diff --git a/arch/x86/Kconfig b/arch/x86/Kconfig
index 67745ceab0db..b2c0fce3f257 100644
--- a/arch/x86/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/Kconfig
@@ -462,8 +462,8 @@ config X86_X2APIC
 
 	  Some Intel systems circa 2022 and later are locked into x2APIC mode
 	  and can not fall back to the legacy APIC modes if SGX or TDX are
-	  enabled in the BIOS.  They will be unable to boot without enabling
-	  this option.
+	  enabled in the BIOS. They will boot with very reduced functionality
+	  without enabling this option.
 
 	  If you don't know what to do here, say N.
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/apic.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/apic.h
index 3415321c8240..3216da7074ba 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/apic.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/apic.h
@@ -249,7 +249,6 @@ static inline u64 native_x2apic_icr_read(void)
 extern int x2apic_mode;
 extern int x2apic_phys;
 extern void __init x2apic_set_max_apicid(u32 apicid);
-extern void __init check_x2apic(void);
 extern void x2apic_setup(void);
 static inline int x2apic_enabled(void)
 {
@@ -258,13 +257,13 @@ static inline int x2apic_enabled(void)
 
 #define x2apic_supported()	(boot_cpu_has(X86_FEATURE_X2APIC))
 #else /* !CONFIG_X86_X2APIC */
-static inline void check_x2apic(void) { }
 static inline void x2apic_setup(void) { }
 static inline int x2apic_enabled(void) { return 0; }
 
 #define x2apic_mode		(0)
 #define	x2apic_supported()	(0)
 #endif /* !CONFIG_X86_X2APIC */
+extern void __init check_x2apic(void);
 
 struct irq_data;
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/apic/apic.c b/arch/x86/kernel/apic/apic.c
index c6876d3ea4b1..20d9a604da7c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/apic/apic.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/apic/apic.c
@@ -1931,16 +1931,19 @@ void __init check_x2apic(void)
 	}
 }
 #else /* CONFIG_X86_X2APIC */
-static int __init validate_x2apic(void)
+void __init check_x2apic(void)
 {
 	if (!apic_is_x2apic_enabled())
-		return 0;
+		return;
 	/*
-	 * Checkme: Can we simply turn off x2apic here instead of panic?
+	 * Checkme: Can we simply turn off x2APIC here instead of disabling the APIC?
 	 */
-	panic("BIOS has enabled x2apic but kernel doesn't support x2apic, please disable x2apic in BIOS.\n");
+	pr_err("Kernel does not support x2APIC, please recompile with CONFIG_X86_X2APIC.\n");
+	pr_err("Disabling APIC, expect reduced performance and functionality.\n");
+
+	disable_apic = 1;
+	setup_clear_cpu_cap(X86_FEATURE_APIC);
 }
-early_initcall(validate_x2apic);
 
 static inline void try_to_enable_x2apic(int remap_mode) { }
 static inline void __x2apic_enable(void) { }