diff --git a/Documentation/x86_64/boot-options.txt b/Documentation/x86_64/boot-options.txt
index 44b6eea60ecec..b9e6be00cadfb 100644
--- a/Documentation/x86_64/boot-options.txt
+++ b/Documentation/x86_64/boot-options.txt
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ APICs
 
    noapictimer	 Don't set up the APIC timer
 
+   no_timer_check Don't check the IO-APIC timer. This can work around
+		 problems with incorrect timer initialization on some boards.
+
 Early Console
 
    syntax: earlyprintk=vga
diff --git a/arch/x86_64/kernel/io_apic.c b/arch/x86_64/kernel/io_apic.c
index ac7684324954a..80e9b498c4434 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/kernel/io_apic.c
+++ b/arch/x86_64/kernel/io_apic.c
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@
 
 int sis_apic_bug; /* not actually supported, dummy for compile */
 
+static int no_timer_check;
+
 static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(ioapic_lock);
 
 /*
@@ -1601,7 +1603,7 @@ static inline void check_timer(void)
 		 * Ok, does IRQ0 through the IOAPIC work?
 		 */
 		unmask_IO_APIC_irq(0);
-		if (timer_irq_works()) {
+		if (!no_timer_check && timer_irq_works()) {
 			nmi_watchdog_default();
 			if (nmi_watchdog == NMI_IO_APIC) {
 				disable_8259A_irq(0);
@@ -1671,6 +1673,13 @@ static inline void check_timer(void)
 	panic("IO-APIC + timer doesn't work! Try using the 'noapic' kernel parameter\n");
 }
 
+static int __init notimercheck(char *s)
+{
+	no_timer_check = 1;
+	return 1;
+}
+__setup("no_timer_check", notimercheck);
+
 /*
  *
  * IRQ's that are handled by the PIC in the MPS IOAPIC case.