diff --git a/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c b/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
index 2a68fe66f8b2..b202740825e9 100644
--- a/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
+++ b/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
@@ -1107,6 +1107,11 @@ zpool_do_create(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* Make new pools default to partition=raw */
+	if (add_prop_list_default(zpool_prop_to_name(ZPOOL_PROP_PARTITION),
+	    "raw", &props, B_TRUE))
+		goto errout;
+
 	argc -= optind;
 	argv += optind;
 
diff --git a/cmd/zpool/zpool_vdev.c b/cmd/zpool/zpool_vdev.c
index b0b6396844c2..39a5aeec63c8 100644
--- a/cmd/zpool/zpool_vdev.c
+++ b/cmd/zpool/zpool_vdev.c
@@ -1188,7 +1188,7 @@ zero_label(char *path)
  * need to get the devid after we label the disk.
  */
 static int
-make_disks(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *nv)
+make_disks(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *props, nvlist_t *nv)
 {
 	nvlist_t **child;
 	uint_t c, children;
@@ -1196,6 +1196,7 @@ make_disks(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *nv)
 	char devpath[MAXPATHLEN];
 	char udevpath[MAXPATHLEN];
 	uint64_t wholedisk;
+	uint64_t part = ZPOOL_PARTITION_LEGACY;
 	struct stat64 statbuf;
 	int is_exclusive = 0;
 	int fd;
@@ -1203,6 +1204,23 @@ make_disks(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *nv)
 
 	verify(nvlist_lookup_string(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_TYPE, &type) == 0);
 
+	/*
+	 * Find out the partition type. If zhp exists, this is an existing
+	 * pool, get it from pool property. Otherwise, this is pool creation,
+	 * get it from cmdline from props.
+	 */
+	if (zhp)
+		part = zpool_get_prop_int(zhp, ZPOOL_PROP_PARTITION, NULL);
+	else if (props) {
+		char *strval;
+		uint64_t index;
+		if (nvlist_lookup_string(props,
+		    zpool_prop_to_name(ZPOOL_PROP_PARTITION), &strval) == 0 &&
+		    zpool_prop_string_to_index(ZPOOL_PROP_PARTITION, strval,
+		    &index) == 0)
+			part = index;
+	}
+
 	if (nvlist_lookup_nvlist_array(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_CHILDREN,
 	    &child, &children) != 0) {
 
@@ -1210,7 +1228,7 @@ make_disks(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *nv)
 			return (0);
 
 		/*
-		 * We have a disk device.  If this is a whole disk write
+		 * We have a disk device.  If this is a legacy whole disk write
 		 * out the efi partition table, otherwise write zero's to
 		 * the first 4k of the partition.  This is to ensure that
 		 * libblkid will not misidentify the partition due to a
@@ -1220,14 +1238,15 @@ make_disks(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *nv)
 		verify(!nvlist_lookup_uint64(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_WHOLE_DISK,
 		    &wholedisk));
 
-		if (!wholedisk) {
+		if (!wholedisk || part == ZPOOL_PARTITION_RAW) {
 			/*
 			 * Update device id string for mpath nodes (Linux only)
 			 */
-			if (is_mpath_whole_disk(path))
+			if (wholedisk || is_mpath_whole_disk(path))
 				update_vdev_config_dev_strs(nv);
 
-			(void) zero_label(path);
+			if (!is_spare(NULL, path))
+				(void) zero_label(path);
 			return (0);
 		}
 
@@ -1318,19 +1337,19 @@ make_disks(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *nv)
 	}
 
 	for (c = 0; c < children; c++)
-		if ((ret = make_disks(zhp, child[c])) != 0)
+		if ((ret = make_disks(zhp, props, child[c])) != 0)
 			return (ret);
 
 	if (nvlist_lookup_nvlist_array(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_SPARES,
 	    &child, &children) == 0)
 		for (c = 0; c < children; c++)
-			if ((ret = make_disks(zhp, child[c])) != 0)
+			if ((ret = make_disks(zhp, props, child[c])) != 0)
 				return (ret);
 
 	if (nvlist_lookup_nvlist_array(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_L2CACHE,
 	    &child, &children) == 0)
 		for (c = 0; c < children; c++)
-			if ((ret = make_disks(zhp, child[c])) != 0)
+			if ((ret = make_disks(zhp, props, child[c])) != 0)
 				return (ret);
 
