diff --git a/cmd/zgenhostid/zgenhostid.c b/cmd/zgenhostid/zgenhostid.c
index 562262928c77..50fcf05e420c 100644
--- a/cmd/zgenhostid/zgenhostid.c
+++ b/cmd/zgenhostid/zgenhostid.c
@@ -47,10 +47,10 @@ usage(void)
 	    "  -h\t\t print this usage and exit\n"
 	    "  -o <filename>\t write hostid to this file\n\n"
 	    "If hostid file is not present, store a hostid in it.\n"
-	    "The optional value must be an 8-digit hex number between"
-	    "1 and 2^32-1.\n"
-	    "If no value is provided, a random one will"
-	    "be generated.\n"
+	    "The optional value should be an 8-digit hex number between"
+	    " 1 and 2^32-1.\n"
+	    "If the value is 0 or no value is provided, a random one"
+	    " will be generated.\n"
 	    "The value must be unique among your systems.\n");
 	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	/* NOTREACHED */
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 		}
 
-		if (input_i < 0x1 || input_i > UINT32_MAX) {
+		if (input_i > UINT32_MAX) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", strerror(ERANGE));
 			usage();
 		}
diff --git a/contrib/dracut/90zfs/module-setup.sh.in b/contrib/dracut/90zfs/module-setup.sh.in
index db5670cd5253..42afda60278c 100755
--- a/contrib/dracut/90zfs/module-setup.sh.in
+++ b/contrib/dracut/90zfs/module-setup.sh.in
@@ -85,7 +85,13 @@ install() {
 	fi
 
 	# Synchronize initramfs and system hostid
-	zgenhostid -o "${initdir}/etc/hostid" "$(hostid)"
+	if [ -f @sysconfdir@/hostid ]; then
+		inst @sysconfdir@/hostid
+		type mark_hostonly >/dev/null 2>&1 && mark_hostonly @sysconfdir@/hostid
+	elif HOSTID="$(hostid 2>/dev/null)" && [ "${HOSTID}" != "00000000" ]; then
+		zgenhostid -o "${initdir}@sysconfdir@/hostid" "${HOSTID}"
+		type mark_hostonly >/dev/null 2>&1 && mark_hostonly @sysconfdir@/hostid
+	fi
 
 	if dracut_module_included "systemd"; then
 		mkdir -p "${initdir}/$systemdsystemunitdir/zfs-import.target.wants"
diff --git a/man/man8/zgenhostid.8 b/man/man8/zgenhostid.8
index ff198443dd2a..14264cb8cdc3 100644
--- a/man/man8/zgenhostid.8
+++ b/man/man8/zgenhostid.8
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ instead of default
 .It Ar hostid
 Specifies the value to be placed in
 .Pa /etc/hostid .
-It must be a number with a value between 1 and 2^32-1.
+It should be a number with a value between 1 and 2^32-1.
+If it is 0, zgenhostid will generate a random hostid.
 This value
 .Sy must
 be unique among your systems.