arc.cfg
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ export SIZE=1G
 export VDIR=$TESTDIR/disk.l2arc
 export VDEV="$VDIR/a"
 export VDEV_CACHE="$VDIR/b"
+export VDEV1="$VDIR/c"
 
 # fio options
 export DIRECTORY=/$TESTPOOL
diff --git a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/l2arc_l2miss_pos.ksh b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/l2arc_l2miss_pos.ksh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..783484f52c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/l2arc_l2miss_pos.ksh
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+#!/bin/ksh -p
+#
+# CDDL HEADER START
+#
+# This file and its contents are supplied under the terms of the
+# Common Development and Distribution License ("CDDL"), version 1.0.
+# You may only use this file in accordance with the terms of version
+# 1.0 of the CDDL.
+#
+# A full copy of the text of the CDDL should have accompanied this
+# source.  A copy of the CDDL is also available via the Internet at
+# http://www.illumos.org/license/CDDL.
+#
+# CDDL HEADER END
+#
+
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2020, Adam Moss. All rights reserved.
+#
+
+. $STF_SUITE/include/libtest.shlib
+. $STF_SUITE/tests/functional/l2arc/l2arc.cfg
+
+#
+# DESCRIPTION:
+#	l2arc_misses does not increment upon reads from a pool without l2arc
+#
+# STRATEGY:
+#	1. Create pool with a cache device.
+#	2. Create pool without a cache device.
+#	3. Create a random file in the no-cache-device pool,
+#		and random read for 10 sec.
+#	4. Check that l2arc_misses hasn't risen
+#	5. Create a random file in the pool with the cache device,
+#		and random read for 10 sec.
+#	6. Check that l2arc_misses has risen
+#
+
+verify_runnable "global"
+
+log_assert "l2arc_misses does not increment upon reads from a pool without l2arc."
+
+function cleanup
+{
+	if poolexists $TESTPOOL ; then
+		destroy_pool $TESTPOOL
+	fi
+	if poolexists $TESTPOOL1 ; then
+		destroy_pool $TESTPOOL1
+	fi
+}
+log_onexit cleanup
+
+typeset fill_mb=800
+typeset cache_sz=$(( 1.4 * $fill_mb ))
+export FILE_SIZE=$(( floor($fill_mb / $NUMJOBS) ))M
+
+log_must truncate -s ${cache_sz}M $VDEV_CACHE
+
+log_must zpool create -O compression=off -f $TESTPOOL $VDEV cache $VDEV_CACHE
+log_must zpool create -O compression=off -f $TESTPOOL1 $VDEV1
+
+# I/O to pool without l2arc - expect that l2_misses stays constant
+export DIRECTORY=/$TESTPOOL1
+log_must fio $FIO_SCRIPTS/mkfiles.fio
+log_must fio $FIO_SCRIPTS/random_reads.fio
+# attempt to remove entries for pool from ARC so we would try
+#    to hit the nonexistent L2ARC for subsequent reads
+log_must zpool export $TESTPOOL1
+log_must zpool import $TESTPOOL1 -d $VDEV1
+
+typeset starting_miss_count=$(get_arcstat l2_misses)
+
+log_must fio $FIO_SCRIPTS/random_reads.fio
+log_must test $(get_arcstat l2_misses) -eq $starting_miss_count
+
+# I/O to pool with l2arc - expect that l2_misses rises
+export DIRECTORY=/$TESTPOOL
+log_must fio $FIO_SCRIPTS/mkfiles.fio
+log_must fio $FIO_SCRIPTS/random_reads.fio
+# wait for L2ARC writes to actually happen
+arcstat_quiescence_noecho l2_size
+# attempt to remove entries for pool from ARC so we would try
+#    to hit L2ARC for subsequent reads
+log_must zpool export $TESTPOOL
+log_must zpool import $TESTPOOL -d $VDEV
+
+log_must fio $FIO_SCRIPTS/random_reads.fio
+log_must test $(get_arcstat l2_misses) -gt $starting_miss_count
+
+log_must zpool destroy -f $TESTPOOL
+log_must zpool destroy -f $TESTPOOL1
+
+log_pass "l2arc_misses does not increment upon reads from a pool without l2arc."
diff --git a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/setup.ksh b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/setup.ksh
index b7a68c1345..0df61a9d27 100755
--- a/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/setup.ksh
+++ b/tests/zfs-tests/tests/functional/l2arc/setup.ksh
@@ -25,5 +25,6 @@ verify_runnable "global"
 log_must rm -rf $VDIR
 log_must mkdir -p $VDIR
 log_must mkfile $SIZE $VDEV
+log_must mkfile $SIZE $VDEV1
 
 log_pass