int sis_apic_bug; /* not actually supported, dummy for compile */
 
+static int no_timer_check;
+
 static DEFINE_SPINLOCK(ioapic_lock);
 
 /*
                 * 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);
        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.