diff --git a/plugins/inputs/ping/ping_notwindows.go b/plugins/inputs/ping/ping_notwindows.go
index e088aa039..d62b92888 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/ping/ping_notwindows.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/ping/ping_notwindows.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (p *Ping) args(url string, system string) []string {
 		case "darwin":
 			args = append(args, "-W", strconv.FormatFloat(p.Timeout*1000, 'f', -1, 64))
 		case "freebsd":
-			if strings.Contains(p.Binary, "ping6") {
+			if strings.Contains(p.Binary, "ping6") && freeBSDMajorVersion() <= 12 {
 				args = append(args, "-x", strconv.FormatFloat(p.Timeout*1000, 'f', -1, 64))
 			} else {
 				args = append(args, "-W", strconv.FormatFloat(p.Timeout*1000, 'f', -1, 64))
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func (p *Ping) args(url string, system string) []string {
 	if p.Deadline > 0 {
 		switch system {
 		case "freebsd":
-			if strings.Contains(p.Binary, "ping6") {
+			if strings.Contains(p.Binary, "ping6") && freeBSDMajorVersion() <= 12 {
 				args = append(args, "-X", strconv.Itoa(p.Deadline))
 			} else {
 				args = append(args, "-t", strconv.Itoa(p.Deadline))
@@ -251,3 +251,21 @@ func checkRoundTripTimeStats(line string) (roundTripTimeStats, error) {
 	}
 	return roundTripTimeStats, err
 }
+
+// Due to different behavior in version of freebsd, get the major
+// version number. In the event of an error we assume we return a low number
+// to avoid changing behavior.
+func freeBSDMajorVersion() int {
+	out, err := exec.Command("freebsd-version", "-u").Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1
+	}
+
+	majorVersionStr := strings.Split(string(out), ".")[0]
+	majorVersion, err := strconv.Atoi(majorVersionStr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1
+	}
+
+	return majorVersion
+}