diff --git a/distrib/sets/lists/minix/mi b/distrib/sets/lists/minix/mi
index 7c83dfe9f..62c5dc3e9 100644
--- a/distrib/sets/lists/minix/mi
+++ b/distrib/sets/lists/minix/mi
@@ -1150,6 +1150,7 @@
 ./usr/include/minix/acpi.h		minix-sys
 ./usr/include/minix/audio_fw.h		minix-sys
 ./usr/include/minix/bdev.h		minix-sys
+./usr/include/minix/board.h		minix-sys
 ./usr/include/minix/bitmap.h		minix-sys
 ./usr/include/minix/blockdriver.h	minix-sys
 ./usr/include/minix/blockdriver_mt.h	minix-sys
diff --git a/include/minix/Makefile b/include/minix/Makefile
index bf2cdd730..b8a3273bc 100644
--- a/include/minix/Makefile
+++ b/include/minix/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ INCSDIR= /usr/include/minix
 INCS+=	dirent.h paths.h param.h
 INCS+=	acpi.h audio_fw.h bitmap.h \
 	bdev.h blockdriver.h blockdriver_mt.h \
-	btrace.h \
+	board.h btrace.h \
 	callnr.h chardriver.h clkconf.h com.h \
 	config.h const.h cpufeature.h \
 	debug.h devio.h devman.h dmap.h \
diff --git a/include/minix/board.h b/include/minix/board.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..143859e1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/minix/board.h
@@ -0,0 +1,193 @@
+#ifndef __BOARD_H__
+#define __BOARD_H__
+#include <string.h>
+/* 
+  Utility functions to access/parse the board_id defined in the machine
+  struct in include/minix/type.h.
+
+   Identifier for the board 
+     [31:28] Architecture.  (MINIX_BOARD_ARCH)
+     [27:24] Architecture variant (MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT) VERSION e.g. ARMV7 
+     [23:16] Vendor/Soc (EG TI )  (MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR) 
+     [15:8]  Board      (EG Beagle bone , beagle board ) (MINIX_BOARD)
+     [7:0]   Board variant (EG BealgeBone white v.s. BeagleBone black ) (MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT)
+*/
+
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_SHIFT         (28)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_SHIFT (24)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_SHIFT       (16)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_SHIFT              (8)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_SHIFT      (0)
+
+/* 8 bits */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_MASK \
+	(0XFF << MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_SHIFT)
+/* 4 bits */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_MASK \
+	(0XF << MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_SHIFT)
+/* 8 bits */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_MASK \
+	(0XFF << MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_SHIFT)
+/* 8 bits */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_MASK \
+	(0XFF << MINIX_BOARD_SHIFT)
+/* 8 bits */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK \
+	(0XFF << MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_SHIFT)
+
+#define MINIX_MK_BOARD_ARCH(v) \
+	((v << MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_SHIFT ) & MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_MASK)
+#define MINIX_MK_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT(v) \
+	(( v << MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_SHIFT) & MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_MASK )
+#define MINIX_MK_BOARD_VENDOR(v) \
+	(( v << MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_SHIFT) & MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_MASK )
+#define MINIX_MK_BOARD(v) \
+	(( v << MINIX_BOARD_SHIFT) & MINIX_BOARD_MASK )
+#define MINIX_MK_BOARD_VARIANT(v) \
+	(( v << MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_SHIFT) & MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK )
+
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH(v) \
+	((v & MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_MASK) >> MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_SHIFT )
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT(v) \
+	(( v & MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_MASK) >> MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_SHIFT)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR(v) \
+	(( v & MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_MASK) >> MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_SHIFT)
+#define MINIX_BOARD(v) \
+	(( v & MINIX_BOARD_MASK) >> MINIX_BOARD_SHIFT)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT(v) \
+	(( v & MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK) >> MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_SHIFT)
+
+/* We want to make it possible to use masks and therefore only try to use bits */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_X86 MINIX_MK_BOARD_ARCH(1 << 0)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_ARM MINIX_MK_BOARD_ARCH(1 << 1)
+
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_X86_GENERIC MINIX_MK_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT(1<<0)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_ARM_ARMV6 MINIX_MK_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT(1<<1)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_ARM_ARMV7 MINIX_MK_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT(1<<2)
+
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_INTEL MINIX_MK_BOARD_VENDOR(1<<0)
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_TI MINIX_MK_BOARD_VENDOR(1<<1)
+
+#define MINIX_BOARD_GENERIC MINIX_MK_BOARD(1<<0)
+/* BeagleBoard XM */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_BBXM MINIX_MK_BOARD(1<<1)
+/* BeagleBone (Black and* white) */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_BB MINIX_MK_BOARD(1<<2)
+
+/* Only  one  of a kind */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_GENERIC MINIX_MK_BOARD_VARIANT(1<<0)
+/* BeagleBone White */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_BBW MINIX_MK_BOARD_VARIANT(1<<1)
+/* BeagleBone Black */
+#define MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_BBB MINIX_MK_BOARD_VARIANT(1<<2)
+
+#define BOARD_ID_INTEL \
+	( MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_X86 \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_X86_GENERIC \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_INTEL \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_GENERIC \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_GENERIC\
+	)
+
+#define BOARD_ID_BBXM \
+	( MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_ARM \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_ARM_ARMV7 \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_TI \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_BBXM \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_GENERIC\
+	)
+
+#define BOARD_ID_BBW \
+	( MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_ARM \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_ARM_ARMV7 \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_TI \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_BB \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_BBW\
+	)
+
+#define BOARD_ID_BBB \
+	( MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_ARM \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_ARM_ARMV7 \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_TI \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_BB \
+	| MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_BBB\
+	)
+
+#define BOARD_IS_BBXM(v) \
+		( (BOARD_ID_BBXM & ~MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK) == (v & ~MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK))
+/* Either one of the known BeagleBones */
+#define BOARD_IS_BB(v)   \
+		( (BOARD_ID_BBW & ~MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK) == (v & ~MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK))
+#define BOARD_IS_BBW(v)  ( v == BOARD_ID_BBW)
+#define BOARD_IS_BBB(v)  ( v == BOARD_ID_BBB)
+
+#define BOARD_FILTER_BBXM_VALUE (BOARD_ID_BBXM)
+#define BOARD_FILTER_BBXM_MASK  \
+		(MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_MASK \
+		| MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_MASK \
+		| MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_MASK \
+		| MINIX_BOARD_MASK \
+		| MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK)
+
+#define BOARD_FILTER_BB_VALUE   (BOARD_ID_BBW & ~MINIX_BOARD_VARIANT_MASK)
+#define BOARD_FILTER_BB_MASK    \
+		(MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_MASK \
+		| MINIX_BOARD_ARCH_VARIANT_MASK \
+		| MINIX_BOARD_VENDOR_MASK \
+		| MINIX_BOARD_MASK )
+
+struct shortname2id
+{
+	const char name[15];
+	unsigned int id;
+};
+
+/* mapping from fields given by the bootloader to board id's */
+static struct shortname2id shortname2id[] = {
+	{.name = "BBXM",.id = BOARD_ID_BBXM},
+	{.name = "A335BONE",.id = BOARD_ID_BBW},
+	{.name = "BBB",.id = BOARD_ID_BBB},
+};
+
+struct board_id2name
+{
+	unsigned int id;
+	const char name[40];
+};
+
+/* how to convert a BOARD id to a board name */
+static struct board_id2name board_id2name[] = {
+	{.id = BOARD_ID_INTEL,.name = "X86-I586-GENERIC-GENERIC-GENERIC"},
+	{.id = BOARD_ID_BBXM,.name = "ARM-ARMV7-TI-BBXM-GENERIC"},
+	{.id = BOARD_ID_BBW,.name = "ARM-ARMV7-TI-BB-WHITE"},
+	{.id = BOARD_ID_BBB,.name = "ARM-ARMV7-TI-BB-BLACK"},
+};
+
+/* returns 0 if no board was found that match that id */
+static int
+get_board_id_by_short_name(const char *name)
+{
+	int x;
+	for (x = 0; x < sizeof(shortname2id) / sizeof(shortname2id[0]); x++) {
+		if (strncmp(name, shortname2id[x].name, 15) == 0) {
+			return shortname2id[x].id;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/* convert a board id to a board name to use later 
+   returns NULL if no board was found that match that id */
+static const char *
+get_board_name(unsigned int id)
+{
+	int x;
+	for (x = 0; x < sizeof(board_id2name) / sizeof(board_id2name[0]); x++) {
+		if (board_id2name[x].id == id) {
+			return board_id2name[x].name;
+		}
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/minix/const.h b/include/minix/const.h
index 2c9a2ec94..a713e0549 100644
--- a/include/minix/const.h
+++ b/include/minix/const.h
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@
 
