diff --git a/etc/init.d/zfs-import.in b/etc/init.d/zfs-import.in
index 5e2192963..22586389a 100755
--- a/etc/init.d/zfs-import.in
+++ b/etc/init.d/zfs-import.in
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 #!@SHELL@
 #
-# zfs-import    This script will import/export zfs pools.
+# zfs-import    This script will import ZFS pools
 #
 # chkconfig:    2345 01 99
-# description:  This script will import/export zfs pools during system
-#               boot/shutdown.
-#               It is also responsible for all userspace zfs services.
+# description:  This script will perform a verbatim import of ZFS pools
+#               during system boot.
 # probe: true
 #
 ### BEGIN INIT INFO
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@
 # X-Start-Before:    checkfs
 # X-Stop-After:      zfs-mount
 # Short-Description: Import ZFS pools
-# Description: Run the `zpool import` or `zpool export` commands.
+# Description: Run the `zpool import` command.
 ### END INIT INFO
 #
 # NOTE: Not having '$local_fs' on Required-Start but only on Required-Stop
@@ -43,6 +42,16 @@ do_depend()
 	keyword -lxc -openvz -prefix -vserver
 }
 
+# Use the zpool cache file to import pools
+do_verbatim_import()
+{
+	if [ -f "$ZPOOL_CACHE" ]
+	then
+		zfs_action "Importing ZFS pool(s)" \
+			"$ZPOOL" import -c "$ZPOOL_CACHE" -N -a
+	fi
+}
+
 # Support function to get a list of all pools, separated with ';'
 find_pools()
 {
@@ -60,8 +69,8 @@ find_pools()
 	echo "${pools%%;}" # Return without the last ';'.
 }
 
-# Import all pools
-do_import()
+# Find and import all visible pools, even exported ones
+do_import_all_visible()
 {
 	local already_imported available_pools pool npools
 	local exception dir ZPOOL_IMPORT_PATH RET=0 r=1
@@ -109,7 +118,7 @@ do_import()
 		fi
 	fi
 
-        # Filter out any exceptions...
+	# Filter out any exceptions...
 	if [ -n "$ZFS_POOL_EXCEPTIONS" ]
 	then
 		local found=""
@@ -249,41 +258,15 @@ do_import()
 	return "$RET"
 }
 
-# Export all pools
-do_export()
+do_import()
 {
-	local already_imported pool root_pool RET r
-	RET=0
-
-	root_pool=$(get_root_pool)
-
-	[ -n "$init" ] && zfs_log_begin_msg "Exporting ZFS pool(s)"
-
-	# Find list of already imported pools.
-	already_imported=$(find_pools "$ZPOOL" list -H -oname)
-
-	OLD_IFS="$IFS" ; IFS=";"
-	for pool in $already_imported; do
-		[ "$pool" = "$root_pool" ] && continue
-
-		if [ -z "$init" ]
-		then
-			# Interactive - one 'Importing ...' line per pool
-			zfs_log_begin_msg "Exporting ZFS pool $pool"
-		else
-			# Not interactive - a dot for each pool.
-			zfs_log_progress_msg "."
-		fi
-
-		"$ZPOOL" export "$pool"
-		r="$?" ; RET=$((RET + r))
-		[ -z "$init" ] && zfs_log_end_msg "$r"
-	done
-	IFS="$OLD_IFS"
-
-	[ -n "$init" ] && zfs_log_end_msg "$RET"
-
-	return "$RET"
+	if check_boolean "$ZPOOL_IMPORT_ALL_VISIBLE"
+	then
+		do_import_all_visible
+	else
+		# This is the default option
+		do_verbatim_import
+	fi
 }
 
