diff --git a/changelog/62461.fixed b/changelog/62461.fixed
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4f8f76ad943
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/62461.fixed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+sysctl.persist now updates the in-memory value on FreeBSD even if the on-disk value was already correct.
diff --git a/salt/modules/freebsd_sysctl.py b/salt/modules/freebsd_sysctl.py
index 1cdc91d941c..3d6dd930ec5 100644
--- a/salt/modules/freebsd_sysctl.py
+++ b/salt/modules/freebsd_sysctl.py
@@ -167,7 +167,12 @@ def persist(name, value, config="/etc/sysctl.conf"):
                     rest_v = rest.split()[0]
                     rest = rest[len(rest_v) :]
                 if rest_v == value:
-                    return "Already set"
+                    # If it is correct in the config file, check in memory
+                    if str(get(name)) != value:
+                        assign(name, value)
+                        return "Updated"
+                    else:
+                        return "Already set"
                 new_line = _formatfor(key, value, config, rest)
                 nlines.append(new_line)
                 edited = True
diff --git a/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_freebsd_sysctl.py b/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_freebsd_sysctl.py
index 8f14e829ef1..ad62afb737e 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_freebsd_sysctl.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/unit/modules/test_freebsd_sysctl.py
@@ -88,6 +88,46 @@ def test_persist_no_conf_failure():
             )
 
 
+def test_persist_nochange():
+    """
+    Tests success when no changes need to be made
+    """
+    mock_get_cmd = MagicMock(return_value="1")
+    content = "vfs.usermount=1\n"
+    with patch("salt.utils.files.fopen", mock_open(read_data=content)):
+        with patch.dict(
+            freebsd_sysctl.__salt__,
+            {"cmd.run": mock_get_cmd},
+        ):
+            assert freebsd_sysctl.persist("vfs.usermount", 1) == "Already set"
+
+
+def test_persist_in_memory():
+    """
+    Tests success when the on-disk value is correct but the in-memory value
+    needs updating.
+    """
+    mock_get_cmd = MagicMock(return_value="0")
+    set_cmd = {
+        "pid": 1337,
+        "retcode": 0,
+        "stderr": "",
+        "stdout": "vfs.usermount: 0 -> 1",
+    }
+    mock_set_cmd = MagicMock(return_value=set_cmd)
+    content = "vfs.usermount=1\n"
+    with patch("salt.utils.files.fopen", mock_open(read_data=content)):
+        with patch.dict(
+            freebsd_sysctl.__salt__,
+            {"cmd.run": mock_get_cmd},
+        ):
+            with patch.dict(
+                freebsd_sysctl.__salt__,
+                {"cmd.run_all": mock_set_cmd},
+            ):
+                assert freebsd_sysctl.persist("vfs.usermount", 1) == "Updated"
+
+
 def test_persist_updated():
     """
     Tests sysctl.conf success