diff --git a/include/os/freebsd/zfs/sys/zfs_ctldir.h b/include/os/freebsd/zfs/sys/zfs_ctldir.h
index 14d75df33df0..f0a98a7def8d 100644
--- a/include/os/freebsd/zfs/sys/zfs_ctldir.h
+++ b/include/os/freebsd/zfs/sys/zfs_ctldir.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ extern "C" {
 	((zdp)->z_zfsvfs->z_ctldir != NULL))
 #define	zfs_show_ctldir(zdp)	\
 	(zfs_has_ctldir(zdp) && \
-	((zdp)->z_zfsvfs->z_show_ctldir))
+	((zdp)->z_zfsvfs->z_show_ctldir == ZFS_SNAPDIR_VISIBLE))
 
 void zfsctl_create(zfsvfs_t *);
 void zfsctl_destroy(zfsvfs_t *);
diff --git a/include/os/freebsd/zfs/sys/zfs_vfsops_os.h b/include/os/freebsd/zfs/sys/zfs_vfsops_os.h
index 7f0f24325d59..efefa112f388 100644
--- a/include/os/freebsd/zfs/sys/zfs_vfsops_os.h
+++ b/include/os/freebsd/zfs/sys/zfs_vfsops_os.h
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ struct zfsvfs {
 	list_t		z_all_znodes;	/* all vnodes in the fs */
 	kmutex_t	z_znodes_lock;	/* lock for z_all_znodes */
 	struct zfsctl_root	*z_ctldir;	/* .zfs directory pointer */
-	boolean_t	z_show_ctldir;	/* expose .zfs in the root dir */
+	uint_t		z_show_ctldir;	/* how to expose .zfs in the root dir */
 	boolean_t	z_issnap;	/* true if this is a snapshot */
 	boolean_t	z_use_fuids;	/* version allows fuids */
 	boolean_t	z_replay;	/* set during ZIL replay */
diff --git a/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_vnops_os.c b/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_vnops_os.c
index d9a8c8a0d769..edf59d3154e4 100644
--- a/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_vnops_os.c
+++ b/module/os/freebsd/zfs/zfs_vnops_os.c
@@ -913,6 +913,8 @@ zfs_lookup(vnode_t *dvp, const char *nm, vnode_t **vpp,
 	}
 	if (zfs_has_ctldir(zdp) && strcmp(nm, ZFS_CTLDIR_NAME) == 0) {
 		zfs_exit(zfsvfs, FTAG);
+		if ((zdp)->z_zfsvfs->z_show_ctldir == ZFS_SNAPDIR_DISABLED)
+			return (SET_ERROR(ENOENT));
 		if ((cnp->cn_flags & ISLASTCN) != 0 && nameiop != LOOKUP)
 			return (SET_ERROR(ENOTSUP));
 		error = zfsctl_root(zfsvfs, cnp->cn_lkflags, vpp);