diff --git a/sys/powerpc/powerpc/platform.c b/sys/powerpc/powerpc/platform.c
--- a/sys/powerpc/powerpc/platform.c
+++ b/sys/powerpc/powerpc/platform.c
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@
 static struct kobj_ops	plat_kernel_kops;
 static struct platform_kobj	plat_kernel_obj;
 
-static char plat_name[64] = "";
-SYSCTL_STRING(_hw, OID_AUTO, platform, CTLFLAG_RDTUN,
+static char plat_name[64];
+SYSCTL_STRING(_hw, OID_AUTO, platform, CTLFLAG_RDTUN | CTLFLAG_NOFETCH,
     plat_name, 0, "Platform currently in use");
 
 static struct mem_affinity mem_info[VM_PHYSSEG_MAX + 1];
@@ -345,6 +345,8 @@
 	plat_obj = &plat_kernel_obj;
 	best_prio = 0;
 
+	TUNABLE_STR_FETCH("hw.platform", plat_name, sizeof(plat_name));
+
 	/*
 	 * Try to locate the best platform kobj
 	 */