diff --git a/src/system/boot/platform/openfirmware/start.cpp b/src/system/boot/platform/openfirmware/start.cpp
index 7d67729b13..15a5ce6cba 100644
--- a/src/system/boot/platform/openfirmware/start.cpp
+++ b/src/system/boot/platform/openfirmware/start.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ clear_bss(void)
 static void 
 determine_machine(void)
 {
+	gMachine = MACHINE_UNKNOWN;
+
 	int root = of_finddevice("/");
 	char buffer[64];
 	int length;
@@ -64,8 +66,6 @@ determine_machine(void)
 
 	// ToDo: add more, and be as generic as possible
 
-	gMachine = MACHINE_UNKNOWN;
-
 	if (!strcasecmp("chrp", buffer))
 		gMachine = MACHINE_CHRP;
 	else if (!strcasecmp("bootrom", buffer))