diff --git a/i/c/portable.h b/i/c/portable.h
index 30381ced1..4cbf0a3c7 100644
--- a/i/c/portable.h
+++ b/i/c/portable.h
@@ -178,3 +178,12 @@
 #      else
 #        error "port: timeconvert"
 #      endif
+
+/* Entropy
+ */
+#      if defined(U3_OS_bsd) && defined(__OpenBSD__)
+#        define c3_rand(rd) (getentropy((void*)rd, 32) == 0 ? \
+                             (void)0 : c3_assert(!"ent"))
+#      else
+#        define c3_rand u3_sist_rand
+#      endif
diff --git a/i/v/vere.h b/i/v/vere.h
index e4ebb4e12..6e6868031 100644
--- a/i/v/vere.h
+++ b/i/v/vere.h
@@ -1094,6 +1094,11 @@
         void
         u3_sist_get(const c3_c* key_c, c3_y* val_y);
 
+      /* u3_sist_rand(): fill 8 words (32 bytes) with high-quality entropy.
+      */
+        void
+        u3_sist_rand(c3_w* rad_w);
+
     /**  New timer system.
     **/
       /* u3_temp_io_init(): initialize time timer.
diff --git a/v/sist.c b/v/sist.c
index b3655f5ff..7013d05b5 100644
--- a/v/sist.c
+++ b/v/sist.c
@@ -444,10 +444,10 @@ _sist_bask(c3_c* pop_c, u3_noun may)
 }
 #endif
 
-/* _sist_rand(): fill a 256-bit (8-word) buffer.
+/* u3_sist_rand(): fill a 256-bit (8-word) buffer.
 */
-static void
-_sist_rand(c3_w* rad_w)
+void
+u3_sist_rand(c3_w* rad_w)
 {
   c3_i fid_i = open(DEVRANDOM, O_RDONLY);
 
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ _sist_zest()
   {
     c3_w rad_w[8];
 
-    _sist_rand(rad_w);
+    c3_rand(rad_w);
     sal_l = (0x7fffffff & rad_w[0]);
   }
 
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ _sist_zest()
     c3_w rad_w[8];
     u3_noun pas;
 
-    _sist_rand(rad_w);
+    c3_rand(rad_w);
     pas = u3i_words(2, rad_w);
 
     u3A->key = _sist_fatt(sal_l, u3k(pas));
@@ -1201,7 +1201,7 @@ _sist_zen()
 {
   c3_w rad_w[8];
 
-  _sist_rand(rad_w);
+  c3_rand(rad_w);
   return u3i_words(8, rad_w);
 }