diff --git a/sys/conf/options.amd64 b/sys/conf/options.amd64
--- a/sys/conf/options.amd64
+++ b/sys/conf/options.amd64
@@ -63,3 +63,6 @@
 
 # Don't create a "legacy" PCI bridge if none is found.
 NO_LEGACY_PCIB		opt_cpu.h
+
+# Compatibility with Linux MP table bugs.
+MPTABLE_LINUX_BUG_COMPAT
diff --git a/sys/conf/options.i386 b/sys/conf/options.i386
--- a/sys/conf/options.i386
+++ b/sys/conf/options.i386
@@ -107,3 +107,6 @@
 
 # Don't create a "legacy" PCI bridge if none is found.
 NO_LEGACY_PCIB		opt_cpu.h
+
+# Compatibility with Linux MP table bugs.
+MPTABLE_LINUX_BUG_COMPAT
diff --git a/sys/x86/x86/mptable.c b/sys/x86/x86/mptable.c
--- a/sys/x86/x86/mptable.c
+++ b/sys/x86/x86/mptable.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 
 #include "opt_mptable_force_htt.h"
+#include "opt_mptable_linux_bug_compat.h"
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/systm.h>
 #include <sys/bus.h>
@@ -245,6 +246,34 @@
 	return (UNKNOWN_BUSTYPE);
 }
 
+#ifdef MPTABLE_LINUX_BUG_COMPAT
+/* Compute the correct entry_count value. */
+static void
+compute_entry_count(void)
+{
+	u_char *end = (u_char *)(mpct) + mpct->base_table_length;
+	u_char *entry = (u_char *)(mpct + 1);
+	size_t nentries = 0;
+
+	while (entry < end) {
+		switch (*entry) {
+		case MPCT_ENTRY_PROCESSOR:
+		case MPCT_ENTRY_IOAPIC:
+		case MPCT_ENTRY_BUS:
+		case MPCT_ENTRY_INT:
+		case MPCT_ENTRY_LOCAL_INT:
+			break;
+		default:
+			panic("%s: Unknown MP Config Entry %d\n", __func__,
+			    (int)*entry);
+		}
+		entry += basetable_entry_types[*entry].length;
+		nentries++;
+	}
+	mpct->entry_count = (uint16_t)(nentries);
+}
+#endif
+
 /*
  * Look for an Intel MP spec table (ie, SMP capable hardware).
  */
@@ -273,6 +302,17 @@
 	if ((x = search_for_sig(target, BIOS_COUNT)) >= 0)
 		goto found;
 
+#ifdef MPTABLE_LINUX_BUG_COMPAT
+	/*
+	 * Linux assumes that it always has 640 kB of base memory and
+	 * searches for the MP table at 639k regardless of whether that
+	 * address is present in the system memory map.  Some VM systems
+	 * rely on this buggy behaviour.
+	 */
+	if ((x = search_for_sig(639 * 1024, 1024 / 4)) >= 0)
+		goto found;
+#endif
+
 	/* nothing found */
 	return (ENXIO);
 
@@ -321,6 +361,16 @@
 			printf(
 			"MP Configuration Table version 1.%d found at %p\n",
 			    mpct->spec_rev, mpct);
+#ifdef MPTABLE_LINUX_BUG_COMPAT
+		/*
+		 * Linux ignores entry_count and instead scans the MP table
+		 * until it runs out of bytes of table (as specified by the
+		 * base_table_length field).  Some VM systems rely on this
+		 * buggy behaviour and record an entry_count of zero.
+		 */
+		if (mpct->entry_count == 0)
+			compute_entry_count();
+#endif
 	}
 
 	return (-100);