diff --git a/src/arch/arm/freebsd/system.cc b/src/arch/arm/freebsd/system.cc
index 3f38f2e0d0..b77126790b 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm/freebsd/system.cc
+++ b/src/arch/arm/freebsd/system.cc
@@ -147,8 +147,3 @@ FreebsdArmSystemParams::create()
 {
     return new FreebsdArmSystem(this);
 }
-
-void
-FreebsdArmSystem::startup()
-{
-}
diff --git a/src/arch/arm/freebsd/system.hh b/src/arch/arm/freebsd/system.hh
index 50c405d15c..f4f19a3262 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm/freebsd/system.hh
+++ b/src/arch/arm/freebsd/system.hh
@@ -74,8 +74,6 @@ class FreebsdArmSystem : public GenericArmSystem
 
     void initState();
 
-    void startup();
-
     /** This function creates a new task Id for the given pid.
      * @param tc thread context that is currentyl executing  */
     void mapPid(ThreadContext* tc, uint32_t pid);
diff --git a/src/arch/arm/linux/system.cc b/src/arch/arm/linux/system.cc
index 1c1ade65ff..30393c43ac 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm/linux/system.cc
+++ b/src/arch/arm/linux/system.cc
@@ -223,6 +223,8 @@ LinuxArmSystemParams::create()
 void
 LinuxArmSystem::startup()
 {
+    GenericArmSystem::startup();
+
     if (enableContextSwitchStatsDump) {
         if (!highestELIs64()) {
             dumpStatsPCEvent =
diff --git a/src/sim/system.cc b/src/sim/system.cc
index 39b9495aaa..51e9d6dfbf 100644
--- a/src/sim/system.cc
+++ b/src/sim/system.cc
@@ -228,6 +228,31 @@ System::init()
         panic("System port on %s is not connected.\n", name());
 }
 
+void
+System::startup()
+{
+    SimObject::startup();
+
+    // Now that we're about to start simulation, wait for GDB connections if
+    // requested.
+#if THE_ISA != NULL_ISA
+    for (auto *tc: threadContexts) {
+        auto *cpu = tc->getCpuPtr();
+        auto id = tc->contextId();
+        if (remoteGDB.size() <= id)
+            continue;
+        auto *rgdb = remoteGDB[id];
+
+        if (cpu->waitForRemoteGDB()) {
+            inform("%s: Waiting for a remote GDB connection on port %d.\n",
+                   cpu->name(), rgdb->port());
+
+            rgdb->connect();
+        }
+    }
+#endif
+}
+
 Port &
 System::getPort(const std::string &if_name, PortID idx)
 {
@@ -276,16 +301,8 @@ System::registerThreadContext(ThreadContext *tc, ContextID assigned)
         RemoteGDB *rgdb = new RemoteGDB(this, tc, port + id);
         rgdb->listen();
 
-        BaseCPU *cpu = tc->getCpuPtr();
-        if (cpu->waitForRemoteGDB()) {
-            inform("%s: Waiting for a remote GDB connection on port %d.\n",
-                   cpu->name(), rgdb->port());
-
-            rgdb->connect();
-        }
-        if (remoteGDB.size() <= id) {
+        if (remoteGDB.size() <= id)
             remoteGDB.resize(id + 1);
-        }
 
         remoteGDB[id] = rgdb;
     }
diff --git a/src/sim/system.hh b/src/sim/system.hh
index 3e908e01ba..ae96be1a02 100644
--- a/src/sim/system.hh
+++ b/src/sim/system.hh
@@ -99,11 +99,8 @@ class System : public SimObject, public PCEventScope
 
   public:
 
-    /**
-     * After all objects have been created and all ports are
-     * connected, check that the system port is connected.
-     */
     void init() override;
+    void startup() override;
 
     /**
      * Get a reference to the system port that can be used by