diff --git a/stand/common/dev_net.c b/stand/common/dev_net.c
index aecb5bcde81c..3c13ad99ec5a 100644
--- a/stand/common/dev_net.c
+++ b/stand/common/dev_net.c
@@ -176,21 +176,42 @@ net_open(struct open_file *f, ...)
 int
 net_configure(struct devdesc *dev)
 {
-	int error, sock;
+	int error;
 
-	sock = netif_open(dev);
-	if (sock < 0)
+	if (netdev_sock >= 0)
+		return (0);
+
+	netdev_sock = netif_open(dev);
+	if (netdev_sock < 0)
 		return (ENXIO);
 
 	error = 0;
 	if (rootip.s_addr == 0)
-		error = net_getparams(sock);
+		error = net_getparams(netdev_sock);
 	if (error == 0)
-		net_setparams(sock);
-	netif_close(sock);
+		net_setparams(netdev_sock);
+	if (error != 0) {
+		netif_close(netdev_sock);
+		netdev_sock = -1;
+		return (error);
+	}
+
+	netdev_name = strdup(dev->d_dev->dv_name);
+	if (netdev_name == NULL) {
+		netif_close(netdev_sock);
+		netdev_sock = -1;
+		return (ENOMEM);
+	}
 	return (error);
 }
 
+void
+net_deconfigure(void)
+{
+
+	net_cleanup();
+}
+
 static int
 net_close(struct open_file *f)
 {
diff --git a/stand/common/dev_net.h b/stand/common/dev_net.h
index 5cf6652c96af..a216f745e219 100644
--- a/stand/common/dev_net.h
+++ b/stand/common/dev_net.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 extern struct devsw netdev;
 
 int net_configure(struct devdesc *);
+void net_deconfigure(void);
 uint32_t net_parse_rootpath(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/stand/efi/loader/memdisk.c b/stand/efi/loader/memdisk.c
index 8990f9393e85..6a4fb5b31f45 100644
--- a/stand/efi/loader/memdisk.c
+++ b/stand/efi/loader/memdisk.c
@@ -245,6 +245,8 @@ maybe_download_initmd(void)
 	if (url == NULL || *url == '\0')
 		return;
 
+	/* Release SNP so the firmware network stack can fetch the image. */
+	net_deconfigure();
 	printf("Downloading initmd from %s\n", url);
 	error = download_md_image(url);
 	if (error != 0 && error != ECANCELED)