diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/arch/x86/arch_cpu.h b/headers/private/kernel/arch/x86/arch_cpu.h
index ff81df09c0..65cb333a41 100644
--- a/headers/private/kernel/arch/x86/arch_cpu.h
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/arch/x86/arch_cpu.h
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
 #endif	// !_ASSEMBLER
 
 
+#undef PAUSE
+#define PAUSE() asm volatile ("pause;")
+
+
 // MSR registers (possibly Intel specific)
 #define IA32_MSR_APIC_BASE				0x1b
 
diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/cpu.h b/headers/private/kernel/cpu.h
index 40f4edcc78..23b5d288ce 100644
--- a/headers/private/kernel/cpu.h
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/cpu.h
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@
 #include <arch/cpu.h>
 
 
+// define PAUSE, if not done in arch/cpu.h
+#ifndef PAUSE
+#	define PAUSE()
+#endif
+
+
 /* CPU local data structure */
 
 typedef struct cpu_ent {
@@ -30,7 +36,7 @@ typedef struct cpu_ent {
 	bigtime_t last_user_time;
 
 	bool disabled;
-	
+
 	// arch-specific stuff
 	arch_cpu_info arch;
 } cpu_ent __attribute__((aligned(64)));
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/smp.cpp b/src/system/kernel/smp.cpp
index dddbc7d1f3..a4c5d08ddb 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/smp.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/smp.cpp
@@ -33,12 +33,6 @@
 #	define TRACE(x) ;
 #endif
 
-#if __INTEL__
-#	define PAUSE() asm volatile ("pause;")
-#else
-#	define PAUSE()
-#endif
-
 #define MSG_POOL_SIZE (SMP_MAX_CPUS * 4)
 
 struct smp_msg {
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/timer.cpp b/src/system/kernel/timer.cpp
index 680762596a..ee908e8029 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/timer.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/timer.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 #include <arch/timer.h>
 #include <boot/kernel_args.h>
+#include <cpu.h>
 #include <smp.h>
 #include <thread.h>
 #include <util/AutoLock.h>
@@ -36,12 +37,6 @@ static per_cpu_timer_data sPerCPU[B_MAX_CPU_COUNT];
 #	define TRACE(x) ;
 #endif
 
-#if __INTEL__
-#	define PAUSE() asm volatile ("pause;")
-#else
-#	define PAUSE()
-#endif
-
 
 status_t
 timer_init(kernel_args *args)
@@ -168,7 +163,7 @@ add_timer(timer *event, timer_hook hook, bigtime_t period, int32 flags)
 	bigtime_t scheduleTime;
 	bigtime_t currentTime = system_time();
 	cpu_status state;
-	
+
 	if (event == NULL || hook == NULL || period < 0)
 		return B_BAD_VALUE;