diff --git a/arch/arc/include/asm/smp.h b/arch/arc/include/asm/smp.h
index 3845b9e94f69..5ea4cf8cd1a8 100644
--- a/arch/arc/include/asm/smp.h
+++ b/arch/arc/include/asm/smp.h
@@ -45,12 +45,16 @@ extern int smp_ipi_irq_setup(int cpu, int irq);
  * struct plat_smp_ops	- SMP callbacks provided by platform to ARC SMP
  *
  * @info:		SoC SMP specific info for /proc/cpuinfo etc
+ * @init_early_smp:	A SMP specific h/w block can init itself
+ * 			Could be common across platforms so not covered by
+ * 			mach_desc->init_early()
  * @cpu_kick:		For Master to kickstart a cpu (optionally at a PC)
  * @ipi_send:		To send IPI to a @cpu
  * @ips_clear:		To clear IPI received at @irq
  */
 struct plat_smp_ops {
 	const char 	*info;
+	void		(*init_early_smp)(void);
 	void		(*cpu_kick)(int cpu, unsigned long pc);
 	void		(*ipi_send)(int cpu);
 	void		(*ipi_clear)(int irq);
diff --git a/arch/arc/kernel/setup.c b/arch/arc/kernel/setup.c
index 68d3e181a82f..c33e77c0ad3e 100644
--- a/arch/arc/kernel/setup.c
+++ b/arch/arc/kernel/setup.c
@@ -411,8 +411,9 @@ void __init setup_arch(char **cmdline_p)
 	if (machine_desc->init_early)
 		machine_desc->init_early();
 
-	setup_processor();
 	smp_init_cpus();
+
+	setup_processor();
 	setup_arch_memory();
 
 	/* copy flat DT out of .init and then unflatten it */
diff --git a/arch/arc/kernel/smp.c b/arch/arc/kernel/smp.c
index f6175fc5f2bb..a59a53f98877 100644
--- a/arch/arc/kernel/smp.c
+++ b/arch/arc/kernel/smp.c
@@ -42,8 +42,13 @@ void __init smp_prepare_boot_cpu(void)
 }
 
 /*
- * Initialise the CPU possible map early - this describes the CPUs
- * which may be present or become present in the system.
+ * Called from setup_arch() before calling setup_processor()
+ *
+ * - Initialise the CPU possible map early - this describes the CPUs
+ *   which may be present or become present in the system.
+ * - Call early smp init hook. This can initialize a specific multi-core
+ *   IP which is say common to several platforms (hence not part of
+ *   platform specific int_early() hook)
  */
 void __init smp_init_cpus(void)
 {
@@ -51,6 +56,9 @@ void __init smp_init_cpus(void)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < NR_CPUS; i++)
 		set_cpu_possible(i, true);
+
+	if (plat_smp_ops.init_early_smp)
+		plat_smp_ops.init_early_smp();
 }
 
 /* called from init ( ) =>  process 1 */