diff --git a/src/freenas/etc/systemd/system/nfs-server.service.d/override.conf b/src/freenas/etc/systemd/system/nfs-server.service.d/override.conf
index 2e72f8358683e..acb5f12bcb715 100644
--- a/src/freenas/etc/systemd/system/nfs-server.service.d/override.conf
+++ b/src/freenas/etc/systemd/system/nfs-server.service.d/override.conf
@@ -1,6 +1,3 @@
 [Unit]
 ConditionDirectoryNotEmpty=!/etc/exports.d
 After=nslcd.service
-
-[Service]
-ExecStartPre=/usr/local/bin/clear_nfs_rmtab.sh
diff --git a/src/freenas/usr/local/bin/clear_nfs_rmtab.sh b/src/freenas/usr/local/bin/clear_nfs_rmtab.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index e6d701aaf776c..0000000000000
--- a/src/freenas/usr/local/bin/clear_nfs_rmtab.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/bash
-
-# Clear rmtab at boot before NFS start.
-# Purpose: Avoid accumulation of stale NFSv3 client entries.
-# See NAS-131762
-
-system_ready=$(midclt call system.ready)
-if [[ "False" == "${system_ready}" ]]; then
-    midclt call nfs.clear_nfs3_rmtab
-fi
diff --git a/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/nfs.py b/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/nfs.py
index 8f3d3c2e66fc1..43e11f5c253a7 100644
--- a/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/nfs.py
+++ b/src/middlewared/middlewared/plugins/nfs.py
@@ -188,6 +188,12 @@ def setup_directories(self):
             except Exception:
                 self.logger.error('Unexpected failure initializing %r', path, exc_info=True)
 
+        # Clear rmtab on boot.
+        # We call this here because /var/db/system/nfs is not yet available
+        # in a middleware 'setup' hook.
+        if not self.middleware.call_sync('system.ready'):
+            self.middleware.call_sync('nfs.clear_nfs3_rmtab')
+
     @private
     async def nfs_extend(self, nfs):
         keytab_has_nfs = await self.middleware.call("kerberos.keytab.has_nfs_principal")