diff --git a/lib/libgeom/geom_util.c b/lib/libgeom/geom_util.c
index c596178..539b6c6 100644
--- a/lib/libgeom/geom_util.c
+++ b/lib/libgeom/geom_util.c
@@ -42,29 +42,22 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 
 #include <libgeom.h>
 
+static char	*g_device_path_open(const char *, int *, int);
+
 /*
  * Open the given provider and at least check if this is a block device.
  */
 int
 g_open(const char *name, int dowrite)
 {
-	char path[MAXPATHLEN];
+	char *path;
 	int fd;
 
-	if (name[0] == '/')
-		strlcpy(path, name, sizeof(path));
-	else
-		snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s%s", _PATH_DEV, name);
-
-	fd = open(path, dowrite ? O_RDWR : O_RDONLY);
+	path = g_device_path_open(name, &fd, dowrite);
+	if (path != NULL)
+		free(path);
 	if (fd == -1)
 		return (-1);
-	/* Let try to get sectorsize, which will prove it is a GEOM provider. */
-	if (g_sectorsize(fd) == -1) {
-		close(fd);
-		errno = EFTYPE;
-		return (-1);
-	}
 	return (fd);
 }
 
@@ -121,6 +114,19 @@ g_sectorsize(int fd)
 }
 
 /*
+ * Return the correct provider name.
+ */
+char *
+g_providername(int fd)
+{
+	char name[MAXPATHLEN];
+
+	if (g_ioctl_arg(fd, DIOCGPROVIDERNAME, name) == -1)
+		return (NULL);
+	return (strdup(name));
+}
+
+/*
  * Call BIO_FLUSH for the given provider.
  */
 int
@@ -234,3 +240,77 @@ end:
 	}
 	return (fd);
 }
+
+/*
+ * Return the device path device given a partial or full path to its node.
+ * A pointer can be provided, which will be set to an opened file descriptor of
+ * not NULL.
+ */
+static char *
+g_device_path_open(const char *devpath, int *fdp, int dowrite)
+{
+	char *path;
+	int fd;
+
+	/* Make sure that we can fail. */
+	if (fdp != NULL)
+		*fdp = -1;
+	/* Use the device node if we're able to open it. */
+	do {
+		fd = open(devpath, dowrite ? O_RDWR : O_RDONLY);
+		if (fd == -1)
+			break;
+		/*
+		 * Let try to get sectorsize, which will prove it is a GEOM
+		 * provider. 
+		 */
+		if (g_sectorsize(fd) == -1) {
+			close(fd);
+			errno = EFTYPE;
+			return (NULL);
+		}
+		if ((path = strdup(devpath)) == NULL) {
+			close(fd);
+			return (NULL);
+		}
+		if (fdp != NULL)
+			*fdp = fd;
+		else
+			close(fd);
+		return (path);
+	} while (0);
+
+	/* If we're not given an absolute path, assume /dev/ prefix. */
+	if (*devpath != '/') {
+		asprintf(&path, "%s%s", _PATH_DEV, devpath);
+		if (path == NULL)
+			return (NULL);
+		fd = open(path, dowrite ? O_RDWR : O_RDONLY);
+		if (fd == -1) {
+			free(path);
+			return (NULL);
+		}
+		/*
+		 * Let try to get sectorsize, which will prove it is a GEOM
+		 * provider.
+		 */
+		if (g_sectorsize(fd) == -1) {
+			free(path);
+			close(fd);
+			errno = EFTYPE;
+			return (NULL);
+		}
+		if (fdp != NULL)
+			*fdp = fd;
+		else
+			close(fd);
+		return (path);
+	}
+	return (NULL);
+}
+
+char *
+g_device_path(const char *devpath)
+{
+	return (g_device_path_open(devpath, NULL, 0));
+}
diff --git a/lib/libgeom/libgeom.h b/lib/libgeom/libgeom.h
index 56736a3..7255bd4 100644
--- a/lib/libgeom/libgeom.h
+++ b/lib/libgeom/libgeom.h
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ int g_delete(int, off_t, off_t);
 int g_get_ident(int, char *, size_t);
 int g_get_name(const char *, char *, size_t);
 int g_open_by_ident(const char *, int, char *, size_t);
+char *g_device_path(const char *);
+char *g_providername(int);
 
