diff --git a/bin/sh/sh.1 b/bin/sh/sh.1
index 20a9dbf99521..de5481c5c0d0 100644
--- a/bin/sh/sh.1
+++ b/bin/sh/sh.1
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 .\"	from: @(#)sh.1	8.6 (Berkeley) 5/4/95
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\"
-.Dd May 30, 2016
+.Dd October 8, 2016
 .Dt SH 1
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -1349,13 +1349,13 @@ used in tilde expansion and as a default directory for the
 built-in.
 .It Va IFS
 Input Field Separators.
-The default value is
+This is initialized at startup to
 .Aq space ,
 .Aq tab ,
 and
 .Aq newline
 in that order.
-This default also applies if
+This value also applies if
 .Va IFS
 is unset, but not if it is set to the empty string.
 See the
diff --git a/bin/sh/tests/parameters/Makefile b/bin/sh/tests/parameters/Makefile
index 28c503a1b1e7..939bd199a72b 100644
--- a/bin/sh/tests/parameters/Makefile
+++ b/bin/sh/tests/parameters/Makefile
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ ATF_TESTS_SH=	functional_test
 
 ${PACKAGE}FILES+=	env1.0
 ${PACKAGE}FILES+=	exitstatus1.0
+${PACKAGE}FILES+=	ifs1.0
 ${PACKAGE}FILES+=	mail1.0
 ${PACKAGE}FILES+=	mail2.0
 ${PACKAGE}FILES+=	optind1.0
diff --git a/bin/sh/tests/parameters/ifs1.0 b/bin/sh/tests/parameters/ifs1.0
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b93d99a8a8c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/sh/tests/parameters/ifs1.0
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+env IFS=_ ${SH} -c '
+rc=2
+nosuchtool_function() {
+	rc=0
+}
+v=nosuchtool_function
+$v && exit "$rc"
+'
diff --git a/bin/sh/var.c b/bin/sh/var.c
index 03d529b86fbc..c7834cd9d2c4 100644
--- a/bin/sh/var.c
+++ b/bin/sh/var.c
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ initvar(void)
 		}
 	}
 	setvareq_const("OPTIND=1", 0);
+	setvareq_const("IFS= \t\n", 0);
 }
 
 /*