diff --git a/tests/vm/freebsd b/tests/vm/freebsd
index b581bd17fb..1247f40a38 100755
--- a/tests/vm/freebsd
+++ b/tests/vm/freebsd
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ class FreeBSDVM(basevm.BaseVM):
         prompt = "root@freebsd:~ #"
         self.console_ssh_init(prompt, "root", self._config["root_pass"])
         self.console_sshd_config(prompt)
+        self.console_wait_send(prompt, "service sshd reload\n")
 
         # setup virtio-blk #1 (tarfile)
         self.console_wait(prompt)