 __END_DECLS
 
diff --git a/sbin/fdisk/fdisk.c b/sbin/fdisk/fdisk.c
index e484578..e540038 100644
--- a/sbin/fdisk/fdisk.c
+++ b/sbin/fdisk/fdisk.c
@@ -245,7 +245,6 @@ static void usage(void);
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	struct	stat sb;
 	int	c, i;
 	int	partition = -1;
 	struct	dos_partition *partp;
@@ -307,18 +306,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (argc == 0) {
 		disk = get_rootdisk();
 	} else {
-		if (stat(argv[0], &sb) == 0) {
-			/* OK, full pathname given */
-			disk = argv[0];
-		} else if (errno == ENOENT && argv[0][0] != '/') {
-			/* Try prepending "/dev" */
-			asprintf(&disk, "%s%s", _PATH_DEV, argv[0]);
-			if (disk == NULL)
-				errx(1, "out of memory");
-		} else {
-			/* other stat error, let it fail below */
-			disk = argv[0];
-		}
+		disk = g_device_path(argv[0]);
+		if (disk == NULL)
+			err(1, "unable to get correct path for %s\n", argv[0]);
 	}
 	if (open_disk(u_flag) < 0)
 		err(1, "cannot open disk %s", disk);
@@ -724,21 +714,14 @@ dos(struct dos_partition *partp)
 static int
 open_disk(int flag)
 {
-	struct stat 	st;
 	int rwmode;
 
-	if (stat(disk, &st) == -1) {
-		if (errno == ENOENT)
-			return -2;
-		warnx("can't get file status of %s", disk);
-		return -1;
-	}
-	if ( !(st.st_mode & S_IFCHR) )
-		warnx("device %s is not character special", disk);
-	rwmode = a_flag || I_flag || B_flag || flag ? O_RDWR : O_RDONLY;
-	fd = open(disk, rwmode);
-	if (fd == -1 && errno == EPERM && rwmode == O_RDWR)
-		fd = open(disk, O_RDONLY);
+	/* Write mode if one of these flags are set. */
+	rwmode = (a_flag || I_flag || B_flag || flag);
+	fd = g_open(disk, rwmode);
+	/* If the mode fails, try read-only if we didn't. */
+	if (fd == -1 && errno == EPERM && rwmode)
+		fd = g_open(disk, 0);
 	if (fd == -1 && errno == ENXIO)
 		return -2;
 	if (fd == -1) {
@@ -778,29 +761,30 @@ write_disk(off_t sector, void *buf)
 {
 	int error;
 	struct gctl_req *grq;
-	const char *q;
-	char fbuf[BUFSIZ];
+	const char *errmsg;
+	char fbuf[BUFSIZ], *pname;
 	int i, fdw;
 
 	grq = gctl_get_handle();
 	gctl_ro_param(grq, "verb", -1, "write MBR");
 	gctl_ro_param(grq, "class", -1, "MBR");
-	q = strrchr(disk, '/');
-	if (q == NULL)
-		q = disk;
-	else
-		q++;
-	gctl_ro_param(grq, "geom", -1, q);
+	pname = g_providername(fd);
+	if (pname == NULL) {
+		warnx("Error getting providername for %s\n", disk);
+		return (-1);
+	}
+	gctl_ro_param(grq, "geom", -1, pname);
 	gctl_ro_param(grq, "data", secsize, buf);
-	q = gctl_issue(grq);
-	if (q == NULL) {
+	errmsg = gctl_issue(grq);
+	free(pname);
+	if (errmsg == NULL) {
 		gctl_free(grq);
 		return(0);
 	}
 	if (!q_flag)	/* GEOM errors are benign, not all devices supported */
-		warnx("%s", q);
+		warnx("%s", errmsg);
 	gctl_free(grq);
-	
+
 	error = pwrite(fd, buf, secsize, (sector * 512));
 	if (error == secsize)
 		return (0);
@@ -841,21 +825,18 @@ get_params()
 	dos_cylsecs = cylsecs = heads * sectors;
 	disksecs = cyls * heads * sectors;
 
-	error = ioctl(fd, DIOCGSECTORSIZE, &u);
-	if (error != 0 || u == 0)
-		u = 512;
-	else
-		secsize = u;
+	u = g_sectorsize(fd);
+	if (u <= 0)
+		return (-1);
 
-	error = ioctl(fd, DIOCGMEDIASIZE, &o);
-	if (error == 0) {
-		disksecs = o / u;
-		cyls = dos_cyls = o / (u * dos_heads * dos_sectors);
-	}
+	o = g_mediasize(fd);
+	if (o < 0)
+		return (-1);
+	disksecs = o / u;
+	cyls = dos_cyls = o / (u * dos_heads * dos_sectors);
 
 	return (disksecs);
 }
-
 
 static int
 read_s0()
diff --git a/sys/geom/geom_dev.c b/sys/geom/geom_dev.c
index 4abbfc0..eeb3b09 100644
--- a/sys/geom/geom_dev.c
+++ b/sys/geom/geom_dev.c
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ g_dev_ioctl(struct cdev *dev, u_long cmd, caddr_t data, int fflag, struct thread
 {
 	struct g_geom *gp;
 	struct g_consumer *cp;
+	struct g_provider *pp;
 	struct g_kerneldump kd;
 	off_t offset, length, chunk;
 	int i, error;
@@ -251,6 +252,7 @@ g_dev_ioctl(struct cdev *dev, u_long cmd, caddr_t data, int fflag, struct thread
 
