diff --git a/changes/bug28518 b/changes/bug28518
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d7ebab29bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/bug28518
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+  o Minor features (FreeBSD):
+    - Warn relay operators if the "net.inet.ip.random_id" sysctl (IP ID
+      randomization) is disabled on their relay if it is running on FreeBSD
+      based operating systems. Closes ticket 28518.
diff --git a/src/app/config/config.c b/src/app/config/config.c
index 90eae50fdd..d907b07136 100644
--- a/src/app/config/config.c
+++ b/src/app/config/config.c
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@
 #include "core/or/connection_st.h"
 #include "core/or/port_cfg_st.h"
 
+#ifdef __FreeBSD__
+#include <sys/sysctl.h>
+#endif
+
 #ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD
 #   if defined(__COVERITY__) && !defined(__INCLUDE_LEVEL__)
 /* Systemd's use of gcc's __INCLUDE_LEVEL__ extension macro appears to confuse
@@ -3382,6 +3386,23 @@ options_validate(or_options_t *old_options, or_options_t *options,
   if (ContactInfo && !string_is_utf8(ContactInfo, strlen(ContactInfo)))
     REJECT("ContactInfo config option must be UTF-8.");
 
+#ifdef __FreeBSD__
+  if (server_mode(options)) {
+    int random_id_state;
+    size_t state_size = sizeof(random_id_state);
+
+    if (sysctlbyname("net.inet.ip.random_id", &random_id_state,
+        &state_size, NULL, 0)) {
+      log_warn(LD_CONFIG,
+          "Failed to figure out if IP ids are randomized.");
+    } else if (random_id_state == 0) {
+      log_warn(LD_CONFIG, "Looks like IP ids are not randomized. "
+          "Please consider setting the net.inet.ip.random_id sysctl, "
+          "so your relay makes it harder to figure out how busy it is.");
+    }
+  }
+#endif
+
   /* Special case on first boot if no Log options are given. */
   if (!options->Logs && !options->RunAsDaemon && !from_setconf) {
     if (quiet_level == 0)