diff --git a/usr.sbin/powerd/powerd.c b/usr.sbin/powerd/powerd.c
index 13f515dc5e79..555218c831b8 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/powerd/powerd.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/powerd/powerd.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 
 #include <err.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -167,8 +168,10 @@ static int
 set_freq(int freq)
 {
 
-	if (sysctl(freq_mib, 4, NULL, NULL, &freq, sizeof(freq)))
-		return (-1);
+	if (sysctl(freq_mib, 4, NULL, NULL, &freq, sizeof(freq))) {
+		if (errno != EPERM)
+			return (-1);
+	}
 
 	return (0);
 }