diff --git a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
index a0c5c5f4fce6..fd5c913c33c1 100644
--- a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -1885,6 +1885,9 @@ bytes respectively. Such letter suffixes can also be entirely omitted.
 			arch_perfmon: [X86] Force use of architectural
 				perfmon on Intel CPUs instead of the
 				CPU specific event set.
+			timer: [X86] Force use of architectural NMI
+				timer mode (see also oprofile.timer
+				for generic hr timer mode)
 
 	oops=panic	Always panic on oopses. Default is to just kill the
 			process, but there is a small probability of
diff --git a/arch/Kconfig b/arch/Kconfig
index 4b0669cbb3b0..2505740b81d2 100644
--- a/arch/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/Kconfig
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ config OPROFILE_EVENT_MULTIPLEX
 config HAVE_OPROFILE
 	bool
 
+config OPROFILE_NMI_TIMER
+	def_bool y
+	depends on PERF_EVENTS && HAVE_PERF_EVENTS_NMI
+
 config KPROBES
 	bool "Kprobes"
 	depends on MODULES
diff --git a/arch/x86/oprofile/Makefile b/arch/x86/oprofile/Makefile
index 446902b2a6b6..1599f568f0e2 100644
--- a/arch/x86/oprofile/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/oprofile/Makefile
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ DRIVER_OBJS = $(addprefix ../../../drivers/oprofile/, \
 		oprof.o cpu_buffer.o buffer_sync.o \
 		event_buffer.o oprofile_files.o \
 		oprofilefs.o oprofile_stats.o  \
-		timer_int.o )
+		timer_int.o nmi_timer_int.o )
 
 oprofile-y				:= $(DRIVER_OBJS) init.o backtrace.o
 oprofile-$(CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC) 	+= nmi_int.o op_model_amd.o \
 					   op_model_ppro.o op_model_p4.o
-oprofile-$(CONFIG_X86_IO_APIC)		+= nmi_timer_int.o
diff --git a/arch/x86/oprofile/init.c b/arch/x86/oprofile/init.c
index cdfe4c54deca..9e138d00ad36 100644
--- a/arch/x86/oprofile/init.c
+++ b/arch/x86/oprofile/init.c
@@ -16,34 +16,23 @@
  * with the NMI mode driver.
  */
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC
 extern int op_nmi_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops);
-extern int op_nmi_timer_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops);
 extern void op_nmi_exit(void);
-extern void x86_backtrace(struct pt_regs * const regs, unsigned int depth);
+#else
+static int op_nmi_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops) { return -ENODEV; }
+static void op_nmi_exit(void) { }
+#endif
 
+extern void x86_backtrace(struct pt_regs * const regs, unsigned int depth);
 
 int __init oprofile_arch_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops)
 {
-	int ret;
-
-	ret = -ENODEV;
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC
-	ret = op_nmi_init(ops);
-#endif
-#ifdef CONFIG_X86_IO_APIC
-	if (ret < 0)
-		ret = op_nmi_timer_init(ops);
-#endif
 	ops->backtrace = x86_backtrace;
-
-	return ret;
+	return op_nmi_init(ops);
 }
 
-
 void oprofile_arch_exit(void)
 {
-#ifdef CONFIG_X86_LOCAL_APIC
 	op_nmi_exit();
-#endif
 }
diff --git a/arch/x86/oprofile/nmi_int.c b/arch/x86/oprofile/nmi_int.c
index 75f9528e0372..26b8a8514ee5 100644
--- a/arch/x86/oprofile/nmi_int.c
+++ b/arch/x86/oprofile/nmi_int.c
@@ -595,24 +595,36 @@ static int __init p4_init(char **cpu_type)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int force_arch_perfmon;
-static int force_cpu_type(const char *str, struct kernel_param *kp)
+enum __force_cpu_type {
+	reserved = 0,		/* do not force */
+	timer,
+	arch_perfmon,
+};
+
+static int force_cpu_type;
+
+static int set_cpu_type(const char *str, struct kernel_param *kp)
 {
-	if (!strcmp(str, "arch_perfmon")) {
-		force_arch_perfmon = 1;
+	if (!strcmp(str, "timer")) {
+		force_cpu_type = timer;
+		printk(KERN_INFO "oprofile: forcing NMI timer mode\n");
+	} else if (!strcmp(str, "arch_perfmon")) {
+		force_cpu_type = arch_perfmon;
 		printk(KERN_INFO "oprofile: forcing architectural perfmon\n");
+	} else {
+		force_cpu_type = 0;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
-module_param_call(cpu_type, force_cpu_type, NULL, NULL, 0);
+module_param_call(cpu_type, set_cpu_type, NULL, NULL, 0);
 
