diff --git a/sys/mips/include/pmap.h b/sys/mips/include/pmap.h
index 10623a89a733..e71063592a80 100644
--- a/sys/mips/include/pmap.h
+++ b/sys/mips/include/pmap.h
@@ -49,7 +49,11 @@
 #include <machine/vmparam.h>
 #include <machine/pte.h>
 
+#if defined(__mips_n32) || defined(__mips_n64) /* PHYSADDR_64BIT */
+#define	NKPT		256	/* mem > 4G, vm_page_startup needs more KPTs */
+#else
 #define	NKPT		120	/* actual number of kernel page tables */
+#endif
 
 #ifndef LOCORE