diff --git a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.cpp b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.cpp
index 280fa651c8..c97702d11b 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
+#include <util/AutoLock.h>
 #include <vm/vm.h>
+#include <vm/vm_page.h>
 #include <vm/VMAddressSpace.h>
 
 #include "paging/32bit/paging.h"
@@ -38,6 +40,10 @@
 using X86LargePhysicalPageMapper::PhysicalPageSlot;
 
 
+// number of 32 bit pages that will be cached
+static const page_num_t kMaxFree32BitPagesCount = 32;
+
+
 // #pragma mark - ToPAESwitcher
 
 
@@ -472,8 +478,11 @@ X86PagingMethodPAE::PhysicalPageSlotPool::AllocatePool(
 X86PagingMethodPAE::X86PagingMethodPAE()
 	:
 	fPhysicalPageMapper(NULL),
-	fKernelPhysicalPageMapper(NULL)
+	fKernelPhysicalPageMapper(NULL),
+	fFreePages(NULL),
+	fFreePagesCount(0)
 {
+	mutex_init(&fFreePagesLock, "x86 PAE free pages");
 }
 
 
@@ -528,6 +537,14 @@ X86PagingMethodPAE::InitPostArea(kernel_args* args)
 	if (error != B_OK)
 		return error;
 
+	// The early physical page mapping mechanism is no longer needed. Unmap the
+	// slot.
+	*fFreeVirtualSlotPTE = 0;
+	invalidate_TLB(fFreeVirtualSlot);
+
+	fFreeVirtualSlotPTE = NULL;
+	fFreeVirtualSlot = 0;
+
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
@@ -645,6 +662,71 @@ X86PagingMethodPAE::PutPageTableEntryInTable(pae_page_table_entry* entry,
 }
 
 
+void*
+X86PagingMethodPAE::Allocate32BitPage(phys_addr_t& _physicalAddress,
+	void*& _handle)
+{
+	// get a free page
+	MutexLocker locker(fFreePagesLock);
+	vm_page* page;
+	if (fFreePages != NULL) {
+		page = fFreePages;
+		fFreePages = page->cache_next;
+		fFreePagesCount--;
+		locker.Unlock();
+	} else {
+		// no pages -- allocate one
+		locker.Unlock();
+		page = vm_page_allocate_page_run(PAGE_STATE_UNUSED, 0, 0x100000000LL, 1,
+			VM_PRIORITY_SYSTEM);
+		DEBUG_PAGE_ACCESS_END(page);
+		if (page == NULL)
+			return NULL;
+	}
+
+	// map the page
+	phys_addr_t physicalAddress
+		= (phys_addr_t)page->physical_page_number * B_PAGE_SIZE;
+	addr_t virtualAddress;
+	if (fPhysicalPageMapper->GetPage(physicalAddress, &virtualAddress, &_handle)
+			!= B_OK) {
+		// mapping failed -- free page
+		locker.Lock();
+		page->cache_next = fFreePages;
+		fFreePages = page;
+		fFreePagesCount++;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	_physicalAddress = physicalAddress;
+	return (void*)virtualAddress;
+}
+
+
+void
+X86PagingMethodPAE::Free32BitPage(void* address, phys_addr_t physicalAddress,
+	void* handle)
+{
+	// unmap the page
+	fPhysicalPageMapper->PutPage((addr_t)address, handle);
+
+	// free it
+	vm_page* page = vm_lookup_page(physicalAddress / B_PAGE_SIZE);
+	MutexLocker locker(fFreePagesLock);
+	if (fFreePagesCount < kMaxFree32BitPagesCount) {
+		// cache not full yet -- cache it
+		page->cache_next = fFreePages;
+		fFreePages = page;
+		fFreePagesCount++;
+	} else {
+		// cache full -- free it
+		locker.Unlock();
+		DEBUG_PAGE_ACCESS_START(page);
+		vm_page_free(NULL, page);
+	}
+}
+
+
 bool
 X86PagingMethodPAE::_EarlyQuery(addr_t virtualAddress,
 	phys_addr_t* _physicalAddress)
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.h b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.h
index 95c0112013..11eef705b1 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.h
+++ b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.h
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
 
 #include <KernelExport.h>
 
+#include <lock.h>
+#include <vm/vm_types.h>
+
 #include "paging/pae/paging.h"
 #include "paging/X86PagingMethod.h"
 #include "paging/X86PagingStructures.h"
@@ -41,6 +44,12 @@ public:
 	virtual	bool				IsKernelPageAccessible(addr_t virtualAddress,
 									uint32 protection);
 
+			void*				Allocate32BitPage(
+									phys_addr_t& _physicalAddress,
+									void*& _handle);
+			void				Free32BitPage(void* address,
+									phys_addr_t physicalAddress, void* handle);
+
 	inline	X86PhysicalPageMapper* PhysicalPageMapper() const
 									{ return fPhysicalPageMapper; }
 	inline	TranslationMapPhysicalPageMapper* KernelPhysicalPageMapper() const
@@ -108,6 +117,10 @@ private:
 			phys_addr_t			fKernelPhysicalPageDirs[4];
 			addr_t				fFreeVirtualSlot;
 			pae_page_table_entry* fFreeVirtualSlotPTE;
+
+			mutex				fFreePagesLock;
+			vm_page*			fFreePages;
+			page_num_t			fFreePagesCount;
 };