 static int __init ppro_init(char **cpu_type)
 {
 	__u8 cpu_model = boot_cpu_data.x86_model;
 	struct op_x86_model_spec *spec = &op_ppro_spec;	/* default */
 
-	if (force_arch_perfmon && cpu_has_arch_perfmon)
+	if (force_cpu_type == arch_perfmon && cpu_has_arch_perfmon)
 		return 0;
 
 	/*
@@ -679,6 +691,9 @@ int __init op_nmi_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops)
 	if (!cpu_has_apic)
 		return -ENODEV;
 
+	if (force_cpu_type == timer)
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	switch (vendor) {
 	case X86_VENDOR_AMD:
 		/* Needs to be at least an Athlon (or hammer in 32bit mode) */
diff --git a/arch/x86/oprofile/nmi_timer_int.c b/arch/x86/oprofile/nmi_timer_int.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 7f8052cd6620..000000000000
--- a/arch/x86/oprofile/nmi_timer_int.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * @file nmi_timer_int.c
- *
- * @remark Copyright 2003 OProfile authors
- * @remark Read the file COPYING
- *
- * @author Zwane Mwaikambo <zwane@linuxpower.ca>
- */
-
-#include <linux/init.h>
-#include <linux/smp.h>
-#include <linux/errno.h>
-#include <linux/oprofile.h>
-#include <linux/rcupdate.h>
-#include <linux/kdebug.h>
-
-#include <asm/nmi.h>
-#include <asm/apic.h>
-#include <asm/ptrace.h>
-
-static int profile_timer_exceptions_notify(unsigned int val, struct pt_regs *regs)
-{
-	oprofile_add_sample(regs, 0);
-	return NMI_HANDLED;
-}
-
-static int timer_start(void)
-{
-	if (register_nmi_handler(NMI_LOCAL, profile_timer_exceptions_notify,
-					0, "oprofile-timer"))
-		return 1;
-	return 0;
-}
-
-
-static void timer_stop(void)
-{
-	unregister_nmi_handler(NMI_LOCAL, "oprofile-timer");
-	synchronize_sched();  /* Allow already-started NMIs to complete. */
-}
-
-
-int __init op_nmi_timer_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops)
-{
-	ops->start = timer_start;
-	ops->stop = timer_stop;
-	ops->cpu_type = "timer";
-	printk(KERN_INFO "oprofile: using NMI timer interrupt.\n");
-	return 0;
-}
diff --git a/drivers/oprofile/nmi_timer_int.c b/drivers/oprofile/nmi_timer_int.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..76f1c9357f39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drivers/oprofile/nmi_timer_int.c
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+/**
+ * @file nmi_timer_int.c
+ *
+ * @remark Copyright 2011 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
+ *
+ * @author Robert Richter <robert.richter@amd.com>
+ */
+
+#include <linux/init.h>
+#include <linux/smp.h>
+#include <linux/errno.h>
+#include <linux/oprofile.h>
+#include <linux/perf_event.h>
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_OPROFILE_NMI_TIMER
+
+static DEFINE_PER_CPU(struct perf_event *, nmi_timer_events);
+static int ctr_running;
+
+static struct perf_event_attr nmi_timer_attr = {
+	.type           = PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE,
+	.config         = PERF_COUNT_HW_CPU_CYCLES,
+	.size           = sizeof(struct perf_event_attr),
+	.pinned         = 1,
+	.disabled       = 1,
+};
+
+static void nmi_timer_callback(struct perf_event *event,
+			       struct perf_sample_data *data,
+			       struct pt_regs *regs)
+{
