diff --git a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/nonsec_virt.S b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/nonsec_virt.S
index d11eb2dc63..3dd60b7137 100644
--- a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/nonsec_virt.S
+++ b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/nonsec_virt.S
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@
  */
 
 #include <config.h>
+#include <linux/linkage.h>
+#include <asm/gic.h>
+#include <asm/armv7.h>
+
+.arch_extension sec
 
 /* the vector table for secure state */
 _monitor_vectors:
@@ -51,3 +56,85 @@ _secure_monitor:
 	mcr	p15, 0, r1, c1, c1, 0		@ write SCR (with NS bit set)
 
 	movs	pc, lr				@ return to non-secure SVC
+
+/*
+ * Switch a core to non-secure state.
+ *
+ *  1. initialize the GIC per-core interface
+ *  2. allow coprocessor access in non-secure modes
+ *  3. switch the cpu mode (by calling "smc #0")
+ *
+ * Called from smp_pen by secondary cores and directly by the BSP.
+ * Do not assume that the stack is available and only use registers
+ * r0-r3 and r12.
+ *
+ * PERIPHBASE is used to get the GIC address. This could be 40 bits long,
+ * though, but we check this in C before calling this function.
+ */
+ENTRY(_nonsec_init)
+#ifdef CONFIG_ARM_GIC_BASE_ADDRESS
+	ldr	r2, =CONFIG_ARM_GIC_BASE_ADDRESS
+#else
+	mrc	p15, 4, r2, c15, c0, 0		@ read CBAR
+	bfc	r2, #0, #15			@ clear reserved bits
+#endif
+	add	r3, r2, #GIC_DIST_OFFSET	@ GIC dist i/f offset
+	mvn	r1, #0				@ all bits to 1
+	str	r1, [r3, #GICD_IGROUPRn]	@ allow private interrupts
+
+	mrc	p15, 0, r0, c0, c0, 0		@ read MIDR
+	ldr	r1, =MIDR_PRIMARY_PART_MASK
+	and	r0, r0, r1			@ mask out variant and revision
+
+	ldr	r1, =MIDR_CORTEX_A7_R0P0 & MIDR_PRIMARY_PART_MASK
+	cmp	r0, r1				@ check for Cortex-A7
+
+	ldr	r1, =MIDR_CORTEX_A15_R0P0 & MIDR_PRIMARY_PART_MASK
+	cmpne	r0, r1				@ check for Cortex-A15
+
+	movne	r1, #GIC_CPU_OFFSET_A9		@ GIC CPU offset for A9
+	moveq	r1, #GIC_CPU_OFFSET_A15		@ GIC CPU offset for A15/A7
+	add	r3, r2, r1			@ r3 = GIC CPU i/f addr
+
+	mov	r1, #1				@ set GICC_CTLR[enable]
+	str	r1, [r3, #GICC_CTLR]		@ and clear all other bits
+	mov	r1, #0xff
+	str	r1, [r3, #GICC_PMR]		@ set priority mask register
+
+	movw	r1, #0x3fff
+	movt	r1, #0x0006
+	mcr	p15, 0, r1, c1, c1, 2		@ NSACR = all copros to non-sec
+
+/* The CNTFRQ register of the generic timer needs to be
+ * programmed in secure state. Some primary bootloaders / firmware
+ * omit this, so if the frequency is provided in the configuration,
+ * we do this here instead.
+ * But first check if we have the generic timer.
+ */
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYS_CLK_FREQ
+	mrc	p15, 0, r0, c0, c1, 1		@ read ID_PFR1
+	and	r0, r0, #CPUID_ARM_GENTIMER_MASK	@ mask arch timer bits
+	cmp	r0, #(1 << CPUID_ARM_GENTIMER_SHIFT)
+	ldreq	r1, =CONFIG_SYS_CLK_FREQ
+	mcreq	p15, 0, r1, c14, c0, 0		@ write CNTFRQ
+#endif
+
+	adr	r1, _monitor_vectors
+	mcr	p15, 0, r1, c12, c0, 1		@ set MVBAR to secure vectors
+
+	mrc	p15, 0, ip, c12, c0, 0		@ save secure copy of VBAR
+
+	isb
+	smc	#0				@ call into MONITOR mode
+
+	mcr	p15, 0, ip, c12, c0, 0		@ write non-secure copy of VBAR
+
+	mov	r1, #1
+	str	r1, [r3, #GICC_CTLR]		@ enable non-secure CPU i/f
+	add	r2, r2, #GIC_DIST_OFFSET
+	str	r1, [r2, #GICD_CTLR]		@ allow private interrupts
+
+	mov	r0, r3				@ return GICC address
+
+	bx	lr
+ENDPROC(_nonsec_init)
diff --git a/arch/arm/include/asm/armv7.h b/arch/arm/include/asm/armv7.h
index 0f7cbbfc12..3dcfc8fb29 100644
--- a/arch/arm/include/asm/armv7.h
+++ b/arch/arm/include/asm/armv7.h
@@ -18,6 +18,22 @@
 #define MIDR_CORTEX_A15_R0P0	0x410FC0F0
 #define MIDR_CORTEX_A15_R2P2	0x412FC0F2
 
