diff --git a/include/silo.h b/include/silo.h
index fe5adcb..94d6e31 100644
--- a/include/silo.h
+++ b/include/silo.h
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ int strtol (const char *, char **, int);
 int decompress (char *, char *, unsigned char (*)(void), void (*)(void));
 /* main.c */
 extern enum arch architecture;
+extern int sun4v_cpu;
 /* timer.c */
 int init_timer ();
 void close_timer ();
diff --git a/second/main.c b/second/main.c
index 182b263..a45807d 100644
--- a/second/main.c
+++ b/second/main.c
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ enum {
     CMD_LS
 } load_cmd;
 enum arch architecture;
+int sun4v_cpu;
 static int timer_status = 0;
 static char *initrd_start;
 static int initrd_size;
diff --git a/second/misc.c b/second/misc.c
index 163738e..d6bcdb1 100644
--- a/second/misc.c
+++ b/second/misc.c
@@ -517,8 +517,10 @@ enum arch silo_get_architecture(void)
 	return sun4d;
     case 'e':
 	return sun4e;
-    case 'u':
     case 'v':
+	sun4v_cpu = 1;
+	/* FALLTHRU */
+    case 'u':
 	return sun4u;
     default:
     	for(i = 0; i < NUM_SUN_MACHINES; i++)
diff --git a/second/timer.c b/second/timer.c
index 51e928e..7f03996 100644
--- a/second/timer.c
+++ b/second/timer.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ static inline int sun4u_init_timer ()
     }
     if (!foundcpu || !clock_frequency)
         clock_frequency = prom_getint(prom_root_node, "clock-frequency") / 100;
-    if (notimer) {
+    if (notimer && !sun4v_cpu) {
         sun4u_notimer = 1;
         __asm__ __volatile__ ("\t"
         	"rd	%%tick_cmpr, %%g1\n\t"