diff --git a/sys/amd64/ia32/ia32_sigtramp.S b/sys/amd64/ia32/ia32_sigtramp.S
index 2e9f73d41bce..0387cb7f34f7 100644
--- a/sys/amd64/ia32/ia32_sigtramp.S
+++ b/sys/amd64/ia32/ia32_sigtramp.S
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 	.code32
 /*
  * Signal trampoline, copied to top of user stack
+ * XXX may need to be MD to match backend sendsig handoff protocol
  */
 	ALIGN_TEXT
 	.globl	ia32_sigcode
diff --git a/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_genassym.c b/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_genassym.c
index d356714007fc..ef49c3aadae4 100644
--- a/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_genassym.c
+++ b/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_genassym.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 #include <sys/systm.h>
 #include <sys/signal.h>
 
-#include <amd64/ia32/ia32_signal.h>
+#include <compat/ia32/ia32_signal.h>
 
 ASSYM(IA32_SIGF_HANDLER, offsetof(struct ia32_sigframe, sf_ah));
 ASSYM(IA32_SIGF_UC, offsetof(struct ia32_sigframe, sf_uc));
diff --git a/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_sigtramp.S b/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_sigtramp.S
index 2e9f73d41bce..0387cb7f34f7 100644
--- a/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_sigtramp.S
+++ b/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_sigtramp.S
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 	.code32
 /*
  * Signal trampoline, copied to top of user stack
+ * XXX may need to be MD to match backend sendsig handoff protocol
  */
 	ALIGN_TEXT
 	.globl	ia32_sigcode
diff --git a/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_sysvec.c b/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_sysvec.c
index cfd7d3522ffb..a8426c94417c 100644
--- a/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_sysvec.c
+++ b/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_sysvec.c
@@ -79,11 +79,11 @@ static register_t *ia32_copyout_strings(struct image_params *imgp);
 static void ia32_setregs(struct thread *td, u_long entry, u_long stack,
     u_long ps_strings);
 
-extern struct sysent ia32_sysent[];
+extern struct sysent freebsd32_sysent[];
 
 struct sysentvec ia32_freebsd_sysvec = {
 	SYS_MAXSYSCALL,
-	ia32_sysent,
+	freebsd32_sysent,
 	0,
 	0,
 	NULL,
@@ -124,8 +124,7 @@ SYSINIT(ia32, SI_SUB_EXEC, SI_ORDER_ANY,
 	(sysinit_cfunc_t) elf32_insert_brand_entry,
 	&ia32_brand_info);
 
-extern int _ucode32sel, _udatasel;
-
+/* XXX may be freebsd32 MI */
 static register_t *
 ia32_copyout_strings(struct image_params *imgp)
 {
@@ -232,7 +231,9 @@ ia32_copyout_strings(struct image_params *imgp)
 
 /*
  * Clear registers on exec
+ * XXX backend MD
  */
+extern int _ucode32sel, _udatasel;
 void
 ia32_setregs(td, entry, stack, ps_strings)
 	struct thread *td;
diff --git a/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_util.h b/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_util.h
index 64fa29320ca8..06f78cf00619 100644
--- a/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_util.h
+++ b/sys/compat/ia32/ia32_util.h
@@ -37,53 +37,4 @@
 #include <sys/sysent.h>
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 
-struct ia32_ps_strings {
-	u_int32_t ps_argvstr;	/* first of 0 or more argument strings */
-	int	ps_nargvstr;	/* the number of argument strings */
-	u_int32_t ps_envstr;	/* first of 0 or more environment strings */
-	int	ps_nenvstr;	/* the number of environment strings */
-};
-
-#define IA32_USRSTACK	((1ul << 32) - PAGE_SIZE)
-#define IA32_PS_STRINGS	(IA32_USRSTACK - sizeof(struct ia32_ps_strings))
-
-static __inline caddr_t stackgap_init(void);
-static __inline void *stackgap_alloc(caddr_t *, size_t);
-
-static __inline caddr_t
-stackgap_init()
-{
-#define	szsigcode (*(curproc->p_sysent->sv_szsigcode))
-	return (caddr_t)(((caddr_t)IA32_PS_STRINGS) - szsigcode - SPARE_USRSPACE);
-#undef szsigcode
-}
-
-static __inline void *
-stackgap_alloc(sgp, sz)
-	caddr_t *sgp;
-	size_t   sz;
-{
-	void *p;
-
-	p = (void *) *sgp;
-	*sgp += ALIGN(sz);
-	return p;
-}
-
-
-extern const char ia32_emul_path[];
-int ia32_emul_find(struct thread *, caddr_t *, const char *, char *,
-			char **, int);
-
-#define CHECKALT(p, sgp, path, i)					\
-	do {								\
-		int _error;						\
-									\
-		_error = ia32_emul_find(p, sgp, ia32_emul_path, path,	\
-					&path, i);			\
-		if (_error == EFAULT)					\
-			return (_error);				\
-	} while (0)
-
-#define	CHECKALTEXIST(p, sgp, path) CHECKALT((p), (sgp), (path), 0)
-#define	CHECKALTCREAT(p, sgp, path) CHECKALT((p), (sgp), (path), 1)
+#define FREEBSD32_USRSTACK	((1ul << 32) - PAGE_SIZE)