diff --git a/sys/dev/xen/netfront/netfront.c b/sys/dev/xen/netfront/netfront.c
--- a/sys/dev/xen/netfront/netfront.c
+++ b/sys/dev/xen/netfront/netfront.c
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@
 netfront_probe(device_t dev)
 {
 
-	if (xen_hvm_domain() && xen_disable_pv_nics != 0)
+	if (xen_pv_nics_disabled())
 		return (ENXIO);
 
 	if (!strcmp(xenbus_get_type(dev), "vif")) {
diff --git a/sys/x86/include/xen/xen-os.h b/sys/x86/include/xen/xen-os.h
--- a/sys/x86/include/xen/xen-os.h
+++ b/sys/x86/include/xen/xen-os.h
@@ -43,6 +43,16 @@
 /* If non-zero, the hypervisor has been configured to use a direct vector */
 extern int xen_vector_callback_enabled;
 
+/* tunable for disabling PV nics */
+extern int xen_disable_pv_nics;
+
+static inline bool
+xen_pv_nics_disabled(void)
+{
+
+	return (xen_hvm_domain() && xen_disable_pv_nics != 0);
+}
+
 #endif /* !__ASSEMBLY__ */
 
 #endif /* _MACHINE_X86_XEN_XEN_OS_H_ */
diff --git a/sys/xen/xen-os.h b/sys/xen/xen-os.h
--- a/sys/xen/xen-os.h
+++ b/sys/xen/xen-os.h
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@
 extern shared_info_t *HYPERVISOR_shared_info;
 
 extern int xen_disable_pv_disks;
-extern int xen_disable_pv_nics;
 
 extern bool xen_suspend_cancelled;