diff --git a/sys/alpha/alpha/pmap.c b/sys/alpha/alpha/pmap.c
index 9bc5884fa16e..6c825c96b63f 100644
--- a/sys/alpha/alpha/pmap.c
+++ b/sys/alpha/alpha/pmap.c
@@ -1561,14 +1561,14 @@ pmap_growkernel(vm_offset_t addr)
 		if (!pmap_pte_v(pte)) {
 			int pindex = NKLEV3MAPS + pmap_lev1_index(kernel_vm_end) - K1SEGLEV1I;
 
-			nkpg = vm_page_alloc(kptobj, pindex, VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM);
+			nkpg = vm_page_alloc(kptobj, pindex,
+			    VM_ALLOC_INTERRUPT | VM_ALLOC_WIRED);
 			if (!nkpg)
 				panic("pmap_growkernel: no memory to grow kernel");
 			printf("pmap_growkernel: growing to %lx\n", addr);
 			printf("pmap_growkernel: adding new level2 page table\n");
 
 			nklev2++;
-			vm_page_wire(nkpg);
 			pmap_zero_page(nkpg);
 
 			pa = VM_PAGE_TO_PHYS(nkpg);
@@ -1596,13 +1596,12 @@ pmap_growkernel(vm_offset_t addr)
 		/*
 		 * This index is bogus, but out of the way
 		 */
-		nkpg = vm_page_alloc(kptobj, nklev3, VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM);
+		nkpg = vm_page_alloc(kptobj, nklev3,
+		    VM_ALLOC_INTERRUPT | VM_ALLOC_WIRED);
 		if (!nkpg)
 			panic("pmap_growkernel: no memory to grow kernel");
 
 		nklev3++;
-
-		vm_page_wire(nkpg);
 		pmap_zero_page(nkpg);
 		pa = VM_PAGE_TO_PHYS(nkpg);
 		newlev2 = pmap_phys_to_pte(pa) | PG_V | PG_ASM | PG_KRE | PG_KWE;
diff --git a/sys/vm/vm_page.c b/sys/vm/vm_page.c
index 7dd23008ff91..e62e0d15b67a 100644
--- a/sys/vm/vm_page.c
+++ b/sys/vm/vm_page.c
@@ -834,19 +834,17 @@ vm_page_select_free(vm_object_t object, vm_pindex_t pindex, boolean_t prefer_zer
  *	the page cache in this case.
  */
 vm_page_t
-vm_page_alloc(vm_object_t object, vm_pindex_t pindex, int page_req)
+vm_page_alloc(vm_object_t object, vm_pindex_t pindex, int req)
 {
 	vm_page_t m = NULL;
-	boolean_t prefer_zero;
-	int s;
+	int page_req, s;
 
 	GIANT_REQUIRED;
 
 	KASSERT(!vm_page_lookup(object, pindex),
 		("vm_page_alloc: page already allocated"));
 
-	prefer_zero = (page_req & VM_ALLOC_ZERO) != 0 ? TRUE : FALSE;
-	page_req &= ~VM_ALLOC_ZERO;
+	page_req = req & VM_ALLOC_CLASS_MASK;
 
 	/*
 	 * The pager is allowed to eat deeper into the free page list.
@@ -863,7 +861,8 @@ vm_page_alloc(vm_object_t object, vm_pindex_t pindex, int page_req)
 		 * Allocate from the free queue if there are plenty of pages
 		 * in it.
 		 */
-		m = vm_page_select_free(object, pindex, prefer_zero);
+		m = vm_page_select_free(object, pindex,
+					(req & VM_ALLOC_ZERO) != 0);
 	} else if (
 	    (page_req == VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM && 
 	     cnt.v_cache_count == 0 && 
@@ -934,7 +933,11 @@ vm_page_alloc(vm_object_t object, vm_pindex_t pindex, int page_req)
 	} else {
 		m->flags = PG_BUSY;
 	}
-	m->wire_count = 0;
+	if (req & VM_ALLOC_WIRED) {
+		cnt.v_wire_count++;
+		m->wire_count = 1;
+	} else
+		m->wire_count = 0;
 	m->hold_count = 0;
 	m->act_count = 0;
 	m->busy = 0;
@@ -1241,9 +1244,7 @@ vm_page_wire(vm_page_t m)
 	 * it is already off the queues).
 	 */
 	s = splvm();
-#ifndef	__alpha__
 	mtx_assert(&vm_page_queue_mtx, MA_OWNED);
-#endif
 	if (m->wire_count == 0) {
 		if ((m->flags & PG_UNMANAGED) == 0)
 			vm_pageq_remove(m);
diff --git a/sys/vm/vm_page.h b/sys/vm/vm_page.h
index 17afdb84114a..fe215c0c05b8 100644
--- a/sys/vm/vm_page.h
+++ b/sys/vm/vm_page.h
@@ -307,11 +307,15 @@ extern struct mtx vm_page_queue_mtx;
 #define VM_PAGE_BITS_ALL 0xffff
 #endif
 
+/* page allocation classes: */
 #define VM_ALLOC_NORMAL		0
 #define VM_ALLOC_INTERRUPT	1
 #define VM_ALLOC_SYSTEM		2
+#define	VM_ALLOC_CLASS_MASK	3
+/* page allocation flags: */
+#define	VM_ALLOC_WIRED		0x20	/* vm_page_alloc() only */
 #define	VM_ALLOC_ZERO		0x40
-#define	VM_ALLOC_RETRY		0x80
+#define	VM_ALLOC_RETRY		0x80	/* vm_page_grab() only */
 
 void vm_page_flag_set(vm_page_t m, unsigned short bits);
 void vm_page_flag_clear(vm_page_t m, unsigned short bits);