diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/system/sysctl.py b/lib/ansible/modules/system/sysctl.py
index e3468d2a80..7d89cbd21d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/system/sysctl.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/system/sysctl.py
@@ -250,8 +250,17 @@ class SysctlModule(object):
         if self.platform == 'openbsd':
             # openbsd doesn't accept -w, but since it's not needed, just drop it
             thiscmd = "%s %s=%s" % (self.sysctl_cmd, token, value)
+        elif self.platform == 'freebsd':
+            ignore_missing = ''
+            if self.args['ignoreerrors']:
+                ignore_missing = '-i'
+            # freebsd doesn't accept -w, but since it's not needed, just drop it
+            thiscmd = "%s %s %s=%s" % (self.sysctl_cmd, ignore_missing, token, value)
         else:
-            thiscmd = "%s -w %s=%s" % (self.sysctl_cmd, token, value)
+            ignore_missing = ''
+            if self.args['ignoreerrors']:
+                ignore_missing = '-e'
+            thiscmd = "%s %s -w %s=%s" % (self.sysctl_cmd, ignore_missing, token, value)
         rc,out,err = self.module.run_command(thiscmd)
         if rc != 0:
             self.module.fail_json(msg='setting %s failed: %s' % (token, out + err))