diff --git a/etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-cache.service.in b/etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-cache.service.in
index 308ced69decb..23c725d71315 100644
--- a/etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-cache.service.in
+++ b/etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-cache.service.in
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ ConditionPathExists=@sysconfdir@/zfs/zpool.cache
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot
 RemainAfterExit=yes
-ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe zfs
+ExecStartPre=-/sbin/modprobe zfs
 ExecStart=@sbindir@/zpool import -c @sysconfdir@/zfs/zpool.cache -aN
 ExecStartPost=/bin/bash -c "/bin/systemctl set-environment BOOTFS=$(@sbindir@/zpool list -H -o bootfs | /bin/awk '$1 != \"-\" {print; exit}')"
 
diff --git a/etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-scan.service.in b/etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-scan.service.in
index 09eef175ea72..851d96cbc978 100644
--- a/etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-scan.service.in
+++ b/etc/systemd/system/zfs-import-scan.service.in
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ ConditionPathExists=!@sysconfdir@/zfs/zpool.cache
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot
 RemainAfterExit=yes
-ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe zfs
+ExecStartPre=-/sbin/modprobe zfs
 ExecStart=@sbindir@/zpool import -aN -o cachefile=none
 ExecStartPost=/bin/bash -c "/bin/systemctl set-environment BOOTFS=$(@sbindir@/zpool list -H -o bootfs | /bin/awk '$1 != \"-\" {print; exit}')"