 	return (0);
@@ -1341,8 +1360,8 @@ make_disks(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *nv)
  * the majority of this task.
  */
 static boolean_t
-is_device_in_use(nvlist_t *config, nvlist_t *nv, boolean_t force,
-    boolean_t replacing, boolean_t isspare)
+is_device_in_use(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *config, nvlist_t *nv,
+    boolean_t force, boolean_t replacing, boolean_t isspare)
 {
 	nvlist_t **child;
 	uint_t c, children;
@@ -1368,8 +1387,13 @@ is_device_in_use(nvlist_t *config, nvlist_t *nv, boolean_t force,
 		 * regardless of what libblkid or zpool_in_use() says.
 		 */
 		if (replacing) {
+			uint64_t part = ZPOOL_PARTITION_LEGACY;
+			if (zhp)
+				part = zpool_get_prop_int(zhp,
+				    ZPOOL_PROP_PARTITION, NULL);
+
 			(void) strlcpy(buf, path, sizeof (buf));
-			if (wholedisk) {
+			if (wholedisk && part == ZPOOL_PARTITION_LEGACY) {
 				ret = zfs_append_partition(buf,  sizeof (buf));
 				if (ret == -1)
 					return (-1);
@@ -1389,22 +1413,22 @@ is_device_in_use(nvlist_t *config, nvlist_t *nv, boolean_t force,
 	}
 
 	for (c = 0; c < children; c++)
-		if (is_device_in_use(config, child[c], force, replacing,
+		if (is_device_in_use(zhp, config, child[c], force, replacing,
 		    B_FALSE))
 			anyinuse = B_TRUE;
 
 	if (nvlist_lookup_nvlist_array(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_SPARES,
 	    &child, &children) == 0)
 		for (c = 0; c < children; c++)
-			if (is_device_in_use(config, child[c], force, replacing,
-			    B_TRUE))
+			if (is_device_in_use(zhp, config, child[c], force,
+			    replacing, B_TRUE))
 				anyinuse = B_TRUE;
 
 	if (nvlist_lookup_nvlist_array(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_L2CACHE,
 	    &child, &children) == 0)
 		for (c = 0; c < children; c++)
-			if (is_device_in_use(config, child[c], force, replacing,
-			    B_FALSE))
+			if (is_device_in_use(zhp, config, child[c], force,
+			    replacing, B_FALSE))
 				anyinuse = B_TRUE;
 
 	return (anyinuse);
@@ -1705,7 +1729,7 @@ split_mirror_vdev(zpool_handle_t *zhp, char *newname, nvlist_t *props,
 			return (NULL);
 		}
 
-		if (!flags.dryrun && make_disks(zhp, newroot) != 0) {
+		if (!flags.dryrun && make_disks(zhp, props, newroot) != 0) {
 			nvlist_free(newroot);
 			return (NULL);
 		}
@@ -1774,7 +1798,8 @@ make_root_vdev(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *props, int force, int check_rep,
 	 * uses (such as a dedicated dump device) that even '-f' cannot
 	 * override.
 	 */
-	if (is_device_in_use(poolconfig, newroot, force, replacing, B_FALSE)) {
+	if (is_device_in_use(zhp, poolconfig, newroot, force, replacing,
+	    B_FALSE)) {
 		nvlist_free(newroot);
 		return (NULL);
 	}
@@ -1792,7 +1817,7 @@ make_root_vdev(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *props, int force, int check_rep,
 	/*
 	 * Run through the vdev specification and label any whole disks found.
 	 */
-	if (!dryrun && make_disks(zhp, newroot) != 0) {
+	if (!dryrun && make_disks(zhp, props, newroot) != 0) {
 		nvlist_free(newroot);
 		return (NULL);
 	}
diff --git a/include/sys/fs/zfs.h b/include/sys/fs/zfs.h
index 7414eee5a260..dd2031a9d617 100644
--- a/include/sys/fs/zfs.h
+++ b/include/sys/fs/zfs.h
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ typedef enum {
 	ZPOOL_PROP_MAXBLOCKSIZE,
 	ZPOOL_PROP_TNAME,
 	ZPOOL_PROP_MAXDNODESIZE,
+	ZPOOL_PROP_PARTITION,
 	ZPOOL_NUM_PROPS
 } zpool_prop_t;
 
@@ -819,6 +820,11 @@ typedef enum zpool_errata {
 	ZPOOL_ERRATA_ZOL_2094_ASYNC_DESTROY,
 } zpool_errata_t;
 
