diff --git a/sys/arm/arm/generic_timer.c b/sys/arm/arm/generic_timer.c
--- a/sys/arm/arm/generic_timer.c
+++ b/sys/arm/arm/generic_timer.c
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@
 	uint32_t		clkfreq;
 	int			irq_count;
 	struct eventtimer	et;
-	bool			physical;
+	bool			physical_sys;
+	bool			physical_user;
 };
 
 static struct arm_tmr_softc *arm_tmr_sc = NULL;
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@
 	/* Always enable the virtual timer */
 	cntkctl |= GT_CNTKCTL_PL0VCTEN;
 	/* Enable the physical timer if supported */
-	if (arm_tmr_sc->physical) {
+	if (arm_tmr_sc->physical_user) {
 		cntkctl |= GT_CNTKCTL_PL0PCTEN;
 	}
 	set_el1(cntkctl, cntkctl);
@@ -333,7 +334,7 @@
 arm_tmr_get_timecount(struct timecounter *tc)
 {
 
-	return (arm_tmr_sc->get_cntxct(arm_tmr_sc->physical));
+	return (arm_tmr_sc->get_cntxct(arm_tmr_sc->physical_sys));
 }
 
 static int
@@ -347,11 +348,11 @@
 
 	if (first != 0) {
 		counts = ((uint32_t)et->et_frequency * first) >> 32;
-		ctrl = get_ctrl(sc->physical);
+		ctrl = get_ctrl(sc->physical_sys);
 		ctrl &= ~GT_CTRL_INT_MASK;
 		ctrl |= GT_CTRL_ENABLE;
-		set_tval(counts, sc->physical);
-		set_ctrl(ctrl, sc->physical);
+		set_tval(counts, sc->physical_sys);
+		set_ctrl(ctrl, sc->physical_sys);
 		return (0);
 	}
 
@@ -375,7 +376,7 @@
 	struct arm_tmr_softc *sc;
 
 	sc = (struct arm_tmr_softc *)et->et_priv;
-	arm_tmr_disable(sc->physical);
+	arm_tmr_disable(sc->physical_sys);
 
 	return (0);
 }
@@ -387,10 +388,10 @@
 	int ctrl;
 
 	sc = (struct arm_tmr_softc *)arg;
-	ctrl = get_ctrl(sc->physical);
+	ctrl = get_ctrl(sc->physical_sys);
 	if (ctrl & GT_CTRL_INT_STAT) {
 		ctrl |= GT_CTRL_INT_MASK;
-		set_ctrl(ctrl, sc->physical);
+		set_ctrl(ctrl, sc->physical_sys);
 	}
 
 	if (sc->et.et_active)
@@ -616,7 +617,7 @@
 	phandle_t node;
 	pcell_t clock;
 #endif
-	int error;
+	int error, user_phys;
 	int i, first_timer, last_timer;
 
 	sc = device_get_softc(dev);
@@ -680,18 +681,28 @@
 	 * coordinated with the virtual machine manager.
 	 */
 	if (!HAS_PHYS) {
-		sc->physical = false;
+		sc->physical_sys = false;
 		first_timer = GT_VIRT;
 		last_timer = GT_VIRT;
 	} else
 #endif
 	/* Otherwise set up the secure and non-secure physical timers. */
 	{
-		sc->physical = true;
+		sc->physical_sys = true;
 		first_timer = GT_PHYS_SECURE;
 		last_timer = GT_PHYS_NONSECURE;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * The virtual timer is always available on arm and arm64, tell
+	 * userspace to use it.
+	 */
+	sc->physical_user = false;
+	/* Allow use of the physical counter in userspace when available */
+	if (TUNABLE_INT_FETCH("hw.userspace_allow_phys_counter", &user_phys) &&
+	    user_phys != 0)
+		sc->physical_user = sc->physical_sys;
+
 	arm_tmr_sc = sc;
 
 	/* Setup secure, non-secure and virtual IRQs handler */
@@ -790,10 +801,10 @@
 	else
 		counts = usec * counts_per_usec;
 
-	first = sc->get_cntxct(sc->physical);
+	first = sc->get_cntxct(sc->physical_sys);
 
 	while (counts > 0) {
-		last = sc->get_cntxct(sc->physical);
+		last = sc->get_cntxct(sc->physical_sys);
 		counts -= (int32_t)(last - first);
 		first = last;
 	}
@@ -830,7 +841,7 @@
 {
 
 	vdso_th->th_algo = VDSO_TH_ALGO_ARM_GENTIM;
-	vdso_th->th_physical = arm_tmr_sc->physical;
+	vdso_th->th_physical = arm_tmr_sc->physical_user;
 	bzero(vdso_th->th_res, sizeof(vdso_th->th_res));
 	return (1);
 }