diff --git a/arch/x86/boot/compressed/head_64.S b/arch/x86/boot/compressed/head_64.S
index 077e1b69198e..faff0dc9c06a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/boot/compressed/head_64.S
+++ b/arch/x86/boot/compressed/head_64.S
@@ -107,8 +107,7 @@ ENTRY(startup_32)
 	lgdt	gdt(%ebp)
 
 	/* Enable PAE mode */
-	xorl	%eax, %eax
-	orl	$(X86_CR4_PAE), %eax
+	movl	$(X86_CR4_PAE), %eax
 	movl	%eax, %cr4
 
  /*