diff --git a/arch/x86/platforms/ia32/Kconfig b/arch/x86/platforms/ia32/Kconfig
index 8dd518c4b29..1c7f2ca64ea 100644
--- a/arch/x86/platforms/ia32/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/platforms/ia32/Kconfig
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ config PHYS_LOAD_ADDR
 	default 0x00100000
 
 config SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC
-	default 150000000 if PLATFORM_ATOM_N28XX
-	default 1193180   if PLATFORM_PCMINUTEIA
+	default 150000000 if LOAPIC_TIMER
+	default 25000000  if HPET_TIMER
+	default 1193180   if PIT
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/platforms/ia32_pci/Kconfig b/arch/x86/platforms/ia32_pci/Kconfig
index b65ac2d38a9..756845a018e 100644
--- a/arch/x86/platforms/ia32_pci/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/platforms/ia32_pci/Kconfig
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ config PHYS_LOAD_ADDR
 	default 0x00100000
 
 config SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC
-	default 25000000
+    default 150000000 if LOAPIC_TIMER
+    default 25000000  if HPET_TIMER
+    default 1193180   if PIT
+
 
 config UART_CONSOLE_INDEX
 	default 1
diff --git a/drivers/timer/loapic_timer.c b/drivers/timer/loapic_timer.c
index de2ce18cb23..3e528971482 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/loapic_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/loapic_timer.c
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ After reset, the timer is initialized to zero.
  *    LOAPIC_TIMER_IRQ
  *    LOAPIC_TIMER_INT_PRI
  *
- * A board support package's kconf file must provide the following constants:
- *    CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC
+ * NOTE: CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC must be provided by either the
+ * platform configuration file or the project configuration file.
  */
 
 #include <board.h>
diff --git a/include/sys_clock.h b/include/sys_clock.h
index 4b93bf35a8e..cd8a14f3d43 100644
--- a/include/sys_clock.h
+++ b/include/sys_clock.h
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ that use timer functionality.
 #ifndef _ASMLANGUAGE
 #include <stdint.h>
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_EXISTS) && \
+	(CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC == 0)
+#error "SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC must be non-zero!"
+#endif
+
 #define sys_clock_ticks_per_sec CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_TICKS_PER_SEC
 #define sys_clock_hw_cycles_per_sec CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC
 
diff --git a/kernel/Kconfig b/kernel/Kconfig
index 1740bde3562..f18b3073244 100644
--- a/kernel/Kconfig
+++ b/kernel/Kconfig
@@ -53,11 +53,12 @@ config SYS_CLOCK_TICKS_PER_SEC
 	This option specifies the frequency of the system clock in Hz.
 
 config SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC
-	int
-	#The value is set by each platform's Kconfig file.
+	int "System clock's h/w timer frequency"
+	default 0
 	help
-	Frequency of the hardware timer used for the system clock
-	(in Hz).
+	This option specifies the frequency of the hardware timer used for the
+	system clock (in Hz). It is normally set by the platform's defconfig file
+	and the user should generally avoid modifying it via the menu configuration.
 
 config  SYS_CLOCK_EXISTS
 	bool