diff --git a/sys/ia64/ia64/locore.S b/sys/ia64/ia64/locore.S
index 9bb108e3607c..8452c5792d3a 100644
--- a/sys/ia64/ia64/locore.S
+++ b/sys/ia64/ia64/locore.S
@@ -73,27 +73,30 @@ kstack:	.space KSTACK_PAGES * PAGE_SIZE
 
 /*
  * Not really a leaf but we can't return.
+ * The EFI loader passes the physical address of the bootinfo block in
+ * register r8.
  */
 ENTRY(__start, 1)
-	movl	r8=ia64_vector_table	// set up IVT early
-	movl	r9=ia64_vhpt+(1<<8)+(15<<2)+1 // and VHPT
+	movl	r16=ia64_vector_table	// set up IVT early
 	;;
-	mov	cr.iva=r8
-	mov	cr.pta=r9
+	mov	cr.iva=r16
+	movl	r16=ia64_vhpt+(1<<8)+(15<<2)+1	// and VHPT
 	;;
-	movl	r11=kstack
+	mov	cr.pta=r16
+	movl	r16=kstack
 	;;
 	srlz.i
 	;;
-	srlz.d
-	mov	r9=KSTACK_PAGES*PAGE_SIZE-SIZEOF_PCB-SIZEOF_TRAPFRAME-16
-	;; 
+	mov	r17=KSTACK_PAGES*PAGE_SIZE-SIZEOF_PCB-SIZEOF_TRAPFRAME-16
 	movl	gp=__gp			// find kernel globals
-	add	sp=r9,r11		// proc0's stack
+	;;
+	add	sp=r16,r17		// proc0's stack
 	mov	ar.rsc=0		// turn off rse
 	;;
-	mov	ar.bspstore=r11		// switch backing store
+	mov	ar.bspstore=r16		// switch backing store
+	movl	r16=pa_bootinfo
 	;;
+	st8	[r16]=r8		// save the PA of the bootinfo block
 	loadrs				// invalidate regs
 	;;
 	mov	ar.rsc=3		// turn rse back on
@@ -121,7 +124,7 @@ ENTRY(__start, 1)
 	movl	r17=mi_startup_trampoline
 	;;
 	st8	[r16]=r17
-	;; 
+	;;
 	br.call.sptk.many rp=restorectx
 
 	/* NOTREACHED */	
@@ -161,7 +164,6 @@ ENTRY(os_boot_rendez,0)
 	srlz.d
 	rsm	IA64_PSR_IC|IA64_PSR_I
 	;;
-	srlz.d
 	mov	r16 = (5<<8)|(PAGE_SHIFT<<2)|1
 	movl	r17 = 5<<61
 	;;
@@ -189,13 +191,11 @@ ENTRY(os_boot_rendez,0)
 	ptr.d	r17, r18
 	ptr.i	r17, r18
 	;;
-	srlz.d
 	srlz.i
 	;;
 	itr.d	dtr[r0] = r16
 	;;
 	itr.i	itr[r0] = r16
-	srlz.d
 	;;
 	srlz.i
 	;;
diff --git a/sys/ia64/ia64/locore.s b/sys/ia64/ia64/locore.s
index 9bb108e3607c..8452c5792d3a 100644
--- a/sys/ia64/ia64/locore.s
+++ b/sys/ia64/ia64/locore.s
@@ -73,27 +73,30 @@ kstack:	.space KSTACK_PAGES * PAGE_SIZE
 
 /*
  * Not really a leaf but we can't return.
+ * The EFI loader passes the physical address of the bootinfo block in
+ * register r8.
  */
 ENTRY(__start, 1)
-	movl	r8=ia64_vector_table	// set up IVT early
-	movl	r9=ia64_vhpt+(1<<8)+(15<<2)+1 // and VHPT
+	movl	r16=ia64_vector_table	// set up IVT early
 	;;
-	mov	cr.iva=r8
-	mov	cr.pta=r9
+	mov	cr.iva=r16
+	movl	r16=ia64_vhpt+(1<<8)+(15<<2)+1	// and VHPT
 	;;
-	movl	r11=kstack
+	mov	cr.pta=r16
+	movl	r16=kstack
 	;;
 	srlz.i
 	;;
-	srlz.d
-	mov	r9=KSTACK_PAGES*PAGE_SIZE-SIZEOF_PCB-SIZEOF_TRAPFRAME-16
-	;; 
+	mov	r17=KSTACK_PAGES*PAGE_SIZE-SIZEOF_PCB-SIZEOF_TRAPFRAME-16
 	movl	gp=__gp			// find kernel globals
-	add	sp=r9,r11		// proc0's stack
+	;;
+	add	sp=r16,r17		// proc0's stack
 	mov	ar.rsc=0		// turn off rse
 	;;
-	mov	ar.bspstore=r11		// switch backing store
+	mov	ar.bspstore=r16		// switch backing store
+	movl	r16=pa_bootinfo
 	;;
+	st8	[r16]=r8		// save the PA of the bootinfo block
 	loadrs				// invalidate regs
 	;;
 	mov	ar.rsc=3		// turn rse back on
@@ -121,7 +124,7 @@ ENTRY(__start, 1)
 	movl	r17=mi_startup_trampoline
 	;;
 	st8	[r16]=r17
-	;; 
+	;;
 	br.call.sptk.many rp=restorectx
 
