diff --git a/lowerrts.md b/lowerrts.md
index c8c4478..3a0c7e2 100644
--- a/lowerrts.md
+++ b/lowerrts.md
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ the port is used without hardware handshake.
 This behavior cannot be avoided without patching the linux kernel
 driver (see also http://stackoverflow.com/a/21753723/2880699).
 
+Note, that in FreeBSD the RTS handshake line is not been changed upon
+`open()` but staying left in the state whatever it was before. Tested
+with FreeBSD 11, both Ftdi and Prolific adapters, picocom 3.1.
+
 Work-around using the user-space API
 ------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/picocom.c b/picocom.c
index 1440a4a..58f1120 100644
--- a/picocom.c
+++ b/picocom.c
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ int tty_fd = -1;
 int log_fd = -1;
 
 /* RTS and DTR are usually raised upon opening the serial port (at
-   least as tested on Linux, FreeBsd and macOS) */
+   least as tested on Linux and macOS, but FreeBSD behave different) */
 int rts_up = 1;
 int dtr_up = 1;
 
@@ -1197,6 +1197,8 @@ do_command (unsigned char c)
         fd_printf(STO, "\r\n*** pulse DTR ***\r\n");
         if ( term_pulse_dtr(tty_fd) < 0 )
             fd_printf(STO, "*** FAILED\r\n");
+        else
+            dtr_up = 1;
         break;
     case KEY_TOG_DTR:
         if ( dtr_up )
@@ -2007,6 +2009,12 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
         fatal("failed to config port: %s",
               term_strerror(term_errno, errno));
 
+    r = term_get_mctl(tty_fd);
+    if ( r >= 0 && r != MCTL_UNAVAIL ) {
+        rts_up = (r & MCTL_RTS) != 0;
+        dtr_up = (r & MCTL_DTR) != 0;
+    }
+
     set_tty_write_sz(term_get_baudrate(tty_fd, NULL));
 
     if ( ! opts.exit ) {