diff --git a/sys/mips/include/md_var.h b/sys/mips/include/md_var.h
--- a/sys/mips/include/md_var.h
+++ b/sys/mips/include/md_var.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 
 void	mips_vector_init(void);
 void	mips_cpu_init(void);
+void	mips_hwrena_init(void);
 void	mips_pcpu0_init(void);
 void	mips_proc0_init(void);
 void	mips_postboot_fixup(void);
diff --git a/sys/mips/mips/cpu.c b/sys/mips/mips/cpu.c
--- a/sys/mips/mips/cpu.c
+++ b/sys/mips/mips/cpu.c
@@ -141,10 +141,11 @@
 
 	/* Check to see if UserLocal register is implemented. */
 	if (cfg3 & MIPS_CONFIG3_ULR) {
-		/* UserLocal register is implemented, enable it. */
+		/*
+		 * UserLocal register is implemented, enable it later in
+		 * mips_hwrena_init.
+		 */
 		cpuinfo->userlocal_reg = true;
-		tmp = mips_rd_hwrena();
-		mips_wr_hwrena(tmp | MIPS_HWRENA_UL);
 	} else {
 		/*
 		 * UserLocal register is not implemented. Patch
@@ -275,11 +276,25 @@
 #endif
 }
 
+void
+mips_hwrena_init(void)
+{
+	uint32_t reg;
+
+	reg = mips_rd_hwrena();
+
+	if (cpuinfo.userlocal_reg)
+		reg |= MIPS_HWRENA_UL;
+
+	mips_wr_hwrena(reg);
+}
+
 void
 mips_cpu_init(void)
 {
 	platform_cpu_init();
 	mips_get_identity(&cpuinfo);
+	mips_hwrena_init();
 	num_tlbentries = cpuinfo.tlb_nentries;
 	mips_wr_wired(0);
 	tlb_invalidate_all();
diff --git a/sys/mips/mips/mp_machdep.c b/sys/mips/mips/mp_machdep.c
--- a/sys/mips/mips/mp_machdep.c
+++ b/sys/mips/mips/mp_machdep.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #include <machine/intr_machdep.h>
 #include <machine/cache.h>
 #include <machine/tlb.h>
+#include <machine/md_var.h>
 
 struct pcb stoppcbs[MAXCPU];
 
@@ -276,6 +277,8 @@
 smp_init_secondary(u_int32_t cpuid)
 {
 
+	mips_hwrena_init();
+
 	/* TLB */
 	mips_wr_wired(0);
 	tlb_invalidate_all();