diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/vm/vm.h b/headers/private/kernel/vm/vm.h
index 9813f41196..ac78c7a25d 100644
--- a/headers/private/kernel/vm/vm.h
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/vm/vm.h
@@ -59,8 +59,9 @@ status_t vm_init_post_modules(struct kernel_args *args);
 void vm_free_kernel_args(struct kernel_args *args);
 void vm_free_unused_boot_loader_range(addr_t start, addr_t end);
 page_num_t vm_allocate_early_physical_page(kernel_args *args);
+page_num_t vm_allocate_early_physical_page_etc(kernel_args *args, phys_addr_t maxAddress = 0);
 addr_t vm_allocate_early(struct kernel_args *args, size_t virtualSize,
-			size_t physicalSize, uint32 attributes, addr_t alignment);
+	size_t physicalSize, uint32 attributes, addr_t alignment);
 
 void slab_init(struct kernel_args *args);
 void slab_init_post_area();
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.cpp b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.cpp
index 05991c7b0c..824974f03a 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86/paging/pae/X86PagingMethodPAE.cpp
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ private:
 		uint32 oldPageTableCount = virtualSize / B_PAGE_SIZE / 1024;
 		for (uint32 i = 0; i < oldPageTableCount; i++) {
 			// allocate a page
-			phys_addr_t physicalTable =_AllocatePage32Bit();
+			phys_addr_t physicalTable = _Allocate32BitPage();
 
 			// put the page into the page dir
 			page_directory_entry* entry = &fPageHolePageDir[
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ private:
 		// allocate and map the pages we need
 		for (uint32 i = 0; i < pagesNeeded; i++) {
 			// allocate a page
-			phys_addr_t physicalAddress =_AllocatePage32Bit();
+			phys_addr_t physicalAddress = _Allocate32BitPage();
 
 			// put the page into the page table
 			page_table_entry* entry = fPageHole + virtualBase / B_PAGE_SIZE + i;
@@ -281,21 +281,13 @@ private:
 			= (addr_t)(fAllocatedPages + pagesNeeded * B_PAGE_SIZE);
 	}
 
-	phys_addr_t _AllocatePage()
+	phys_addr_t _Allocate32BitPage()
 	{
 		phys_addr_t physicalAddress
-			= (phys_addr_t)vm_allocate_early_physical_page(fKernelArgs)
+			= (phys_addr_t)vm_allocate_early_physical_page_etc(fKernelArgs, 0xffffffff)
 				* B_PAGE_SIZE;
-		if (physicalAddress == 0)
-			panic("Failed to allocate page for the switch to PAE!");
-		return physicalAddress;
-	}
-
-	phys_addr_t _AllocatePage32Bit()
-	{
-		phys_addr_t physicalAddress = _AllocatePage();
-		if (physicalAddress > 0xffffffff) {
-			panic("Failed to allocate 32 bit addressable page for the switch "
+		if (physicalAddress == 0 || physicalAddress > 0xffffffff) {
+			panic("Failed to allocate 32-bit-addressable page for the switch "
 				"to PAE!");
 			return 0;
 		}
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/vm/vm.cpp b/src/system/kernel/vm/vm.cpp
index 38d2bcdaa3..b9ed4d7dd5 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/vm/vm.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/vm/vm.cpp
@@ -4336,18 +4336,31 @@ is_page_in_physical_memory_range(kernel_args* args, phys_addr_t address)
 
 page_num_t
 vm_allocate_early_physical_page(kernel_args* args)
+{
+	return vm_allocate_early_physical_page_etc(args);
+}
+
+
+page_num_t
+vm_allocate_early_physical_page_etc(kernel_args* args, phys_addr_t maxAddress)
 {
 	if (args->num_physical_allocated_ranges == 0) {
 		panic("early physical page allocations no longer possible!");
 		return 0;
 	}
+	if (maxAddress == 0)
+		maxAddress = __HAIKU_PHYS_ADDR_MAX;
 
 	// Try expanding the existing physical ranges upwards.
 	for (int32 i = args->num_physical_allocated_ranges - 1; i > 0; i--) {
 		addr_range& range = args->physical_allocated_range[i];
 		phys_addr_t nextPage = range.start + range.size;
 
-		// make sure the next page does not collide with the next allocated range
+		// check constraints
+		if (nextPage > maxAddress)
+			continue;
+
+		// make sure the page does not collide with the next allocated range
 		if ((i + 1) < (int32)args->num_physical_allocated_ranges) {
 			addr_range& nextRange = args->physical_allocated_range[i + 1];
 			if (nextRange.size != 0 && nextPage >= nextRange.start)
@@ -4366,7 +4379,11 @@ vm_allocate_early_physical_page(kernel_args* args)
 		addr_range& range = args->physical_allocated_range[i];
 		phys_addr_t nextPage = range.start - B_PAGE_SIZE;
 
-		// make sure the next page does not collide with the previous allocated range
+		// check constraints
+		if (nextPage > maxAddress)
+			continue;
+
+		// make sure the page does not collide with the previous allocated range
 		if (i > 0) {
 			addr_range& previousRange = args->physical_allocated_range[i - 1];
 			if (previousRange.size != 0 && nextPage < (previousRange.start + previousRange.size))
@@ -4393,6 +4410,8 @@ vm_allocate_early_physical_page(kernel_args* args)
 			// Ignore everything before the last-allocated page, as well as small ranges.
 			if (range.start < lastPage || range.size < (B_PAGE_SIZE * 128))
 				continue;
+			if (range.start > maxAddress)
+				break;
 
 			nextPage = range.start;
 			break;