+	event->hw.interrupts = 0;       /* don't throttle interrupts */
+	oprofile_add_sample(regs, 0);
+}
+
+static int nmi_timer_start_cpu(int cpu)
+{
+	struct perf_event *event = per_cpu(nmi_timer_events, cpu);
+
+	if (!event) {
+		event = perf_event_create_kernel_counter(&nmi_timer_attr, cpu, NULL,
+							 nmi_timer_callback, NULL);
+		if (IS_ERR(event))
+			return PTR_ERR(event);
+		per_cpu(nmi_timer_events, cpu) = event;
+	}
+
+	if (event && ctr_running)
+		perf_event_enable(event);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void nmi_timer_stop_cpu(int cpu)
+{
+	struct perf_event *event = per_cpu(nmi_timer_events, cpu);
+
+	if (event && ctr_running)
+		perf_event_disable(event);
+}
+
+static int nmi_timer_cpu_notifier(struct notifier_block *b, unsigned long action,
+				  void *data)
+{
+	int cpu = (unsigned long)data;
+	switch (action) {
+	case CPU_DOWN_FAILED:
+	case CPU_ONLINE:
+		nmi_timer_start_cpu(cpu);
+		break;
+	case CPU_DOWN_PREPARE:
+		nmi_timer_stop_cpu(cpu);
+		break;
+	}
+	return NOTIFY_DONE;
+}
+
+static struct notifier_block nmi_timer_cpu_nb = {
+	.notifier_call = nmi_timer_cpu_notifier
+};
+
+static int nmi_timer_start(void)
+{
+	int cpu;
+
+	get_online_cpus();
+	ctr_running = 1;
+	for_each_online_cpu(cpu)
+		nmi_timer_start_cpu(cpu);
+	put_online_cpus();
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void nmi_timer_stop(void)
+{
+	int cpu;
+
+	get_online_cpus();
+	for_each_online_cpu(cpu)
+		nmi_timer_stop_cpu(cpu);
+	ctr_running = 0;
+	put_online_cpus();
+}
+
+static void nmi_timer_shutdown(void)
+{
+	struct perf_event *event;
+	int cpu;
+
+	get_online_cpus();
+	unregister_cpu_notifier(&nmi_timer_cpu_nb);
+	for_each_possible_cpu(cpu) {
+		event = per_cpu(nmi_timer_events, cpu);
+		if (!event)
+			continue;
+		perf_event_disable(event);
+		per_cpu(nmi_timer_events, cpu) = NULL;
+		perf_event_release_kernel(event);
+	}
+
+	put_online_cpus();
+}
+
+static int nmi_timer_setup(void)
+{
+	int cpu, err;
+	u64 period;
+
+	/* clock cycles per tick: */
+	period = (u64)cpu_khz * 1000;
+	do_div(period, HZ);
+	nmi_timer_attr.sample_period = period;
+
+	get_online_cpus();
+	err = register_cpu_notifier(&nmi_timer_cpu_nb);
+	if (err)
+		goto out;
+	/* can't attach events to offline cpus: */
+	for_each_online_cpu(cpu) {
+		err = nmi_timer_start_cpu(cpu);
+		if (err)
+			break;
+	}
+	if (err)
+		nmi_timer_shutdown();
+out:
+	put_online_cpus();
+	return err;
+}
+
+int __init op_nmi_timer_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops)
+{
+	int err = 0;
+
+	err = nmi_timer_setup();
+	if (err)
+		return err;
+	nmi_timer_shutdown();		/* only check, don't alloc */
+
+	ops->create_files	= NULL;
+	ops->setup		= nmi_timer_setup;
+	ops->shutdown		= nmi_timer_shutdown;
+	ops->start		= nmi_timer_start;
+	ops->stop		= nmi_timer_stop;
+	ops->cpu_type		= "timer";
+
+	printk(KERN_INFO "oprofile: using NMI timer interrupt.\n");
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/drivers/oprofile/oprof.c b/drivers/oprofile/oprof.c
index dccd8636095c..ed2c3ec07024 100644
--- a/drivers/oprofile/oprof.c
+++ b/drivers/oprofile/oprof.c
@@ -239,26 +239,39 @@ int oprofile_set_ulong(unsigned long *addr, unsigned long val)
 	return err;
 }
 
