diff --git a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu_init.c b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu_init.c
index 16e7bf5fd546ebf68046b9117c13ee21f81136bc..dc601a12976f2cd0be7a083be97407d6fd761bb3 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu_init.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/cpu_init.c
@@ -38,7 +38,10 @@ void cpu_init_f(immap_t __iomem *immr)
 	/* unlock TBSCRK */
 
 	out_be32(&immr->im_sitk.sitk_tbscrk, KAPWR_KEY);
-	out_be16(&immr->im_sit.sit_tbscr, CONFIG_SYS_TBSCR);
+	out_be16(&immr->im_sit.sit_tbscr, CONFIG_SYS_TBSCR | TBSCR_TBE);
+
+	/* Unlock timebase register */
+	out_be32(&immr->im_sitk.sitk_tbk, KAPWR_KEY);
 
 	/* initialize the PIT (11-31) */
 
diff --git a/arch/powerpc/lib/time.c b/arch/powerpc/lib/time.c
index 41a271a42de242380002586f715a39ba75482fe5..ff9bb67e28686a9ec4b54bb9aa474e7184e75757 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/lib/time.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/lib/time.c
@@ -65,21 +65,10 @@ int timer_init(void)
 {
 	unsigned long temp;
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_8xx)
-	immap_t __iomem *immap = (immap_t __iomem *)CONFIG_SYS_IMMR;
-
-	/* unlock */
-	out_be32(&immap->im_sitk.sitk_tbk, KAPWR_KEY);
-#endif
-
 	/* reset */
 	asm volatile("li %0,0 ; mttbu %0 ; mttbl %0;"
 	     : "=&r"(temp) );
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_8xx)
-	/* enable */
-	setbits_be16(&immap->im_sit.sit_tbscr, TBSCR_TBE);
-#endif
 	return (0);
 }
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- */