diff --git a/sbin/ifconfig/ifvlan.c b/sbin/ifconfig/ifvlan.c
index a79ea35bc14b..0a2603f1736f 100644
--- a/sbin/ifconfig/ifvlan.c
+++ b/sbin/ifconfig/ifvlan.c
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 #include "ifconfig.h"
 
 #define	NOTAG	((u_short) -1)
+#define	NOPROTO	((u_short) -1)
 
 static const char proto_8021Q[]  = "802.1q";
 static const char proto_8021ad[] = "802.1ad";
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ static const char proto_qinq[] = "qinq";
 
 static 	struct vlanreq params = {
 	.vlr_tag	= NOTAG,
-	.vlr_proto	= ETHERTYPE_VLAN,
+	.vlr_proto	= NOPROTO,
 };
 
 static void
@@ -157,6 +158,8 @@ vlan_create(if_ctx *ctx, struct ifreq *ifr)
 			errx(1, "must specify a tag for vlan create");
 		if (params.vlr_parent[0] == '\0')
 			errx(1, "must specify a parent device for vlan create");
+		if (params.vlr_proto == NOPROTO)
+			params.vlr_proto = ETHERTYPE_VLAN;
 		ifr->ifr_data = (caddr_t) &params;
 	}
 	ifcreate_ioctl(ctx, ifr);
@@ -173,6 +176,8 @@ static void
 vlan_set(int s, struct ifreq *ifr)
 {
 	if (params.vlr_tag != NOTAG && params.vlr_parent[0] != '\0') {
+		if (params.vlr_proto == NOPROTO)
+			params.vlr_proto = ETHERTYPE_VLAN;
 		ifr->ifr_data = (caddr_t) &params;
 		if (ioctl(s, SIOCSETVLAN, (caddr_t)ifr) == -1)
 			err(1, "SIOCSETVLAN");
@@ -196,8 +201,16 @@ setvlantag(if_ctx *ctx, const char *val, int dummy __unused)
 		errx(1, "value for vlan out of range");
 
 	if (ioctl_ctx_ifr(ctx, SIOCGETVLAN, &ifr) != -1) {
-		vreq.vlr_tag = params.vlr_tag;
-		memcpy(&params, &vreq, sizeof(params));
+		/*
+		 * Retrieve the current settings if the interface has already
+		 * been configured.
+		 */
+		if (vreq.vlr_parent[0] != '\0') {
+			if (params.vlr_parent[0] == '\0')
+				strlcpy(params.vlr_parent, vreq.vlr_parent, IFNAMSIZ);
+			if (params.vlr_proto == NOPROTO)
+				params.vlr_proto = vreq.vlr_proto;
+		}
 		vlan_set(ctx->io_s, &ifr);
 	}
 }
@@ -230,8 +243,16 @@ setvlanproto(if_ctx *ctx, const char *val, int dummy __unused)
 		errx(1, "invalid value for vlanproto");
 
 	if (ioctl_ctx_ifr(ctx, SIOCGETVLAN, &ifr) != -1) {
-		vreq.vlr_proto = params.vlr_proto;
-		memcpy(&params, &vreq, sizeof(params));
+		/*
+		 * Retrieve the current settings if the interface has already
+		 * been configured.
+		 */
+		if (vreq.vlr_parent[0] != '\0') {
+			if (params.vlr_parent[0] == '\0')
+				strlcpy(params.vlr_parent, vreq.vlr_parent, IFNAMSIZ);
+			if (params.vlr_tag == NOTAG)
+				params.vlr_tag = vreq.vlr_tag;
+		}
 		vlan_set(ctx->io_s, &ifr);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tests/sys/net/if_vlan.sh b/tests/sys/net/if_vlan.sh
index 675ed0090e8c..458e3cc36bc6 100755
--- a/tests/sys/net/if_vlan.sh
+++ b/tests/sys/net/if_vlan.sh
@@ -22,8 +22,12 @@ basic_body()
 	jexec alcatraz ifconfig ${epair_vlan}a up
 	jexec alcatraz ifconfig ${vlan0} 10.0.0.1/24 up
 
-	vlan1=$(jexec singsing ifconfig vlan create vlandev ${epair_vlan}b \
-		vlan 42)
+	vlan1=$(jexec singsing ifconfig vlan create)
+
+	# Test associating the physical interface
+	atf_check -s exit:0 \
+	    jexec singsing ifconfig ${vlan1} vlandev ${epair_vlan}b vlan 42
+
 	jexec singsing ifconfig ${epair_vlan}b up
 	jexec singsing ifconfig ${vlan1} 10.0.0.2/24 up
 
@@ -37,7 +41,7 @@ basic_body()
 	# And change back
 	# Test changing the vlan ID
 	atf_check -s exit:0 \
-	    jexec singsing ifconfig ${vlan1} vlandev ${epair_vlan}b vlan 42
+	    jexec singsing ifconfig ${vlan1} vlan 42 vlandev ${epair_vlan}b
 	atf_check -s exit:0 -o ignore jexec singsing ping -c 1 10.0.0.1
 }