+enum zpool_part {
+	ZPOOL_PARTITION_LEGACY = 0,
+	ZPOOL_PARTITION_RAW,
+};
+
 /*
  * Vdev statistics.  Note: all fields should be 64-bit because this
  * is passed between kernel and userland as an nvlist uint64 array.
diff --git a/lib/libzfs/libzfs_pool.c b/lib/libzfs/libzfs_pool.c
index f36c65fda955..cf48eead0598 100644
--- a/lib/libzfs/libzfs_pool.c
+++ b/lib/libzfs/libzfs_pool.c
@@ -1949,8 +1949,8 @@ zpool_scan(zpool_handle_t *zhp, pool_scan_func_t func)
  * spare; but FALSE if its an INUSE spare.
  */
 static nvlist_t *
-vdev_to_nvlist_iter(nvlist_t *nv, nvlist_t *search, boolean_t *avail_spare,
-    boolean_t *l2cache, boolean_t *log)
+vdev_to_nvlist_iter(zpool_handle_t *zhp, nvlist_t *nv, nvlist_t *search,
+    boolean_t *avail_spare, boolean_t *l2cache, boolean_t *log)
 {
 	uint_t c, children;
 	nvlist_t **child;
@@ -1989,8 +1989,8 @@ vdev_to_nvlist_iter(nvlist_t *nv, nvlist_t *search, boolean_t *avail_spare,
 		/*
 		 * Search for the requested value. Special cases:
 		 *
-		 * - ZPOOL_CONFIG_PATH for whole disk entries.  These end in
-		 *   "-part1", or "p1".  The suffix is hidden from the user,
+		 * - ZPOOL_CONFIG_PATH for legacy whole disk entries.  These end
+		 *   in "-part1", or "p1".  The suffix is hidden from the user,
 		 *   but included in the string, so this matches around it.
 		 * - ZPOOL_CONFIG_PATH for short names zfs_strcmp_shortname()
 		 *   is used to check all possible expanded paths.
@@ -2000,10 +2000,17 @@ vdev_to_nvlist_iter(nvlist_t *nv, nvlist_t *search, boolean_t *avail_spare,
 		 */
 		if (strcmp(srchkey, ZPOOL_CONFIG_PATH) == 0) {
 			uint64_t wholedisk = 0;
+			uint64_t part = ZPOOL_PARTITION_LEGACY;
+			boolean_t append;
 
+			if (zhp)
+				part = zpool_get_prop_int(zhp,
+				    ZPOOL_PROP_PARTITION, NULL);
 			(void) nvlist_lookup_uint64(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_WHOLE_DISK,
 			    &wholedisk);
-			if (zfs_strcmp_pathname(srchval, val, wholedisk) == 0)
+
+			append = wholedisk && (part == ZPOOL_PARTITION_LEGACY);
+			if (zfs_strcmp_pathname(srchval, val, append) == 0)
 				return (nv);
 
 		} else if (strcmp(srchkey, ZPOOL_CONFIG_TYPE) == 0 && val) {
@@ -2071,7 +2078,7 @@ vdev_to_nvlist_iter(nvlist_t *nv, nvlist_t *search, boolean_t *avail_spare,
 		return (NULL);
 
 	for (c = 0; c < children; c++) {
-		if ((ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(child[c], search,
+		if ((ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(zhp, child[c], search,
 		    avail_spare, l2cache, NULL)) != NULL) {
 			/*
 			 * The 'is_log' value is only set for the toplevel
@@ -2092,7 +2099,7 @@ vdev_to_nvlist_iter(nvlist_t *nv, nvlist_t *search, boolean_t *avail_spare,
 	if (nvlist_lookup_nvlist_array(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_SPARES,
 	    &child, &children) == 0) {
 		for (c = 0; c < children; c++) {
-			if ((ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(child[c], search,
+			if ((ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(zhp, child[c], search,
 			    avail_spare, l2cache, NULL)) != NULL) {
 				*avail_spare = B_TRUE;
 				return (ret);
@@ -2103,7 +2110,7 @@ vdev_to_nvlist_iter(nvlist_t *nv, nvlist_t *search, boolean_t *avail_spare,
 	if (nvlist_lookup_nvlist_array(nv, ZPOOL_CONFIG_L2CACHE,
 	    &child, &children) == 0) {
 		for (c = 0; c < children; c++) {
-			if ((ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(child[c], search,
+			if ((ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(zhp, child[c], search,
 			    avail_spare, l2cache, NULL)) != NULL) {
 				*l2cache = B_TRUE;
 				return (ret);
@@ -2134,7 +2141,8 @@ zpool_find_vdev_by_physpath(zpool_handle_t *zhp, const char *ppath,
 	*l2cache = B_FALSE;
 	if (log != NULL)
 		*log = B_FALSE;
-	ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(nvroot, search, avail_spare, l2cache, log);
+	ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(zhp, nvroot, search, avail_spare, l2cache,
+	    log);
 	nvlist_free(search);
 
