diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8ac06f7f..ebe35ace 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -66,9 +66,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([WINNT],    [AS_CASE([$host_os],[mingw*],        [true], [false])
 AS_CASE([$host_os],[mingw*], [
     LIBS="$LIBS -lws2_32 -lpsapi -liphlpapi -lshell32 -luserenv -luser32"
 ])
-AS_CASE([$host_os], [openbsd*], [], [
-    AC_CHECK_LIB([kvm], [kvm_open])
-])
+AS_CASE([$host_os], [netbsd*], [AC_CHECK_LIB([kvm], [kvm_open])])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/ahafs_evProds.h])
 AC_CHECK_PROG(PKG_CONFIG, pkg-config, yes)
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PKG_CONFIG], [test "x$PKG_CONFIG" != "x"])
diff --git a/src/unix/freebsd.c b/src/unix/freebsd.c
index e52ae99d..c3c4902b 100644
--- a/src/unix/freebsd.c
+++ b/src/unix/freebsd.c
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
-#include <kvm.h>
 #include <paths.h>
 #include <sys/user.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
@@ -203,35 +202,31 @@ int uv_get_process_title(char* buffer, size_t size) {
   return 0;
 }
 
-
 int uv_resident_set_memory(size_t* rss) {
-  kvm_t *kd = NULL;
-  struct kinfo_proc *kinfo = NULL;
-  pid_t pid;
-  int nprocs;
-  size_t page_size = getpagesize();
+  struct kinfo_proc kinfo;
+  size_t page_size;
+  size_t kinfo_size;
+  int mib[4];
 
-  pid = getpid();
+  mib[0] = CTL_KERN;
+  mib[1] = KERN_PROC;
+  mib[2] = KERN_PROC_PID;
+  mib[3] = getpid();
 
-  kd = kvm_open(NULL, _PATH_DEVNULL, NULL, O_RDONLY, "kvm_open");
-  if (kd == NULL) goto error;
+  kinfo_size = sizeof(kinfo);
 
-  kinfo = kvm_getprocs(kd, KERN_PROC_PID, pid, &nprocs);
-  if (kinfo == NULL) goto error;
+  if (sysctl(mib, 4, &kinfo, &kinfo_size, NULL, 0))
+    return -errno;
+
+  page_size = getpagesize();
 
 #ifdef __DragonFly__
-  *rss = kinfo->kp_vm_rssize * page_size;
+  *rss = kinfo.kp_vm_rssize * page_size;
 #else
-  *rss = kinfo->ki_rssize * page_size;
+  *rss = kinfo.ki_rssize * page_size;
 #endif
 
-  kvm_close(kd);
-
   return 0;
-
-error:
-  if (kd) kvm_close(kd);
-  return -EPERM;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/uv.gyp b/uv.gyp
index 55edf223..6f61d725 100644
--- a/uv.gyp
+++ b/uv.gyp
@@ -302,12 +302,12 @@
           'sources': [ 'src/unix/openbsd.c' ],
         }],
         [ 'OS=="netbsd"', {
-          'sources': [ 'src/unix/netbsd.c' ],
-        }],
-        [ 'OS in "freebsd dragonflybsd openbsd netbsd".split()', {
           'link_settings': {
             'libraries': [ '-lkvm' ],
           },
+          'sources': [ 'src/unix/netbsd.c' ],
+        }],
+        [ 'OS in "freebsd dragonflybsd openbsd netbsd".split()', {
           'sources': [ 'src/unix/posix-hrtime.c' ],
         }],
         [ 'OS in "ios mac freebsd dragonflybsd openbsd netbsd".split()', {