diff --git a/sys/amd64/amd64/support.S b/sys/amd64/amd64/support.S
--- a/sys/amd64/amd64/support.S
+++ b/sys/amd64/amd64/support.S
@@ -41,6 +41,16 @@
 
 #include "assym.inc"
 
+	.data
+	.globl	ticksl
+	.type	ticksl, @object
+	.globl	ticks
+	.type	ticks, @object
+ticksl:	.long	0
+	.size	ticksl, 8
+ticks	=ticksl
+	.size ticks, 4
+
 	.text
 
 /* Address: %rdi */
diff --git a/sys/i386/i386/support.S b/sys/i386/i386/support.S
--- a/sys/i386/i386/support.S
+++ b/sys/i386/i386/support.S
@@ -36,6 +36,16 @@
 
 #define IDXSHIFT	10
 
+	.data
+	.globl	ticksl
+	.type	ticksl, @object
+	.globl	ticks
+	.type	ticks, @object
+ticksl:	.long	0
+	.size	ticksl, 4
+ticks	=ticksl
+	.size ticks, 4
+
 	.text
 
 ENTRY(sse2_pagezero)
diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_clock.c b/sys/kern/kern_clock.c
--- a/sys/kern/kern_clock.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_clock.c
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/watchdog.h>
 
-static int watchdog_ticks;
+static long watchdog_ticks;
 static int watchdog_enabled;
 static void watchdog_fire(void);
 static void watchdog_config(void *, u_int, int *);
@@ -369,10 +369,9 @@
 int	stathz;
 int	profhz;
 int	profprocs;
-volatile int	ticks;
 int	psratio;
 
-DPCPU_DEFINE_STATIC(int, pcputicks);	/* Per-CPU version of ticks. */
+DPCPU_DEFINE_STATIC(long, pcputicks);	/* Per-CPU version of ticks. */
 #ifdef DEVICE_POLLING
 static int devpoll_run = 0;
 #endif
@@ -480,14 +479,14 @@
 	struct pstats *pstats;
 	struct thread *td = curthread;
 	struct proc *p = td->td_proc;
-	int *t = DPCPU_PTR(pcputicks);
-	int global, i, newticks;
+	long global, i, newticks, *t;
 
 	/*
 	 * Update per-CPU and possibly global ticks values.
 	 */
+	t = DPCPU_PTR(pcputicks);
 	*t += cnt;
-	global = ticks;
+	global = atomic_load_long(&ticksl);
 	do {
 		newticks = *t - global;
 		if (newticks <= 0) {
@@ -496,7 +495,7 @@
 			newticks = 0;
 			break;
 		}
-	} while (!atomic_fcmpset_int(&ticks, &global, *t));
+	} while (!atomic_fcmpset_long(&ticksl, &global, *t));
 
 	/*
 	 * Run current process's virtual and profile time, as needed.
@@ -525,7 +524,7 @@
 		}
 #endif /* DEVICE_POLLING */
 		if (watchdog_enabled > 0) {
-			i = atomic_fetchadd_int(&watchdog_ticks, -newticks);
+			i = atomic_fetchadd_long(&watchdog_ticks, -newticks);
 			if (i > 0 && i <= newticks)
 				watchdog_fire();
 		}
@@ -540,11 +539,12 @@
 void
 hardclock_sync(int cpu)
 {
-	int *t;
+	long *t;
+
 	KASSERT(!CPU_ABSENT(cpu), ("Absent CPU %d", cpu));
-	t = DPCPU_ID_PTR(cpu, pcputicks);
 
-	*t = ticks;
+	t = DPCPU_ID_PTR(cpu, pcputicks);
+	*t = ticksl;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/sys/kern/subr_param.c b/sys/kern/subr_param.c
--- a/sys/kern/subr_param.c
+++ b/sys/kern/subr_param.c
@@ -193,11 +193,13 @@
 	tick_bt = sbttobt(tick_sbt);
 	tick_seconds_max = INT_MAX / hz;
 
+#if LONG_MAX == 0x7fffffffL
 	/*
 	 * Arrange for ticks to wrap 10 minutes after boot to help catch
-	 * sign problems sooner.
+	 * sign problems sooner on platforms where ticksl is 32 bits wide.
 	 */
-	ticks = INT_MAX - (hz * 10 * 60);
+	ticksl = LONG_MAX - (hz * 10 * 60);
+#endif
 
 	vn_lock_pair_pause_max = hz / 100;
 	if (vn_lock_pair_pause_max == 0)
diff --git a/sys/sys/kernel.h b/sys/sys/kernel.h
--- a/sys/sys/kernel.h
+++ b/sys/sys/kernel.h
@@ -65,7 +65,17 @@
 extern int stathz;			/* statistics clock's frequency */
 extern int profhz;			/* profiling clock's frequency */
 extern int profprocs;			/* number of process's profiling */
+
+/*
+ * The ticks and ticksl symbols overlap, giving a 64-bit tick counter on 64-bit
+ * platforms while still maintaining compatibility with the legacy 32-bit
+ * counter.  Either can be used; 32-bit values of course require less space, but
+ * rollover must be handled: the value can roll over in a little under 25 days
+ * at 1000Hz.  In general it's better to use ticksl unless there's a specific
+ * need to do otherwise.
+ */
 extern volatile int ticks;
+extern volatile long ticksl;
 
 #endif /* _KERNEL */