diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup-common.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup-common.c
index 0af3fc1bdcc9..89cfaf49d3de 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup-common.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup-common.c
@@ -442,31 +442,6 @@ void __init smp_setup_cpu_maps(void)
 }
 #endif /* CONFIG_SMP */
 
-int __initdata do_early_xmon;
-#ifdef CONFIG_XMON
-extern int xmon_no_auto_backtrace;
-
-static int __init early_xmon(char *p)
-{
-	/* ensure xmon is enabled */
-	if (p) {
-		if (strncmp(p, "on", 2) == 0)
-			xmon_init(1);
-		if (strncmp(p, "off", 3) == 0)
-			xmon_init(0);
-		if (strncmp(p, "nobt", 4) == 0)
-			xmon_no_auto_backtrace = 1;
-		if (strncmp(p, "early", 5) != 0)
-			return 0;
-	}
-	xmon_init(1);
-	do_early_xmon = 1;
-
-	return 0;
-}
-early_param("xmon", early_xmon);
-#endif
-
 static __init int add_pcspkr(void)
 {
 	struct device_node *np;
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup_32.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup_32.c
index 79a17795d17b..191d0ab09222 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup_32.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup_32.c
@@ -238,12 +238,11 @@ void __init setup_arch(char **cmdline_p)
 
 	smp_setup_cpu_maps();
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_XMON_DEFAULT
-	xmon_init(1);
-#endif
 	/* Register early console */
 	register_early_udbg_console();
 
+	xmon_setup();
+
 #if defined(CONFIG_KGDB)
 	if (ppc_md.kgdb_map_scc)
 		ppc_md.kgdb_map_scc();
@@ -280,9 +279,6 @@ void __init setup_arch(char **cmdline_p)
 	init_mm.end_data = (unsigned long) _edata;
 	init_mm.brk = klimit;
 
-	if (do_early_xmon)
-		debugger(NULL);
-
 	/* set up the bootmem stuff with available memory */
 	do_init_bootmem();
 	if ( ppc_md.progress ) ppc_md.progress("setup_arch: bootmem", 0x3eab);
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup_64.c b/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup_64.c
index cda2dbe70a76..4b2e32eab9dc 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup_64.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/kernel/setup_64.c
@@ -390,19 +390,15 @@ void __init setup_system(void)
 	 */
 	find_legacy_serial_ports();
 
-	/*
-	 * Initialize xmon
-	 */
-#ifdef CONFIG_XMON_DEFAULT
-	xmon_init(1);
-#endif
 	/*
 	 * Register early console
 	 */
 	register_early_udbg_console();
 
-	if (do_early_xmon)
-		debugger(NULL);
+	/*
+	 * Initialize xmon
+	 */
+	xmon_setup();
 
 	check_smt_enabled();
 	smp_setup_cpu_maps();
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/xmon/xmon.c b/arch/powerpc/xmon/xmon.c
index 8adad1444a51..b54ff980ecd4 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/xmon/xmon.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/xmon/xmon.c
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
  * Routines providing a simple monitor for use on the PowerMac.
  *
  * Copyright (C) 1996-2005 Paul Mackerras.
+ * Copyright (C) 2001 PPC64 Team, IBM Corp
+ * Copyrignt (C) 2006 Michael Ellerman, IBM Corp
  *
  *      This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  *      modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
@@ -2597,3 +2599,34 @@ static int __init setup_xmon_sysrq(void)
 }
 __initcall(setup_xmon_sysrq);
 #endif /* CONFIG_MAGIC_SYSRQ */
+
+int __initdata xmon_early, xmon_off;
+
+static int __init early_parse_xmon(char *p)
+{
+	if (!p || strncmp(p, "early", 5) == 0) {
+		/* just "xmon" is equivalent to "xmon=early" */
+		xmon_init(1);
+		xmon_early = 1;
+	} else if (strncmp(p, "on", 2) == 0)
+		xmon_init(1);
+	else if (strncmp(p, "off", 3) == 0)
+		xmon_off = 1;
+	else if (strncmp(p, "nobt", 4) == 0)
+		xmon_no_auto_backtrace = 1;
+	else
+		return 1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+early_param("xmon", early_parse_xmon);
+
+void __init xmon_setup(void)
+{
+#ifdef CONFIG_XMON_DEFAULT
+	if (!xmon_off)
+		xmon_init(1);
+#endif
+	if (xmon_early)
+		debugger(NULL);
+}
diff --git a/include/asm-powerpc/xmon.h b/include/asm-powerpc/xmon.h
index c02dd0ce13ac..f1d337ed68d5 100644
--- a/include/asm-powerpc/xmon.h
+++ b/include/asm-powerpc/xmon.h
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@
 
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
 
-extern void xmon_init(int);
+#ifdef CONFIG_XMON
+extern void xmon_setup(void);
+#else
+static inline void xmon_setup(void) { };
+#endif
 
 #endif /* __KERNEL __ */
 #endif /* __ASM_POWERPC_XMON_H */