 # Output the status and list of pools
@@ -323,14 +306,6 @@ do_start()
 	fi
 }
 
-do_stop()
-{
-	# Check to see if the module is even loaded.
-	check_module_loaded "zfs" || exit 0
-
-	do_export
-}
-
 # ----------------------------------------------------
 
 if [ ! -e /etc/gentoo-release ]
@@ -340,7 +315,7 @@ then
 			do_start
 			;;
 		stop)
-			do_stop
+			# no-op
 			;;
 		status)
 			do_status
@@ -350,7 +325,7 @@ then
 			;;
 		*)
 			[ -n "$1" ] && echo "Error: Unknown command $1."
-			echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|status}"
+			echo "Usage: $0 {start|status}"
 			exit 3
 			;;
 	esac
@@ -360,6 +335,5 @@ else
 	# Create wrapper functions since Gentoo don't use the case part.
 	depend() { do_depend; }
 	start() { do_start; }
-	stop() { do_stop; }
 	status() { do_status; }
 fi
diff --git a/etc/init.d/zfs.in b/etc/init.d/zfs.in
index eabb7e467..d81ef22c8 100644
--- a/etc/init.d/zfs.in
+++ b/etc/init.d/zfs.in
@@ -16,6 +16,24 @@ ZFS_SHARE='yes'
 # Run `zfs unshare -a` during system stop?
 ZFS_UNSHARE='yes'
 
+# By default, a verbatim import of all pools is performed at boot based on the
+# contents of the default zpool cache file.  The contents of the cache are
+# managed automatically by the 'zpool import' and 'zpool export' commands.
+#
+# By setting this to 'yes', the system will instead search all devices for
+# pools and attempt to import them all at boot, even those that have been
+# exported.  Under this mode, the search path can be controlled by the
+# ZPOOL_IMPORT_PATH variable and a list of pools that should not be imported
+# can be listed in the ZFS_POOL_EXCEPTIONS variable.
+#
+# Note that importing all visible pools may include pools that you don't
+# expect, such as those on removable devices and SANs, and those pools may
+# proceed to mount themselves in places you do not want them to.  The results
+# can be unpredictable and possibly dangerous.  Only enable this option if you
+# understand this risk and have complete physical control over your system and
+# SAN to prevent the insertion of malicious pools.
+ZPOOL_IMPORT_ALL_VISIBLE='no'
+
 # Specify specific path(s) to look for device nodes and/or links for the
 # pool import(s). See zpool(8) for more information about this variable.
 # It supersedes the old USE_DISK_BY_ID which indicated that it would only
@@ -23,6 +41,18 @@ ZFS_UNSHARE='yes'
 # The old variable will still work in the code, but is deprecated.
 #ZPOOL_IMPORT_PATH="/dev/disk/by-vdev:/dev/disk/by-id"
 
+# List of pools that should NOT be imported at boot
+# when ZPOOL_IMPORT_ALL_VISIBLE is 'yes'.
+# This is a space separated list.
+#ZFS_POOL_EXCEPTIONS="test2"
+
+# List of pools that SHOULD be imported at boot by the initramfs
+# instead of trying to import all available pools.  If this is set
+# then ZFS_POOL_EXCEPTIONS is ignored.
+# Only applicable for Debian GNU/Linux {dkms,initramfs}.
+# This is a semi-colon separated list.
+#ZFS_POOL_IMPORT="pool1;pool2"
+
 # Should the datasets be mounted verbosely?
 # A mount counter will be used when mounting if set to 'yes'.
 VERBOSE_MOUNT='no'
@@ -97,17 +127,6 @@ ZFS_INITRD_POST_MODPROBE_SLEEP='0'
 # Example: If root FS is 'rpool/ROOT/rootfs', this would make sense.
 #ZFS_INITRD_ADDITIONAL_DATASETS="rpool/ROOT/usr rpool/ROOT/var"
 
-# List of pools that should NOT be imported at boot?
-# This is a space separated list.
-#ZFS_POOL_EXCEPTIONS="test2"
-
-# List of pools to import?
-# If this variable is set, there will be NO auto-import of ANY other
-# pool. In essence, there will be no auto detection of availible pools.
-# This is a semi-colon separated list.
-# Makes the variable ZFS_POOL_EXCEPTIONS above redundant (won't be checked).
-#ZFS_POOL_IMPORT="pool1;pool2"
-
 # Optional arguments for the ZFS Event Daemon (ZED).
 # See zed(8) for more information on available options.
 #ZED_ARGS="-M"