diff --git a/sys/amd64/amd64/pmap.c b/sys/amd64/amd64/pmap.c
index 9a2f35983a9e..d3f76dbdedd2 100644
--- a/sys/amd64/amd64/pmap.c
+++ b/sys/amd64/amd64/pmap.c
@@ -1523,15 +1523,13 @@ pmap_growkernel(vm_offset_t addr)
 		/*
 		 * This index is bogus, but out of the way
 		 */
-		nkpg = vm_page_alloc(kptobj, nkpt, VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM);
+		nkpg = vm_page_alloc(kptobj, nkpt,
+				     VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM | VM_ALLOC_WIRED);
 		if (!nkpg)
 			panic("pmap_growkernel: no memory to grow kernel");
 
 		nkpt++;
 
-		vm_page_lock_queues();
-		vm_page_wire(nkpg);
-		vm_page_unlock_queues();
 		pmap_zero_page(nkpg);
 		ptppaddr = VM_PAGE_TO_PHYS(nkpg);
 		newpdir = (pd_entry_t) (ptppaddr | PG_V | PG_RW | PG_A | PG_M);
diff --git a/sys/i386/i386/pmap.c b/sys/i386/i386/pmap.c
index 9a2f35983a9e..d3f76dbdedd2 100644
--- a/sys/i386/i386/pmap.c
+++ b/sys/i386/i386/pmap.c
@@ -1523,15 +1523,13 @@ pmap_growkernel(vm_offset_t addr)
 		/*
 		 * This index is bogus, but out of the way
 		 */
-		nkpg = vm_page_alloc(kptobj, nkpt, VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM);
+		nkpg = vm_page_alloc(kptobj, nkpt,
+				     VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM | VM_ALLOC_WIRED);
 		if (!nkpg)
 			panic("pmap_growkernel: no memory to grow kernel");
 
 		nkpt++;
 
-		vm_page_lock_queues();
-		vm_page_wire(nkpg);
-		vm_page_unlock_queues();
 		pmap_zero_page(nkpg);
 		ptppaddr = VM_PAGE_TO_PHYS(nkpg);
 		newpdir = (pd_entry_t) (ptppaddr | PG_V | PG_RW | PG_A | PG_M);
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c b/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
index 9c19863303c4..78754b6f6af2 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_bio.c
@@ -2693,13 +2693,13 @@ allocbuf(struct buf *bp, int size)
 					 * with paging I/O, no matter which
 					 * process we are.
 					 */
-					m = vm_page_alloc(obj, pi, VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM);
+					m = vm_page_alloc(obj, pi,
+					    VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM | VM_ALLOC_WIRED);
 					if (m == NULL) {
 						VM_WAIT;
 						vm_pageout_deficit += desiredpages - bp->b_npages;
 					} else {
 						vm_page_lock_queues();
-						vm_page_wire(m);
 						vm_page_wakeup(m);
 						vm_page_unlock_queues();
 						bp->b_flags &= ~B_CACHE;
@@ -3352,14 +3352,13 @@ vm_hold_load_pages(struct buf * bp, vm_offset_t from, vm_offset_t to)
 		 */
 		p = vm_page_alloc(kernel_object,
 			((pg - VM_MIN_KERNEL_ADDRESS) >> PAGE_SHIFT),
-		    VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM);
+		    VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM | VM_ALLOC_WIRED);
 		if (!p) {
 			vm_pageout_deficit += (to - from) >> PAGE_SHIFT;
 			VM_WAIT;
 			goto tryagain;
 		}
 		vm_page_lock_queues();
-		vm_page_wire(p);
 		p->valid = VM_PAGE_BITS_ALL;
 		vm_page_flag_clear(p, PG_ZERO);
 		vm_page_unlock_queues();