diff --git a/sys/vm/vm_phys.c b/sys/vm/vm_phys.c
--- a/sys/vm/vm_phys.c
+++ b/sys/vm/vm_phys.c
@@ -2396,11 +2396,11 @@
 vm_paddr_t
 vm_phys_early_alloc(size_t alloc_size, int domain)
 {
-	vm_paddr_t res;
+	vm_paddr_t pa;
 
-	/* This call will panic() on error. */
-	vm_phys_early_alloc_ex(alloc_size, PAGE_SIZE, -1, domain, 0, &res);
-	return (res);
+	vm_phys_early_alloc_ex(alloc_size, PAGE_SIZE, -1, domain,
+	    VM_PHYS_EAF_ADDR_BOUNDARIES_FIRST, &pa);
+	return (pa);
 }
 
 void