diff --git a/zfsbootmenu/libexec/zfsbootmenu-init b/zfsbootmenu/libexec/zfsbootmenu-init
index 0e18474cd..79fd2d14c 100755
--- a/zfsbootmenu/libexec/zfsbootmenu-init
+++ b/zfsbootmenu/libexec/zfsbootmenu-init
@@ -216,12 +216,11 @@ unset _bootfs
 if [ -n "${BOOTFS}" ]; then
   export BOOTFS
   echo "${BOOTFS}" > "${BASE}/bootfs"
+elif [ -n "${zbm_prefer_pool}" ]; then
+  timed_prompt -m "Preferred pool $( colorize magenta "${zbm_prefer_pool}" ) missing bootfs property" \
+    -m "unable to automatically boot"
 else
   zwarn "bootfs pool property unset for all imported pools"
-  if [ -n "${zbm_prefer_pool}" ]; then
-    timed_prompt -m "Pool $( colorize magenta "${zbm_prefer_pool}" ) was preferred" \
-      -m "but no 'bootfs' property set, unable to automatically boot"
-  fi
 fi
 
 : > "${BASE}/initialized"