diff --git a/sys/arch/alpha/alpha/machdep.c b/sys/arch/alpha/alpha/machdep.c
index e77456472d73..4e4ca01c892d 100644
--- a/sys/arch/alpha/alpha/machdep.c
+++ b/sys/arch/alpha/alpha/machdep.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $NetBSD: machdep.c,v 1.150 1998/09/29 23:45:25 thorpej Exp $ */
+/* $NetBSD: machdep.c,v 1.151 1998/10/06 21:10:46 thorpej Exp $ */
 
 /*-
  * Copyright (c) 1998 The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>			/* RCS ID & Copyright macro defns */
 
-__KERNEL_RCSID(0, "$NetBSD: machdep.c,v 1.150 1998/09/29 23:45:25 thorpej Exp $");
+__KERNEL_RCSID(0, "$NetBSD: machdep.c,v 1.151 1998/10/06 21:10:46 thorpej Exp $");
 
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/systm.h>
@@ -1179,6 +1179,12 @@ cpu_startup()
 	 */
 	bufinit();
 
+	/*
+	 * Set up the HWPCB so that it's safe to configure secondary
+	 * CPUs.
+	 */
+	hwrpb_primary_init();
+
 	/*
 	 * Configure the system.
 	 */
diff --git a/sys/arch/alpha/alpha/prom.c b/sys/arch/alpha/alpha/prom.c
index 9ad7888daea3..59d65af8ff85 100644
--- a/sys/arch/alpha/alpha/prom.c
+++ b/sys/arch/alpha/alpha/prom.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $NetBSD: prom.c,v 1.28 1998/09/24 21:18:13 thorpej Exp $ */
+/* $NetBSD: prom.c,v 1.29 1998/10/06 21:10:46 thorpej Exp $ */
 
 /* 
  * Copyright (c) 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996 Carnegie Mellon University
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>			/* RCS ID & Copyright macro defns */
 
-__KERNEL_RCSID(0, "$NetBSD: prom.c,v 1.28 1998/09/24 21:18:13 thorpej Exp $");
+__KERNEL_RCSID(0, "$NetBSD: prom.c,v 1.29 1998/10/06 21:10:46 thorpej Exp $");
 
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/systm.h>
@@ -293,6 +293,21 @@ hwrpb_checksum()
 	return (sum);
 }
 
+void
+hwrpb_primary_init()
+{
+	struct pcs *p;
+
+	p = LOCATE_PCS(hwrpb, hwrpb->rpb_primary_cpu_id);
+
+	/* Initialize the primary's HWPCB and the Virtual Page Table Base. */
+	bcopy(&proc0.p_addr->u_pcb.pcb_hw, p->pcs_hwpcb,
+	    sizeof proc0.p_addr->u_pcb.pcb_hw);
+	hwrpb->rpb_vptb = VPTBASE;
+
+	hwrpb->rpb_checksum = hwrpb_checksum();
+}
+
 void
 hwrpb_restart_setup()
 {
@@ -302,10 +317,6 @@ hwrpb_restart_setup()
 	p = LOCATE_PCS(hwrpb, hwrpb->rpb_primary_cpu_id);
 	p->pcs_flags &= ~PCS_BIP;
 
-	bcopy(&proc0.p_addr->u_pcb.pcb_hw, p->pcs_hwpcb,
-	    sizeof proc0.p_addr->u_pcb.pcb_hw);
-	hwrpb->rpb_vptb = VPTBASE;
-
 	/* when 'c'ontinuing from console halt, do a dump */
 	hwrpb->rpb_rest_term = (u_int64_t)&XentRestart;
 	hwrpb->rpb_rest_term_val = 0x1;
diff --git a/sys/arch/alpha/include/prom.h b/sys/arch/alpha/include/prom.h
index 6182a69d2bfc..45014be3daaf 100644
--- a/sys/arch/alpha/include/prom.h
+++ b/sys/arch/alpha/include/prom.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $NetBSD: prom.h,v 1.9 1998/09/24 21:18:13 thorpej Exp $ */
+/* $NetBSD: prom.h,v 1.10 1998/10/06 21:10:46 thorpej Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 Carnegie-Mellon University.
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ void	putchar __P((int));
 void	prom_halt __P((int)) __attribute__((__noreturn__));
 int	prom_getenv __P((int, char *, int));
 
+void	hwrpb_primary_init __P((void));
 void	hwrpb_restart_setup __P((void));
 #endif