--- /dev/null
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2016, Emilio G. Cota <cota@braap.org>
+ *
+ * License: GNU GPL, version 2.
+ * See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
+ */
+#ifndef QEMU_PROCESSOR_H
+#define QEMU_PROCESSOR_H
+
+#include "qemu/atomic.h"
+
+#if defined(__i386__) || defined(__x86_64__)
+# define cpu_relax() asm volatile("rep; nop" ::: "memory")
+
+#elif defined(__ia64__)
+# define cpu_relax() asm volatile("hint @pause" ::: "memory")
+
+#elif defined(__aarch64__)
+# define cpu_relax() asm volatile("yield" ::: "memory")
+
+#elif defined(__powerpc64__)
+/* set Hardware Multi-Threading (HMT) priority to low; then back to medium */
+# define cpu_relax() asm volatile("or 1, 1, 1;" \
+ "or 2, 2, 2;" ::: "memory")
+
+#else
+# define cpu_relax() barrier()
+#endif
+
+#endif /* QEMU_PROCESSOR_H */