diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/shell.S b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/shell.S
index 9c699b1617..a954c3d753 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/shell.S
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/platform/bios_ia32/shell.S
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ bfs_start:
 	push	%ds
 	pop		%es
 
+	xor		%ax, %ax		// set up stack at 0x0000:0x9000
+	mov		%ax, %ss
+	mov		$0x9000, %sp
+
 	.code32					// save knowledge from the BFS boot block for later use
 	.byte	0x67
 	movb	%dl, gBootDriveID - 0x10000