diff --git a/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/src/linux_firmware.c b/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/src/linux_firmware.c
--- a/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/src/linux_firmware.c
+++ b/sys/compat/linuxkpi/common/src/linux_firmware.c
@@ -94,11 +94,11 @@
 		fwimg++;
 	if (fwimg == NULL || *fwimg == '\0')
 		fwimg = fw_name;
-	fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fwimg, flags);
+	fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fw_name, fwimg, flags);
 	/* (2) Try the original name if we have not yet. */
 	if (fbdfw == NULL && fwimg != fw_name) {
 		fwimg = fw_name;
-		fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fwimg, flags);
+		fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fw_name, fwimg, flags);
 	}
 	/* (3) Flatten '/', '.' and '-' to '_' and try with adjusted name. */
 	if (fbdfw == NULL &&
@@ -108,16 +108,16 @@
 		if (fwimg != NULL) {
 			while ((p = strchr(fwimg, '/')) != NULL)
 				*p = '_';
-			fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fwimg, flags);
+			fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fw_name, fwimg, flags);
 			if (fbdfw == NULL) {
 				while ((p = strchr(fwimg, '.')) != NULL)
 					*p = '_';
-				fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fwimg, flags);
+				fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fw_name, fwimg, flags);
 			}
 			if (fbdfw == NULL) {
 				while ((p = strchr(fwimg, '-')) != NULL)
 					*p = '_';
-				fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fwimg, flags);
+				fbdfw = firmware_get_flags(fw_name, fwimg, flags);
 			}
 			free(__DECONST(void *, fwimg), M_LKPI_FW);
 		}
diff --git a/sys/kern/subr_firmware.c b/sys/kern/subr_firmware.c
--- a/sys/kern/subr_firmware.c
+++ b/sys/kern/subr_firmware.c
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@
 }
 
 struct fw_loadimage {
+	const char	*fwname;
 	const char	*imagename;
 	uint32_t	flags;
 };
@@ -259,7 +260,7 @@
 	}
 
 	mtx_lock(&firmware_mtx);
-	fp = lookup(fwli->imagename);
+	fp = lookup(fwli->fwname);
 	if (fp == NULL || fp->file != NULL) {
 		mtx_unlock(&firmware_mtx);
 		if (fp == NULL)
@@ -283,14 +284,24 @@
  * release this reference for the image to be eligible for removal/unload.
  */
 const struct firmware *
-firmware_get_flags(const char *imagename, uint32_t flags)
+firmware_get_flags(const char *fwname, const char *imagename, uint32_t flags)
 {
 	struct task fwload_task;
 	struct thread *td;
 	struct priv_fw *fp;
+	linker_file_t result;
+	int error = 0;
+
+	error = linker_reference_module(imagename, NULL, &result);
+	if (error != 0) {
+		if (bootverbose || (flags & FIRMWARE_GET_NOWARN) == 0)
+			printf("%s: could not load firmware image, error %d\n",
+			    imagename, error);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	mtx_lock(&firmware_mtx);
-	fp = lookup(imagename);
+	fp = lookup(fwname);
 	if (fp != NULL)
 		goto found;
 	/*
@@ -312,6 +323,7 @@
 	if (!cold) {
 		struct fw_loadimage fwli;
 
+		fwli.fwname = fwname;
 		fwli.imagename = imagename;
 		fwli.flags = flags;
 		TASK_INIT(&fwload_task, 0, loadimage, (void *)&fwli);
@@ -323,7 +335,7 @@
 	/*
 	 * After attempting to load the module, see if the image is registered.
 	 */
-	fp = lookup(imagename);
+	fp = lookup(fwname);
 	if (fp == NULL) {
 		mtx_unlock(&firmware_mtx);
 		return NULL;
@@ -340,7 +352,7 @@
 firmware_get(const char *imagename)
 {
 
-	return (firmware_get_flags(imagename, 0));
+	return (firmware_get_flags(imagename, imagename, 0));
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/sys/sys/firmware.h b/sys/sys/firmware.h
--- a/sys/sys/firmware.h
+++ b/sys/sys/firmware.h
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@
 int	 firmware_unregister(const char *);
 
 #define	FIRMWARE_GET_NOWARN	0x0001	/* Do not warn if firmware not found. */
-const struct firmware *firmware_get_flags(const char *, uint32_t flags);
+const struct firmware *firmware_get_flags(const char *,
+		const char *, uint32_t flags);
 const struct firmware *firmware_get(const char *);
 
 #define	FIRMWARE_UNLOAD		0x0001	/* unload if unreferenced */