diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/bootstrap/spec/x86_64/platform.cc b/repos/base-hw/src/bootstrap/spec/x86_64/platform.cc
index 902290665..fbc2553b5 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/bootstrap/spec/x86_64/platform.cc
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/bootstrap/spec/x86_64/platform.cc
@@ -175,7 +175,10 @@ Bootstrap::Platform::Board::Board()
 					Hw::for_each_apic_struct(*table,[&](Hw::Apic_madt const *e){
 						if (e->type == Hw::Apic_madt::LAPIC) {
 							Hw::Apic_madt::Lapic lapic(e);
-							cpus ++;
+
+							/* check if APIC is enabled in hardware */
+							if (lapic.valid())
+								cpus ++;
 						}
 					});
 				});
@@ -190,7 +193,10 @@ Bootstrap::Platform::Board::Board()
 					Hw::for_each_apic_struct(*table,[&](Hw::Apic_madt const *e){
 						if (e->type == Hw::Apic_madt::LAPIC) {
 							Hw::Apic_madt::Lapic lapic(e);
-							cpus ++;
+
+							/* check if APIC is enabled in hardware */
+							if (lapic.valid())
+								cpus ++;
 						}
 					});
 				});
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/include/hw/spec/x86_64/acpi.h b/repos/base-hw/src/include/hw/spec/x86_64/acpi.h
index 5682aafa6..e1b78e732 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/include/hw/spec/x86_64/acpi.h
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/include/hw/spec/x86_64/acpi.h
@@ -65,9 +65,11 @@ struct Hw::Apic_madt
 
 	struct Lapic : Genode::Mmio {
 
-		struct Flags    : Register <0x04, 32> { enum { ENABLED = 1 }; };
+		struct Flags    : Register <0x04, 32> { enum { VALID = 1 }; };
 
 		Lapic(Apic_madt const * a) : Mmio(reinterpret_cast<Genode::addr_t>(a)) { }
+
+		bool valid() { return read<Flags>() & Flags::VALID; };
 	};
 
 } __attribute__((packed));