 	return (ret);
@@ -2178,7 +2186,8 @@ zpool_find_vdev(zpool_handle_t *zhp, const char *path, boolean_t *avail_spare,
 	*l2cache = B_FALSE;
 	if (log != NULL)
 		*log = B_FALSE;
-	ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(nvroot, search, avail_spare, l2cache, log);
+	ret = vdev_to_nvlist_iter(zhp, nvroot, search, avail_spare, l2cache,
+	    log);
 	nvlist_free(search);
 
 	return (ret);
diff --git a/lib/libzfs/libzfs_util.c b/lib/libzfs/libzfs_util.c
index 1fb7b5ee50e5..81ef62b37822 100644
--- a/lib/libzfs/libzfs_util.c
+++ b/lib/libzfs/libzfs_util.c
@@ -1203,10 +1203,10 @@ zfs_resolve_shortname(const char *name, char *path, size_t len)
  * is done by checking all prefix expansions using either the default
  * 'zpool_default_import_paths' or the ZPOOL_IMPORT_PATH environment
  * variable.  Proper partition suffixes will be appended if this is a
- * whole disk.  When a match is found 0 is returned otherwise ENOENT.
+ * legacy whole disk.  When a match is found 0 is returned otherwise ENOENT.
  */
 static int
-zfs_strcmp_shortname(char *name, char *cmp_name, int wholedisk)
+zfs_strcmp_shortname(char *name, char *cmp_name, int append)
 {
 	int path_len, cmp_len, i = 0, error = ENOENT;
 	char *dir, *env, *envdup = NULL;
@@ -1228,7 +1228,7 @@ zfs_strcmp_shortname(char *name, char *cmp_name, int wholedisk)
 			dir[strlen(dir)-1] = '\0';
 
 		path_len = snprintf(path_name, MAXPATHLEN, "%s/%s", dir, name);
-		if (wholedisk)
+		if (append)
 			path_len = zfs_append_partition(path_name, MAXPATHLEN);
 
 		if ((path_len == cmp_len) && strcmp(path_name, cmp_name) == 0) {
@@ -1257,7 +1257,7 @@ zfs_strcmp_shortname(char *name, char *cmp_name, int wholedisk)
  * purposes and redundant slashes stripped to ensure an accurate match.
  */
 int
-zfs_strcmp_pathname(char *name, char *cmp, int wholedisk)
+zfs_strcmp_pathname(char *name, char *cmp, int append)
 {
 	int path_len, cmp_len;
 	char path_name[MAXPATHLEN];
@@ -1276,13 +1276,13 @@ zfs_strcmp_pathname(char *name, char *cmp, int wholedisk)
 	free(dup);
 
 	if (name[0] != '/')
-		return (zfs_strcmp_shortname(name, cmp_name, wholedisk));
+		return (zfs_strcmp_shortname(name, cmp_name, append));
 
 	(void) strlcpy(path_name, name, MAXPATHLEN);
 	path_len = strlen(path_name);
 	cmp_len = strlen(cmp_name);
 
-	if (wholedisk) {
+	if (append) {
 		path_len = zfs_append_partition(path_name, MAXPATHLEN);
 		if (path_len == -1)
 			return (ENOMEM);
diff --git a/module/zcommon/zpool_prop.c b/module/zcommon/zpool_prop.c
index 77b4d62ffde2..cc0f146af679 100644
--- a/module/zcommon/zpool_prop.c
+++ b/module/zcommon/zpool_prop.c
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ zpool_prop_init(void)
 		{ NULL }
 	};
 
+	static zprop_index_t part_table[] = {
+		{ "legacy",	ZPOOL_PARTITION_LEGACY },
+		{ "raw",	ZPOOL_PARTITION_RAW },
+		{ NULL }
+	};
+
 	/* string properties */
 	zprop_register_string(ZPOOL_PROP_ALTROOT, "altroot", NULL, PROP_DEFAULT,
 	    ZFS_TYPE_POOL, "<path>", "ALTROOT");
@@ -125,6 +131,10 @@ zpool_prop_init(void)
 	zprop_register_index(ZPOOL_PROP_FAILUREMODE, "failmode",
 	    ZIO_FAILURE_MODE_WAIT, PROP_DEFAULT, ZFS_TYPE_POOL,
 	    "wait | continue | panic", "FAILMODE", failuremode_table);
+	zprop_register_index(ZPOOL_PROP_PARTITION, "partition",
+	    ZPOOL_PARTITION_LEGACY, PROP_ONETIME, ZFS_TYPE_POOL,
+	    "legacy | raw", "PART", part_table);
+
 
 	/* hidden properties */
 	zprop_register_hidden(ZPOOL_PROP_NAME, "name", PROP_TYPE_STRING,