 #define SERVARNAME		"cttyline"
 #define ARCHVARNAME		"arch"
+#define BOARDVARNAME		"board"
 #define SERBAUDVARNAME		"cttybaud"
 
 /* Bits for s_flags in the privilege structure. */
diff --git a/include/minix/type.h b/include/minix/type.h
index b6ed40d44..2e415b84b 100644
--- a/include/minix/type.h
+++ b/include/minix/type.h
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ struct machine {
   int padding;			/* used to be protected */
   int apic_enabled; /* does the kernel use APIC or not? */
   phys_bytes	acpi_rsdp; /* where is the acpi RSDP */
+  unsigned int board_id;   /* Identifier for the board see   */
+                           /* include/minix/board.h for more */
+                           /* information.                   */
 };
 
 struct io_range
diff --git a/kernel/main.c b/kernel/main.c
index 83da02c6b..9978b5b51 100644
--- a/kernel/main.c
+++ b/kernel/main.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <minix/endpoint.h>
 #include <machine/vmparam.h>
 #include <minix/u64.h>
+#include <minix/board.h>
 #include <minix/type.h>
 #include <minix/reboot.h>
 #include "clock.h"
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ void bsp_finish_booting(void)
   machine.processors_count = 1;
   machine.bsp_id = 0;
 #endif
+  
 
   /* Kernel may no longer use bits of memory as VM will be running soon */
   kernel_may_alloc = 0;
@@ -129,6 +131,14 @@ void kmain(kinfo_t *local_cbi)
   memcpy(&kinfo, local_cbi, sizeof(kinfo));
   memcpy(&kmess, kinfo.kmess, sizeof(kmess));
 
+/* The following will be replaced with code getting this information from the 
+   bootloader */
+#ifdef DM37XX
+  machine.board_id = BOARD_ID_BBXM;
+#endif
+#ifdef AM335X
+  machine.board_id = BOARD_ID_BBW;
+#endif
 #ifdef __arm__
   /* We want to initialize serial before we do any output */
   omap3_ser_init();