+static int timer_mode;
+
 static int __init oprofile_init(void)
 {
 	int err;
 
+	/* always init architecture to setup backtrace support */
+	timer_mode = 0;
 	err = oprofile_arch_init(&oprofile_ops);
-	if (err < 0 || timer) {
-		printk(KERN_INFO "oprofile: using timer interrupt.\n");
+	if (!err) {
+		if (!timer && !oprofilefs_register())
+			return 0;
+		oprofile_arch_exit();
+	}
+
+	/* setup timer mode: */
+	timer_mode = 1;
+	/* no nmi timer mode if oprofile.timer is set */
+	if (timer || op_nmi_timer_init(&oprofile_ops)) {
 		err = oprofile_timer_init(&oprofile_ops);
 		if (err)
 			return err;
 	}
+
 	return oprofilefs_register();
 }
 
 
 static void __exit oprofile_exit(void)
 {
-	oprofile_timer_exit();
 	oprofilefs_unregister();
-	oprofile_arch_exit();
+	if (!timer_mode)
+		oprofile_arch_exit();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/drivers/oprofile/oprof.h b/drivers/oprofile/oprof.h
index 177b73de5e5f..769fb0fcac44 100644
--- a/drivers/oprofile/oprof.h
+++ b/drivers/oprofile/oprof.h
@@ -36,6 +36,15 @@ struct dentry;
 void oprofile_create_files(struct super_block *sb, struct dentry *root);
 int oprofile_timer_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops);
 void oprofile_timer_exit(void);
+#ifdef CONFIG_OPROFILE_NMI_TIMER
+int op_nmi_timer_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops);
+#else
+static inline int op_nmi_timer_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops)
+{
+	return -ENODEV;
+}
+#endif
+
 
 int oprofile_set_ulong(unsigned long *addr, unsigned long val);
 int oprofile_set_timeout(unsigned long time);
diff --git a/drivers/oprofile/timer_int.c b/drivers/oprofile/timer_int.c
index 3ef44624f510..93404f72dfa8 100644
--- a/drivers/oprofile/timer_int.c
+++ b/drivers/oprofile/timer_int.c
@@ -97,23 +97,24 @@ static struct notifier_block __refdata oprofile_cpu_notifier = {
 	.notifier_call = oprofile_cpu_notify,
 };
 
-int oprofile_timer_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops)
+static int oprofile_hrtimer_setup(void)
 {
-	int rc;
-
-	rc = register_hotcpu_notifier(&oprofile_cpu_notifier);
-	if (rc)
-		return rc;
-	ops->create_files = NULL;
-	ops->setup = NULL;
-	ops->shutdown = NULL;
-	ops->start = oprofile_hrtimer_start;
-	ops->stop = oprofile_hrtimer_stop;
-	ops->cpu_type = "timer";
-	return 0;
+	return register_hotcpu_notifier(&oprofile_cpu_notifier);
 }
 
-void oprofile_timer_exit(void)
+static void oprofile_hrtimer_shutdown(void)
 {
 	unregister_hotcpu_notifier(&oprofile_cpu_notifier);
 }
+
+int oprofile_timer_init(struct oprofile_operations *ops)
+{
+	ops->create_files	= NULL;
+	ops->setup		= oprofile_hrtimer_setup;
+	ops->shutdown		= oprofile_hrtimer_shutdown;
+	ops->start		= oprofile_hrtimer_start;
+	ops->stop		= oprofile_hrtimer_stop;
+	ops->cpu_type		= "timer";
+	printk(KERN_INFO "oprofile: using timer interrupt.\n");
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 8d9dea56c262..924338bb489c 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -1322,6 +1322,7 @@ void perf_event_disable(struct perf_event *event)
 	}
 	raw_spin_unlock_irq(&ctx->lock);
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(perf_event_disable);
 
 static void perf_set_shadow_time(struct perf_event *event,
 				 struct perf_event_context *ctx,
@@ -1806,6 +1807,7 @@ void perf_event_enable(struct perf_event *event)
 out:
 	raw_spin_unlock_irq(&ctx->lock);
 }
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(perf_event_enable);
 
 int perf_event_refresh(struct perf_event *event, int refresh)
 {