diff -r f0344cc50a90 -r 930691003b55 hotspot/src/os_cpu/solaris_sparc/vm/vm_version_solaris_sparc.cpp
--- a/hotspot/src/os_cpu/solaris_sparc/vm/vm_version_solaris_sparc.cpp	Mon Jul 30 09:49:25 2012 -0700
+++ b/hotspot/src/os_cpu/solaris_sparc/vm/vm_version_solaris_sparc.cpp	Wed Aug 01 14:10:32 2012 -0700
@@ -201,13 +201,23 @@
               impl[i] = (char)toupper((uint)impl[i]);
             if (strstr(impl, "SPARC64") != NULL) {
               features |= sparc64_family_m;
+            } else if (strstr(impl, "SPARC-M") != NULL) {
+              // M-series SPARC is based on T-series.
+              features |= (M_family_m | T_family_m);
             } else if (strstr(impl, "SPARC-T") != NULL) {
               features |= T_family_m;
               if (strstr(impl, "SPARC-T1") != NULL) {
                 features |= T1_model_m;
               }
             } else {
-              assert(strstr(impl, "SPARC") != NULL, "should be sparc");
+              if (strstr(impl, "SPARC") == NULL) {
+#ifndef PRODUCT
+                // kstat on Solaris 8 virtual machines (branded zones)
+                // returns "(unsupported)" implementation.
+                warning("kstat cpu_info implementation = '%s', should contain SPARC", impl);
+#endif
+                implementation = "SPARC";
+              }
             }
             free((void*)impl);
             break;