diff --git a/lib/libzfs/os/freebsd/libzfs_compat.c b/lib/libzfs/os/freebsd/libzfs_compat.c
index 5e280cbae9..d1c1fea7fb 100644
--- a/lib/libzfs/os/freebsd/libzfs_compat.c
+++ b/lib/libzfs/os/freebsd/libzfs_compat.c
@@ -202,8 +202,10 @@ libzfs_error_init(int error)
 	size_t msglen = sizeof (errbuf);
 
 	if (modfind("zfs") < 0) {
-		size_t len = kmem_scnprintf(msg, msglen, dgettext(TEXT_DOMAIN,
+		size_t len = snprintf(msg, msglen, dgettext(TEXT_DOMAIN,
 		    "Failed to load %s module: "), ZFS_KMOD);
+		if (len >= msglen)
+			len = msglen - 1;
 		msg += len;
 		msglen -= len;
 	}