diff --git a/.cargo/config b/.cargo/config
index 1e51b34..a1f6435 100644
--- a/.cargo/config
+++ b/.cargo/config
@@ -1 +1,6 @@
 [target.aarch64-vesper-metta]
+rustflags = [
+  "-C", "target-feature=-fp-armv8",
+  "-C", "target-cpu=cortex-a53",
+]
+
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 89effe9..8b2e2f8 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ realtime = []
 #crate-type = ["staticlib"]
 
 [dependencies]
+r0 = "0.2.2"
 rlibc = "1.0.0"
+panic-abort = "0.3.1"
 bitflags = "1.0.1"
 register = "0.2"
 cortex-a = "2.2"
diff --git a/linker/aarch64.ld b/linker/aarch64.ld
index 8417883..ccd9624 100644
--- a/linker/aarch64.ld
+++ b/linker/aarch64.ld
@@ -1,31 +1,80 @@
-ENTRY(karch_start)
-OUTPUT_ARCH(aarch64)
-/*OUTPUT_FORMAT(binary) Cannot change output format whilst linking AArch64 binaries.*/
+/*
+ * MIT License
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2018 Andre Richter <andre.o.richter@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ * SOFTWARE.
+*/
 
-START_ADDRESS = 0x80000; /* AArch64 boot address is 0x80000 */
+ENTRY(_boot_cores);
 
-SECTIONS {
-    .text START_ADDRESS : AT(START_ADDRESS) {
-        *(.text.karch_start)
-        *(.text*)
+SECTIONS
+{
+    . = 0x80000; /* AArch64 boot address is 0x80000 */
+    __ro_start = .;
+    .text :
+    {
+        KEEP(*(.text.boot)) *(.text .text.*)
     }
 
-    .rodata ALIGN (4) : {
-        *(.rodata*)
+    .vectors ALIGN(2048):
+    {
+        *(.vectors)
+    }
+
+    .rodata ALIGN(4):
+    {
+        *(.rodata .rodata.*)
+        FILL(0x00)
+    }
+    . = ALIGN(4096); /* Fill up to 4KiB */
+    __ro_end = .;
+
+    .data :
+    {
+        *(.data .data.*)
         FILL(0x00)
     }
 
-    .data ALIGN (4) : {
-        *(.data*)
-        FILL(0x00)
+    .bss ALIGN(8):
+    {
+        __bss_start = .;
+        *(.bss .bss.*)
+        *(COMMON)
+        __bss_end = .;
     }
 