 	gp = dev->si_drv1;
 	cp = dev->si_drv2;
+	pp = cp->provider;
 
 	error = 0;
 	KASSERT(cp->acr || cp->acw,
@@ -329,6 +331,11 @@ g_dev_ioctl(struct cdev *dev, u_long cmd, caddr_t data, int fflag, struct thread
 	case DIOCGIDENT:
 		error = g_io_getattr("GEOM::ident", cp, &i, data);
 		break;
+	case DIOCGPROVIDERNAME:
+		if (pp == NULL)
+			return (ENOENT);
+		strlcpy(data, pp->name, i);
+		break;
 
 	default:
 		if (cp->provider->geom->ioctl != NULL) {
diff --git a/sys/sys/disk.h b/sys/sys/disk.h
index 71e775e..4fe2e09 100644
--- a/sys/sys/disk.h
+++ b/sys/sys/disk.h
@@ -98,4 +98,10 @@ void disk_err(struct bio *bp, const char *what, int blkdone, int nl);
 	 * - ident is optional and applications can't relay on its presence.
 	 */
 
+#define DIOCGPROVIDERNAME _IOR('d', 138, char[MAXPATHLEN])
+	/*-
+	 * Store the provider name, given a device path, in a buffer. The buffer
+	 * must be at least MAXPATHLEN bytes long.
+	 */
+
 #endif /* _SYS_DISK_H_ */
diff --git a/usr.sbin/boot0cfg/boot0cfg.c b/usr.sbin/boot0cfg/boot0cfg.c
index 6fd0587..63fa78e 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/boot0cfg/boot0cfg.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/boot0cfg/boot0cfg.c
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ static void display_mbr(u_int8_t *);
 static int boot0version(const u_int8_t *);
 static int boot0bs(const u_int8_t *);
 static void stropt(const char *, int *, int *);
-static char *mkrdev(const char *);
 static int argtoi(const char *, int, int, int);
 static void usage(void);
 
@@ -142,7 +141,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     argv += optind;
     if (argc != 1)
         usage();
-    disk = mkrdev(*argv);
+    disk = g_device_path(*argv);
+    if (disk == NULL)
+        errx(1, "Unable to get providername for %s\n", *argv);
     up = B_flag || d_arg != -1 || m_arg != -1 || o_flag || s_arg != -1
 	|| t_arg != -1;
 
@@ -257,7 +258,8 @@ write_mbr(const char *fname, int flags, u_int8_t *mbr, int mbr_size)
     int fd, p;
     ssize_t n;
     char *s;
-    const char *q;
+    const char *errmsg;
+    char *pname;
     struct gctl_req *grq;
    
     fd = open(fname, O_WRONLY | flags, 0666);
@@ -269,23 +271,31 @@ write_mbr(const char *fname, int flags, u_int8_t *mbr, int mbr_size)
 	return;
     }
 
+    /* Try open it read only. */
+    fd = open(fname, O_RDONLY);
+    if (fd == -1) {
+	warnx("Error opening %s\n", fname);
+	return;
+    }
+    pname = g_providername(fd);
+    if (pname == NULL) {
+	warnx("Error getting providername for %s\n", fname);
+	return;
+    }
     if (flags != 0)
 	err(1, "%s", fname);
     grq = gctl_get_handle();
     gctl_ro_param(grq, "verb", -1, "write MBR");
     gctl_ro_param(grq, "class", -1, "MBR");
-    q = strrchr(fname, '/');
-    if (q == NULL)
-	q = fname;
-    else
-	q++;
-    gctl_ro_param(grq, "geom", -1, q);
+    gctl_ro_param(grq, "geom", -1, pname);
     gctl_ro_param(grq, "data", mbr_size, mbr);
-    q = gctl_issue(grq);
-    if (q == NULL)
+    errmsg = gctl_issue(grq);
+    if (errmsg == NULL) {
+    	free(pname);
 	return;
-
-    warnx("%s: %s", fname, q);
+    }
+    warnx("%s: %s", fname, pname);
+    free(pname);
     gctl_free(grq);
 
 #ifdef DIOCSMBR
@@ -422,26 +432,6 @@ stropt(const char *arg, int *xa, int *xo)
 }
 
 /*
- * Produce a device path for a "canonical" name, where appropriate.
- */
-static char *
-mkrdev(const char *fname)
-{
-    char buf[MAXPATHLEN];
-    char *s;
-
-    if (!strchr(fname, '/')) {
-	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s%s", _PATH_DEV, fname);
-        s = strdup(buf);
-    } else
-        s = strdup(fname);
-
-    if (s == NULL)
-        errx(1, "No more memory");
-    return s;
-}
-
-/*
  * Convert and check an option argument.
  */
 static int