+/* Cortex-A7 revisions */
+#define MIDR_CORTEX_A7_R0P0	0x410FC070
+
+#define MIDR_PRIMARY_PART_MASK	0xFF0FFFF0
+
+/* ID_PFR1 feature fields */
+#define CPUID_ARM_SEC_SHIFT		4
+#define CPUID_ARM_SEC_MASK		(0xF << CPUID_ARM_SEC_SHIFT)
+#define CPUID_ARM_VIRT_SHIFT		12
+#define CPUID_ARM_VIRT_MASK		(0xF << CPUID_ARM_VIRT_SHIFT)
+#define CPUID_ARM_GENTIMER_SHIFT	16
+#define CPUID_ARM_GENTIMER_MASK		(0xF << CPUID_ARM_GENTIMER_SHIFT)
+
+/* valid bits in CBAR register / PERIPHBASE value */
+#define CBAR_MASK			0xFFFF8000
+
 /* CCSIDR */
 #define CCSIDR_LINE_SIZE_OFFSET		0
 #define CCSIDR_LINE_SIZE_MASK		0x7
@@ -60,6 +76,11 @@ void v7_outer_cache_inval_all(void);
 void v7_outer_cache_flush_range(u32 start, u32 end);
 void v7_outer_cache_inval_range(u32 start, u32 end);
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_ARMV7_NONSEC
+/* defined in assembly file */
+unsigned int _nonsec_init(void);
+#endif /* CONFIG_ARMV7_NONSEC */
+
 #endif /* ! __ASSEMBLY__ */
 
 #endif
diff --git a/arch/arm/include/asm/gic.h b/arch/arm/include/asm/gic.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c2b1e28624
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/arm/include/asm/gic.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#ifndef __GIC_V2_H__
+#define __GIC_V2_H__
+
+/* register offsets for the ARM generic interrupt controller (GIC) */
+
+#define GIC_DIST_OFFSET		0x1000
+#define GICD_CTLR		0x0000
+#define GICD_TYPER		0x0004
+#define GICD_IGROUPRn		0x0080
+#define GICD_SGIR		0x0F00
+
+#define GIC_CPU_OFFSET_A9	0x0100
+#define GIC_CPU_OFFSET_A15	0x2000
+#define GICC_CTLR		0x0000
+#define GICC_PMR		0x0004
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/configs/vexpress_ca15_tc2.h b/include/configs/vexpress_ca15_tc2.h
index d1431e5c75..89ce1c711c 100644
--- a/include/configs/vexpress_ca15_tc2.h
+++ b/include/configs/vexpress_ca15_tc2.h
@@ -15,6 +15,4 @@
 #include "vexpress_common.h"
 #define CONFIG_BOOTP_VCI_STRING     "U-boot.armv7.vexpress_ca15x2_tc2"
 
-#define CONFIG_SYS_CLK_FREQ 24000000
-
 #endif