-    .bss ALIGN (4) : {
-        *(COMMON*)
-        *(.bss*)
-    }
-
-    /DISCARD/ : {
-        *(.comment .note* .dtors)
-    }
+    /DISCARD/ : { *(.comment) *(.gnu*) *(.note*) *(.eh_frame*) }
 }
+
+/*PROVIDE(current_el0_synchronous   = default_exception_handler);
+PROVIDE(current_el0_irq           = default_exception_handler);
+PROVIDE(current_el0_serror        = default_exception_handler);
+
+PROVIDE(current_elx_synchronous   = default_exception_handler);
+PROVIDE(current_elx_irq           = default_exception_handler);
+PROVIDE(current_elx_serror        = default_exception_handler);
+
+PROVIDE(lower_aarch64_synchronous = default_exception_handler);
+PROVIDE(lower_aarch64_irq         = default_exception_handler);
+PROVIDE(lower_aarch64_serror      = default_exception_handler);
+
+PROVIDE(lower_aarch32_synchronous = default_exception_handler);
+PROVIDE(lower_aarch32_irq         = default_exception_handler);
+PROVIDE(lower_aarch32_serror      = default_exception_handler);*/
diff --git a/src/arch/aarch64/boot.rs b/src/arch/aarch64/boot.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6459580
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/arch/aarch64/boot.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+/*
+ * MIT License
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2018 Jorge Aparicio
+ * Copyright (c) 2018-2019 Andre Richter <andre.o.richter@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ * in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ * to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ * copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ * OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ * SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+#![deny(missing_docs)]
+#![deny(warnings)]
+
+//! Low-level boot of the Raspberry's processor
+
+extern crate panic_abort;
+
+/// Type check the user-supplied entry function.
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! entry {
+    ($path:path) => {
+        #[export_name = "main"]
+        pub unsafe fn __main() -> ! {
+            // type check the given path
+            let f: fn() -> ! = $path;
+
+            f()
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+/// Reset function.
+///
+/// Initializes the bss section before calling into the user's `main()`.
+unsafe fn reset() -> ! {
+    extern "C" {
+        // Boundaries of the .bss section, provided by the linker script
+        static mut __bss_start: u64;
+        static mut __bss_end: u64;
+    }
+
+    use cortex_a::regs::*;
+    const STACK_START: u64 = 0x80_000;
+    SP.set(STACK_START);
+
+    // Zeroes the .bss section
+    r0::zero_bss(&mut __bss_start, &mut __bss_end);
+
+    extern "Rust" {
+        fn main() -> !;
+    }
+
+    main()
+}
+
+/// Prepare and execute transition from EL2 to EL1.
+#[inline]
+fn setup_and_enter_el1_from_el2() -> ! {
+    use cortex_a::{asm, regs::*};
+
+    const STACK_START: u64 = 0x80_000;
+
+    // Enable timer counter registers for EL1
+    CNTHCTL_EL2.write(CNTHCTL_EL2::EL1PCEN::SET + CNTHCTL_EL2::EL1PCTEN::SET);
+
+    // No offset for reading the counters
+    CNTVOFF_EL2.set(0);
+
+    // Set EL1 execution state to AArch64
+    // TODO: Explain the SWIO bit
+    HCR_EL2.write(HCR_EL2::RW::EL1IsAarch64 + HCR_EL2::SWIO::SET);
+
+    // Set up a simulated exception return.
+    //
+    // First, fake a saved program status, where all interrupts were
+    // masked and SP_EL1 was used as a stack pointer.
+    SPSR_EL2.write(
+        SPSR_EL2::D::Masked
+            + SPSR_EL2::A::Masked
+            + SPSR_EL2::I::Masked
+            + SPSR_EL2::F::Masked
+            + SPSR_EL2::M::EL1h,
+    );
+
+    // Second, let the link register point to reset().
+    ELR_EL2.set(reset as *const () as u64);
+
+    // Set up SP_EL1 (stack pointer), which will be used by EL1 once
+    // we "return" to it.
+    SP_EL1.set(STACK_START);
+
+    // Use `eret` to "return" to EL1. This will result in execution of
+    // `reset()` in EL1.
+    asm::eret()
+}
+
+/// Entrypoint of the processor.
+///
+/// Parks all cores except core0 and checks if we started in EL2. If
+/// so, proceeds with setting up EL1.
+///
+/// This is invoked from the linker script, does arch-specific init
+/// and passes control to the kernel boot function main().
+#[link_section = ".text.boot"]
+#[no_mangle]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn _boot_cores() -> ! {
+    use cortex_a::{asm, regs::*};
+
+    const CORE_0: u64 = 0;
+    const CORE_MASK: u64 = 0x3;
+    const EL2: u32 = CurrentEL::EL::EL2.value;
+
+    if (CORE_0 == MPIDR_EL1.get() & CORE_MASK) && (EL2 == CurrentEL.get()) {
+        setup_and_enter_el1_from_el2()
+    }
+
+    // if not core0 or EL != 2, infinitely wait for events
+    loop {
+        asm::wfe();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/arch/aarch64/mod.rs b/src/arch/aarch64/mod.rs
index 5a0ff00..c735f5d 100644
--- a/src/arch/aarch64/mod.rs
+++ b/src/arch/aarch64/mod.rs
@@ -1,23 +1,9 @@
 // mod arch::aarch64
 
+mod boot;
+
 use cortex_a::{asm, barrier, regs::*};
 
-/// The entry to Rust, all things must be initialized
-/// This is invoked from the linker script, does arch-specific init
-/// and passes control to the kernel boot function kmain().
-#[no_mangle]
-pub unsafe extern "C" fn karch_start() -> ! {
-    // Set sp to 0x80000 (just before kernel start)
-    const STACK_START: u64 = 0x8_0000;
-
-    SP.set(STACK_START);
-
-    match read_cpu_id() {
-        0 => ::kmain(),
-        _ => endless_sleep(), // if not core0, indefinitely wait for events
-    }
-}
-
 // Data memory barrier
 #[inline]
 pub fn dmb() {
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 2f15b07..2ecf481 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -15,14 +15,13 @@ use architecture_not_supported_sorry;
 
 // use core::intrinsics::abort;
 
-#[macro_use]
+// #[macro_use]
 extern crate bitflags;
 #[macro_use]
 extern crate register;
 extern crate cortex_a;
 extern crate rlibc;
 
-use core::panic::PanicInfo;
 #[macro_use]
 pub mod arch;
 pub use arch::*;
@@ -41,15 +40,9 @@ use platform::{
 // Actual interfaces to call these syscalls are in vesper-user (similar to libsel4)
 // pub mod vesper; -- exported from vesper-user
 
-#[panic_handler]
-fn panic(_info: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
-    // @todo rect() + drawtext("PANIC")?
-    endless_sleep()
-}
-
 // Kernel entry point
 // arch crate is responsible for calling this
-pub fn kmain() -> ! {
+fn kmain() -> ! {
     let mut uart = MiniUart::new();
     uart.init();
     writeln!(uart, "Hey there, mini uart talking!");
@@ -65,9 +58,12 @@ pub fn kmain() -> ! {
     }
 
     writeln!(uart, "Bye, going to sleep now");
-    qemu_aarch64_exit(); //endless_sleep()
+    // qemu_aarch64_exit()
+    endless_sleep()
 }
 
+entry!(kmain);
+
 // From https://stackoverflow.com/a/49930361/895245
 // @todo specify exit value depending on tests result?
 fn qemu_aarch64_exit() -> ! {