diff --git a/arch/mips/include/asm/r4k-timer.h b/arch/mips/include/asm/r4k-timer.h
index a37d12b3b61c..afe9e0e03fe9 100644
--- a/arch/mips/include/asm/r4k-timer.h
+++ b/arch/mips/include/asm/r4k-timer.h
@@ -12,16 +12,16 @@
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYNC_R4K
 
-extern void synchronise_count_master(void);
-extern void synchronise_count_slave(void);
+extern void synchronise_count_master(int cpu);
+extern void synchronise_count_slave(int cpu);
 
 #else
 
-static inline void synchronise_count_master(void)
+static inline void synchronise_count_master(int cpu)
 {
 }
 
-static inline void synchronise_count_slave(void)
+static inline void synchronise_count_slave(int cpu)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/arch/mips/kernel/smp.c b/arch/mips/kernel/smp.c
index 31637d8c8738..9005bf9fb859 100644
--- a/arch/mips/kernel/smp.c
+++ b/arch/mips/kernel/smp.c
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ asmlinkage __cpuinit void start_secondary(void)
 
 	cpu_set(cpu, cpu_callin_map);
 
-	synchronise_count_slave();
+	synchronise_count_slave(cpu);
 
 	/*
 	 * irq will be enabled in ->smp_finish(), enabling it too early
@@ -173,7 +173,6 @@ void smp_send_stop(void)
 void __init smp_cpus_done(unsigned int max_cpus)
 {
 	mp_ops->cpus_done();
-	synchronise_count_master();
 }
 
 /* called from main before smp_init() */
@@ -206,6 +205,7 @@ int __cpuinit __cpu_up(unsigned int cpu, struct task_struct *tidle)
 	while (!cpu_isset(cpu, cpu_callin_map))
 		udelay(100);
 
+	synchronise_count_master(cpu);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/arch/mips/kernel/sync-r4k.c b/arch/mips/kernel/sync-r4k.c
index 842d55e411fd..7f1eca3858de 100644
--- a/arch/mips/kernel/sync-r4k.c
+++ b/arch/mips/kernel/sync-r4k.c
@@ -28,12 +28,11 @@ static atomic_t __cpuinitdata count_reference = ATOMIC_INIT(0);
 #define COUNTON	100
 #define NR_LOOPS 5
 
-void __cpuinit synchronise_count_master(void)
+void __cpuinit synchronise_count_master(int cpu)
 {
 	int i;
 	unsigned long flags;
 	unsigned int initcount;
-	int nslaves;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MIPS_MT_SMTC
 	/*
@@ -43,8 +42,7 @@ void __cpuinit synchronise_count_master(void)
 	return;
 #endif
 
-	printk(KERN_INFO "Synchronize counters across %u CPUs: ",
-	       num_online_cpus());
+	printk(KERN_INFO "Synchronize counters for CPU %u: ", cpu);
 
 	local_irq_save(flags);
 
@@ -52,7 +50,7 @@ void __cpuinit synchronise_count_master(void)
 	 * Notify the slaves that it's time to start
 	 */
 	atomic_set(&count_reference, read_c0_count());
-	atomic_set(&count_start_flag, 1);
+	atomic_set(&count_start_flag, cpu);
 	smp_wmb();
 
 	/* Count will be initialised to current timer for all CPU's */
@@ -69,10 +67,9 @@ void __cpuinit synchronise_count_master(void)
 	 * two CPUs.
 	 */
 
-	nslaves = num_online_cpus()-1;
 	for (i = 0; i < NR_LOOPS; i++) {
-		/* slaves loop on '!= ncpus' */
-		while (atomic_read(&count_count_start) != nslaves)
+		/* slaves loop on '!= 2' */
+		while (atomic_read(&count_count_start) != 1)
 			mb();
 		atomic_set(&count_count_stop, 0);
 		smp_wmb();
@@ -89,7 +86,7 @@ void __cpuinit synchronise_count_master(void)
 		/*
 		 * Wait for all slaves to leave the synchronization point:
 		 */
-		while (atomic_read(&count_count_stop) != nslaves)
+		while (atomic_read(&count_count_stop) != 1)
 			mb();
 		atomic_set(&count_count_start, 0);
 		smp_wmb();
@@ -97,6 +94,7 @@ void __cpuinit synchronise_count_master(void)
 	}
 	/* Arrange for an interrupt in a short while */
 	write_c0_compare(read_c0_count() + COUNTON);
+	atomic_set(&count_start_flag, 0);
 
 	local_irq_restore(flags);
 
@@ -108,11 +106,10 @@ void __cpuinit synchronise_count_master(void)
 	printk("done.\n");
 }
 
-void __cpuinit synchronise_count_slave(void)
+void __cpuinit synchronise_count_slave(int cpu)
 {
 	int i;
 	unsigned int initcount;
-	int ncpus;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MIPS_MT_SMTC
 	/*
@@ -127,16 +124,15 @@ void __cpuinit synchronise_count_slave(void)
 	 * so we first wait for the master to say everyone is ready
 	 */
 
-	while (!atomic_read(&count_start_flag))
+	while (atomic_read(&count_start_flag) != cpu)
 		mb();
 
 	/* Count will be initialised to next expire for all CPU's */
 	initcount = atomic_read(&count_reference);
 
-	ncpus = num_online_cpus();
 	for (i = 0; i < NR_LOOPS; i++) {
 		atomic_inc(&count_count_start);
-		while (atomic_read(&count_count_start) != ncpus)
+		while (atomic_read(&count_count_start) != 2)
 			mb();
 
 		/*
@@ -146,7 +142,7 @@ void __cpuinit synchronise_count_slave(void)
 			write_c0_count(initcount);
 
 		atomic_inc(&count_count_stop);
-		while (atomic_read(&count_count_stop) != ncpus)
+		while (atomic_read(&count_count_stop) != 2)
 			mb();
 	}
 	/* Arrange for an interrupt in a short while */