diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/include/spec/x86/cpu_support.h b/repos/base-hw/src/core/include/spec/x86/cpu_support.h
index cb1a2511c5..d5e58cf29b 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/include/spec/x86/cpu_support.h
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/include/spec/x86/cpu_support.h
@@ -256,10 +256,25 @@ class Genode::Cpu
 		static void _enable_fpu() { asm volatile ("clts"); }
 
 		/**
-		 * Initialize FPU without checking for pending unmasked floating-point
-		 * exceptions.
+		 * Initialize FPU with SSE extensions by setting required CR0 and CR4
+		 * bits to configure the FPU environment according to Intel SDM Vol.
+		 * 3A, sections 9.2 and 9.6.
 		 */
-		static void _init_fpu() { asm volatile ("fninit"); }
+		static void _init_fpu()
+		{
+			Cr0::access_t cr0_value = Cr0::read();
+			Cr4::access_t cr4_value = Cr4::read();
+
+			Cr0::Mp::set(cr0_value);
+			Cr0::Em::clear(cr0_value);
+			Cr0::Ts::set(cr0_value);
+			Cr0::Ne::set(cr0_value);
+			Cr0::write(cr0_value);
+
+			Cr4::Osfxsr::set(cr4_value);
+			Cr4::Osxmmexcpt::set(cr4_value);
+			Cr4::write(cr4_value);
+		}
 
 		/**
 		 * Returns True if the FPU is enabled.
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/x86_64/kernel/crt0.s b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/x86_64/kernel/crt0.s
index 8cbeb2a069..5dffb5add4 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/x86_64/kernel/crt0.s
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/x86_64/kernel/crt0.s
@@ -41,10 +41,9 @@
 	xor %eax, %eax
 	rep stosl
 
-	/* Enable PAE (prerequisite for IA-32e mode) and OSFXSR */
+	/* Enable PAE (prerequisite for IA-32e mode) */
 	movl %cr4, %eax
 	btsl $5, %eax
-	btsl $9, %eax
 	movl %eax, %cr4
 
 	/* Load initial pagetables */
@@ -58,9 +57,8 @@
 	btsl $11, %eax
 	wrmsr
 
-	/* Enable paging, write protection, caching and FPU error reporting */
+	/* Enable paging, write protection and caching */
 	movl %cr0, %eax
-	btsl $5, %eax
 	btsl $16, %eax
 	btrl $29, %eax
 	btrl $30, %eax