diff --git a/sys/conf/files.mips b/sys/conf/files.mips
index c9182332777..48ac992545c 100644
--- a/sys/conf/files.mips
+++ b/sys/conf/files.mips
@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@ mips/mips/stack_machdep.c	optional	ddb | stack
 mips/mips/support.S		standard
 mips/mips/swtch.S		standard
 mips/mips/uio_machdep.c		standard
-geom/geom_bsd.c			standard
-geom/geom_bsd_enc.c		standard
-geom/geom_mbr.c			standard
-geom/geom_mbr_enc.c		standard
+geom/geom_bsd.c			optional	geom_bsd
+geom/geom_bsd_enc.c		optional	geom_bsd
+geom/geom_mbr.c			optional	geom_mbr
+geom/geom_mbr_enc.c		optional	geom_mbr
 hal.o				optional	ath_hal		\
 	compile-with		"ATH_HAL_CPU=mips; ATH_ENDIAN=`if ([ x${TARGET_BIG_ENDIAN} = x ]); then echo le; else echo be; fi;`; uudecode < $S/contrib/dev/ath/public/$$ATH_HAL_CPU-$$ATH_ENDIAN-elf.hal.o.uu" \
 	no-implicit-rule
diff --git a/sys/mips/conf/ADM5120 b/sys/mips/conf/ADM5120
index e1b3a718db6..a03d102251c 100644
--- a/sys/mips/conf/ADM5120
+++ b/sys/mips/conf/ADM5120
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #
 # $FreeBSD$
 
-machine		mips
 ident		ADM5120
 
 #makeoptions	ARCH_FLAGS=-march=mips32
@@ -66,5 +65,3 @@ device		loop
 device		ether
 device		uart
 # device		md
-# device		mem
-# device		uart_ns8250
diff --git a/sys/mips/conf/DEFAULTS b/sys/mips/conf/DEFAULTS
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..18a9a26270a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/mips/conf/DEFAULTS
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#
+# DEFAULTS -- Default kernel configuration file for FreeBSD/mips
+#
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+machine 	mips
+
+device		mem
+
+device		uart_ns8250
+
+options 	GEOM_BSD
+options 	GEOM_MBR
diff --git a/sys/mips/conf/IDT b/sys/mips/conf/IDT
index 522df2d0a83..e85847bfc7b 100644
--- a/sys/mips/conf/IDT
+++ b/sys/mips/conf/IDT
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # $FreeBSD$
 
-machine		mips
 cpu		CPU_MIPS4KC
 ident		RB532
 
@@ -38,7 +37,6 @@ device		miibus
 device		vr
 device		kr
 device		uart
-device		uart_ns8250
 device		md
 
 # Wireless NIC cards
diff --git a/sys/mips/conf/MALTA b/sys/mips/conf/MALTA
index 1320a5e0fb3..9771c55351e 100644
--- a/sys/mips/conf/MALTA
+++ b/sys/mips/conf/MALTA
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #
 # $FreeBSD$
 
-machine		mips
 ident		MALTA
 
 #makeoptions	ARCH_FLAGS=-march=mips32
@@ -66,6 +65,4 @@ device		ether
 device		le
 device		miibus
 device		md
-device		mem
 device		uart
-device		uart_ns8250
diff --git a/sys/mips/conf/QEMU b/sys/mips/conf/QEMU
index 9f18391707c..0a2b122570b 100644
--- a/sys/mips/conf/QEMU
+++ b/sys/mips/conf/QEMU
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #
 # $FreeBSD$
 
-machine		mips
 cpu		CPU_MIPS32
 ident		QEMU
 
@@ -53,5 +52,4 @@ options		_KPOSIX_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING #Posix P1003_1B real-time extensions
 
 device		loop
 device		ether
-device		mem
 device		md
diff --git a/sys/mips/conf/SENTRY5 b/sys/mips/conf/SENTRY5
index fd12c1e3247..269a901b9d8 100644
--- a/sys/mips/conf/SENTRY5
+++ b/sys/mips/conf/SENTRY5
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 #   will be necessary to support multi-user boot.
 #
 
-machine		mips
 ident		SENTRY5
 cpu		CPU_MIPS4KC
 options		CPU_NOFPU
@@ -91,9 +90,7 @@ device		ehci			# EHCI PCI->USB interface (USB 2.0)
 
 # XXX notyet; need to be auto probed children of siba_cc.
 #device		uart
-#device		uart_ns8250
 
 device		loop
 device		ether
 device		md
-device		mem