diff --git a/sys/powerpc/booke/locore.S b/sys/powerpc/booke/locore.S
index 3b774f47c57..624a0fe64a7 100644
--- a/sys/powerpc/booke/locore.S
+++ b/sys/powerpc/booke/locore.S
@@ -384,15 +384,28 @@ done_mapping:
 	.globl	__boot_page
 	.align	12
 __boot_page:
-	bl	1f
-
+	/*
+	 * The boot page is a special page of memory used during AP bringup.
+	 * It gets *temporarily* mapped at 0xfffff000, with the instruction
+	 * at 0xfffffffc being a branch to earlier in the same page.
+	 * This code's job is to set up the MMU using parameters provided
+	 * at the beginning of the page and clean up the temporary mapping.
+	 *
+	 * Pieces of this code are also used for UP kernel, but in this case
+	 * the extra alignment restrictions are dropped via the preprocessor.
+	 */
+	bl	1f		/* Target of reset vector at end of page. */
+#ifdef __powerpc64__
+	nop			/* PPC64 alignment word. */
+#endif
 	.globl	bp_trace
+bp_var_base:
 bp_trace:
-	.long	0
+	ADDR(0)			/* Trace pointer (%r31). */
 
 	.globl	bp_kernload
 bp_kernload:
-	.long	0
+	ADDR(0)			/* Kern phys. load address. */
 
 /*
  * Initial configuration
@@ -486,27 +499,16 @@ bp_kernload:
 	isync
 
 	/* Retrieve kernel load [physical] address from bp_kernload */
+	bl	5f
+5:
+	mflr	%r3
 #ifdef __powerpc64__
-	b	0f
-	.align	3
-0:
-	nop
-#endif
-	bl 5f
-	ADDR(bp_kernload)
-	ADDR(__boot_page)
-5:	mflr	%r3
-#ifdef __powerpc64__
-	ld	%r4, 0(%r3)
-	ld	%r5, 8(%r3)
-	clrrdi	%r3, %r3, 12
+	clrrdi	%r3, %r3, PAGE_SHIFT	/* trunc_page(%r3) */
+	ld	%r3, (bp_kernload - bp_var_base)(%r3)
 #else
-	lwz	%r4, 0(%r3)
-	lwz	%r5, 4(%r3)
-	rlwinm	%r3, %r3, 0, 0, 19
+	clrrwi	%r3, %r3, PAGE_SHIFT	/* trunc_page(%r3) */
+	lwz	%r3, (bp_kernload - bp_var_base)(%r3)
 #endif
-	sub	%r4, %r4, %r5	/* offset of bp_kernload within __boot_page */
-	lwzx	%r3, %r4, %r3
 
 	/* Set RPN and protection */
 	ori	%r3, %r3, (MAS3_SX | MAS3_SW | MAS3_SR)@l
@@ -783,6 +785,11 @@ __boot_page_padding:
 	 */
 	.space	4092 - (__boot_page_padding - __boot_page)
 	b	__boot_page
+	/*
+	 * This is the end of the boot page.
+	 * During AP startup, the previous instruction is at 0xfffffffc
+	 * virtual (i.e. the reset vector.)
+	 */
 #endif /* SMP */
 
 /************************************************************************/
diff --git a/sys/powerpc/mpc85xx/platform_mpc85xx.c b/sys/powerpc/mpc85xx/platform_mpc85xx.c
index c1181e87ed8..81236490325 100644
--- a/sys/powerpc/mpc85xx/platform_mpc85xx.c
+++ b/sys/powerpc/mpc85xx/platform_mpc85xx.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 extern void *ap_pcpu;
 extern vm_paddr_t kernload;		/* Kernel physical load address */
 extern uint8_t __boot_page[];		/* Boot page body */
-extern uint32_t bp_kernload;
+extern vm_paddr_t bp_kernload;
 extern vm_offset_t __startkernel;
 
 struct cpu_release {