diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c b/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
index c43e96a938d0..c6f791bc481e 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/hpet.c
@@ -827,10 +827,6 @@ int __init hpet_enable(void)
 	if (!hpet_cfg_working())
 		goto out_nohpet;
 
-	/* Validate that the counter is counting */
-	if (!hpet_counting())
-		goto out_nohpet;
-
 	/*
 	 * Read the period and check for a sane value:
 	 */
@@ -896,6 +892,14 @@ int __init hpet_enable(void)
 	}
 	hpet_print_config();
 
+	/*
+	 * Validate that the counter is counting. This needs to be done
+	 * after sanitizing the config registers to properly deal with
+	 * force enabled HPETs.
+	 */
+	if (!hpet_counting())
+		goto out_nohpet;
+
 	clocksource_register_hz(&clocksource_hpet, (u32)hpet_freq);
 
 	if (id & HPET_ID_LEGSUP) {