diff --git a/contrib/dracut/90zfs/zfs-load-key.sh.in b/contrib/dracut/90zfs/zfs-load-key.sh.in
index f15118ad02ca..708584e40646 100755
--- a/contrib/dracut/90zfs/zfs-load-key.sh.in
+++ b/contrib/dracut/90zfs/zfs-load-key.sh.in
@@ -43,9 +43,24 @@ if [ "$(zpool list -H -o feature@encryption "${BOOTFS%%/*}")" = 'active' ]; then
 
         KEYLOCATION="$(zfs get -H -o value keylocation "${ENCRYPTIONROOT}")"
         if ! [ "${KEYLOCATION}" = "prompt" ]; then
-            if ! [ "${KEYLOCATION#http}" = "${KEYLOCATION}" ]; then
-                systemctl start network-online.target
-            fi
+            case "${KEYLOCATION%%://*}" in
+                http*)
+                    systemctl start network-online.target
+                    ;;
+                file)
+                    KEYFILE="${KEYLOCATION#file://}"
+                    [ -r "${KEYFILE}" ] || udevadm settle
+                    [ -r "${KEYFILE}" ] || {
+                        info "Waiting for key ${KEYFILE} for ${ENCRYPTIONROOT}..."
+                        for _ in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; do
+                            sleep 1
+                            [ -r "${KEYFILE}" ] && break
+                        done
+                    }
+                    [ -r "${KEYFILE}" ] || warn "Key ${KEYFILE} for ${ENCRYPTIONROOT} hasn't appeared. Trying anyway."
+                    ;;
+            esac
+
             zfs load-key "${ENCRYPTIONROOT}"
         else
             # decrypt them