 	/* NOTREACHED */	
@@ -161,7 +164,6 @@ ENTRY(os_boot_rendez,0)
 	srlz.d
 	rsm	IA64_PSR_IC|IA64_PSR_I
 	;;
-	srlz.d
 	mov	r16 = (5<<8)|(PAGE_SHIFT<<2)|1
 	movl	r17 = 5<<61
 	;;
@@ -189,13 +191,11 @@ ENTRY(os_boot_rendez,0)
 	ptr.d	r17, r18
 	ptr.i	r17, r18
 	;;
-	srlz.d
 	srlz.i
 	;;
 	itr.d	dtr[r0] = r16
 	;;
 	itr.i	itr[r0] = r16
-	srlz.d
 	;;
 	srlz.i
 	;;
diff --git a/sys/ia64/ia64/machdep.c b/sys/ia64/ia64/machdep.c
index 417439bdbada..51483d9a7c7f 100644
--- a/sys/ia64/ia64/machdep.c
+++ b/sys/ia64/ia64/machdep.c
@@ -90,7 +90,11 @@ u_int64_t processor_frequency;
 u_int64_t bus_frequency;
 u_int64_t itc_frequency;
 int cold = 1;
+
+u_int64_t pa_bootinfo;
+u_int64_t va_bootinfo;
 struct bootinfo bootinfo;
+int bootinfo_error; /* XXX temporary ad-hoc error mask to help debugging */
 
 struct mtx sched_lock;
 struct mtx Giant;
@@ -401,10 +405,25 @@ ia64_init(u_int64_t arg1, u_int64_t arg2)
 	/*
 	 * Gross and disgusting hack. The bootinfo is written into
 	 * memory at a fixed address.
+	 * To help transitioning to a non-fixed bootinfo block, we
+	 * temporarily have to make this more gross and disgusting:
+	 * o  pa_bootinfo is the physical address of the bootinfo block
+	 *    as passed to us by the loader (initialized in locore.s)
+	 *    (EFI loader version 0.3 and up). We only check this value.
+	 *    We don't actively use it yet.
+	 * o  va_bootinfo is the hardwired virtual (RR7) address of
+	 *    the bootinfo block (old loaders). We still use it for the
+	 *    moment.
 	 */
-	bootinfo = *(struct bootinfo *) 0xe000000000508000;
-	if (bootinfo.bi_magic != BOOTINFO_MAGIC
-	    || bootinfo.bi_version != 1) {
+	va_bootinfo = 0xe000000000508000; 	/* the fixed RR7 address */
+	if (IA64_PHYS_TO_RR7(pa_bootinfo) != va_bootinfo)
+		bootinfo_error |= 1;		/* XXX loader did not set r8 */
+
+	/* copy the bootinfo block */
+	bootinfo = *(struct bootinfo *)va_bootinfo;
+
+	if (bootinfo.bi_magic != BOOTINFO_MAGIC || bootinfo.bi_version != 1) {
+		bootinfo_error |= 2;		/* XXX bogus block */
 		bzero(&bootinfo, sizeof(bootinfo));
 		bootinfo.bi_kernend = (vm_offset_t) round_page(_end);
 	}
@@ -478,6 +497,14 @@ ia64_init(u_int64_t arg1, u_int64_t arg2)
 
 	/* OUTPUT NOW ALLOWED */
 
+	if (bootinfo_error & 1)
+		printf("bootinfo: the loader did not not pass the address "
+		    "of the block in r8.\n");
+
+	if (bootinfo_error & 2)
+		printf("bootinfo: block not valid; possibly not at hardwired "
+		    "address.\n");
+
 	if (ia64_pal_base != 0) {
 		ia64_pal_base &= ~((1 << 28) - 1);
 		/*