diff --git a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86_64/arch_cpu.cpp b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86_64/arch_cpu.cpp
index 108b4d1621..64b8571115 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86_64/arch_cpu.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86_64/arch_cpu.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ arch_cpu_init_percpu(kernel_args *args, int cpu)
 status_t
 arch_cpu_init(kernel_args *args)
 {
+	dprintf("not implemented...\n");
+	while (1);
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86_64/arch_debug_console.cpp b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86_64/arch_debug_console.cpp
index cae226df4b..8e5db41e05 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/arch/x86_64/arch_debug_console.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/arch/x86_64/arch_debug_console.cpp
@@ -1,13 +1,74 @@
 /*
+ * Copyright 2002-2009, Axel Dörfler, axeld@pinc-software.de
+ * Copyright 2001, Rob Judd <judd@ob-wan.com>
+ * Copyright 2002, Marcus Overhagen <marcus@overhagen.de>
  * Copyright 2012, Alex Smith, alex@alex-smith.me.uk.
  * Distributed under the terms of the MIT License.
+ *
+ * Copyright 2001, Travis Geiselbrecht. All rights reserved.
+ * Distributed under the terms of the NewOS License.
  */
 
 
-#include <debug.h>
+#include <KernelExport.h>
+#include <driver_settings.h>
+#include <int.h>
 
 #include <arch/cpu.h>
 #include <arch/debug_console.h>
+#include <boot/stage2.h>
+#include <debug.h>
+
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+
+enum serial_register_offsets {
+	SERIAL_TRANSMIT_BUFFER		= 0,
+	SERIAL_RECEIVE_BUFFER		= 0,
+	SERIAL_DIVISOR_LATCH_LOW	= 0,
+	SERIAL_DIVISOR_LATCH_HIGH	= 1,
+	SERIAL_FIFO_CONTROL			= 2,
+	SERIAL_LINE_CONTROL			= 3,
+	SERIAL_MODEM_CONTROL		= 4,
+	SERIAL_LINE_STATUS			= 5,
+	SERIAL_MODEM_STATUS			= 6,
+};
+
+
+static const uint32 kSerialBaudRate = 115200;
+static uint16 sSerialBasePort = 0x3f8;
+	// COM1 is the default debug output port
+
+static spinlock sSerialOutputSpinlock = B_SPINLOCK_INITIALIZER;
+
+
+static void
+init_serial_port(uint16 basePort, uint32 baudRate)
+{
+	sSerialBasePort = basePort;
+
+	uint16 divisor = (uint16)(115200 / baudRate);
+
+	out8(0x80, sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_LINE_CONTROL);	/* set divisor latch access bit */
+	out8(divisor & 0xf, sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_DIVISOR_LATCH_LOW);
+	out8(divisor >> 8, sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_DIVISOR_LATCH_HIGH);
+	out8(3, sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_LINE_CONTROL);		/* 8N1 */
+}
+
+
+static void
+put_char(const char c)
+{
+	// wait until the transmitter empty bit is set
+	while ((in8(sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_LINE_STATUS) & 0x20) == 0)
+		asm volatile ("pause;");
+
+	out8(c, sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_TRANSMIT_BUFFER);
+}
+
+
+//	#pragma mark -
 
 
 void
@@ -43,43 +104,109 @@ arch_debug_blue_screen_getchar(void)
 int
 arch_debug_serial_try_getchar(void)
 {
-	return -1;
+	uint8 lineStatus = in8(sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_LINE_STATUS);
+	if (lineStatus == 0xff) {
+		// The "data available" bit is set, but also all error bits. Likely we
+		// don't have a valid I/O port.
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if ((lineStatus & 0x1) == 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return in8(sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_RECEIVE_BUFFER);
 }
 
 
 char
 arch_debug_serial_getchar(void)
 {
-	while(true)
+	while (true) {
+		uint8 lineStatus = in8(sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_LINE_STATUS);
+		if (lineStatus == 0xff) {
+			// The "data available" bit is set, but also all error bits. Likely
+			// we don't have a valid I/O port.
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		if ((lineStatus & 0x1) != 0)
+			break;
+
 		PAUSE();
-	return 0;
+	}
+
+	return in8(sSerialBasePort + SERIAL_RECEIVE_BUFFER);
 }
 
 
+static void
+_arch_debug_serial_putchar(const char c)
+{
+	if (c == '\n') {
+		put_char('\r');
+		put_char('\n');
+	} else if (c != '\r')
+		put_char(c);
+}
+
 void
 arch_debug_serial_putchar(const char c)
 {
+	cpu_status state = 0;
+	if (!debug_debugger_running()) {
+		state = disable_interrupts();
+		acquire_spinlock(&sSerialOutputSpinlock);
+	}
 
+	_arch_debug_serial_putchar(c);
+
+	if (!debug_debugger_running()) {
+		release_spinlock(&sSerialOutputSpinlock);
+		restore_interrupts(state);
+	}
 }
 
 
 void
 arch_debug_serial_puts(const char *s)
 {
+	cpu_status state = 0;
+	if (!debug_debugger_running()) {
+		state = disable_interrupts();
+		acquire_spinlock(&sSerialOutputSpinlock);
+	}
 
+	while (*s != '\0') {
+		_arch_debug_serial_putchar(*s);
+		s++;
+	}
+
+	if (!debug_debugger_running()) {
+		release_spinlock(&sSerialOutputSpinlock);
+		restore_interrupts(state);
+	}
 }
 
 
 void
 arch_debug_serial_early_boot_message(const char *string)
 {
-
+	// this function will only be called in fatal situations
+	// ToDo: also enable output via text console?!
+	arch_debug_console_init(NULL);
+	arch_debug_serial_puts(string);
 }
 
 
 status_t
 arch_debug_console_init(kernel_args *args)
 {
+	// only use the port if we could find one, else use the standard port
+	if (args != NULL && args->platform_args.serial_base_ports[0] != 0)
+		sSerialBasePort = args->platform_args.serial_base_ports[0];
+
+	init_serial_port(sSerialBasePort, kSerialBaudRate);
+
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/system/kernel/main.cpp b/src/system/kernel/main.cpp
index 125f28475a..6ce9648e39 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/main.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/main.cpp
@@ -78,8 +78,6 @@ static int32 main2(void *);
 extern "C" int
 _start(kernel_args *bootKernelArgs, int currentCPU)
 {
-	while (1) {}
-
 	if (bootKernelArgs->kernel_args_size != sizeof(kernel_args)
 		|| bootKernelArgs->version != CURRENT_KERNEL_ARGS_VERSION) {
 		// This is something we cannot handle right now - release kernels