diff --git a/lib/psci/psci_setup.c b/lib/psci/psci_setup.c
index a841dda..c00bd94 100644
--- a/lib/psci/psci_setup.c
+++ b/lib/psci/psci_setup.c
@@ -266,8 +266,10 @@
  ******************************************************************************/
 void psci_arch_setup(void)
 {
+#if ARM_ARCH_MAJOR > 7 || defined(ARMV7_SUPPORTS_GENERIC_TIMER)
 	/* Program the counter frequency */
 	write_cntfrq_el0(plat_get_syscnt_freq2());
+#endif
 
 	/* Initialize the cpu_ops pointer. */
 	init_cpu_ops();
diff --git a/make_helpers/armv7-a-cpus.mk b/make_helpers/armv7-a-cpus.mk
index 120b36c..20e7ec5 100644
--- a/make_helpers/armv7-a-cpus.mk
+++ b/make_helpers/armv7-a-cpus.mk
@@ -39,8 +39,12 @@
 #
 # ARMV7_SUPPORTS_VIRTUALIZATION
 # Defined if ARMv7 core supports the Virtualization extension.
+#
+# ARMV7_SUPPORTS_GENERIC_TIMER
+# Defined if ARMv7 core supports the Generic Timer extension.
 
 ifeq ($(filter yes,$(ARM_CORTEX_A7) $(ARM_CORTEX_A12) $(ARM_CORTEX_A15) $(ARM_CORTEX_A17)),yes)
 $(eval $(call add_define,ARMV7_SUPPORTS_LARGE_PAGE_ADDRESSING))
 $(eval $(call add_define,ARMV7_SUPPORTS_VIRTUALIZATION))
+$(eval $(call add_define,ARMV7_SUPPORTS_GENERIC_TIMER))
 endif