diff --git a/crosscompilemakefile.mak b/crosscompilemakefile.mak
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b5195a19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crosscompilemakefile.mak
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+ifndef CPU
+    CPU=x86
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(CPU),x86)
+	X86FAMILY=1
+    CPUDEFINES=-DPLATFORM_X86
+    CPUFLAGS=-m32
+    CPULDFLAGS=-melf_i386
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(CPU),x64)
+	X86FAMILY=1
+    CPUDEFINES=-DPLATFORM_X64
+    CPUFLAGS=-m64
+    CPULDFLAGS=-melf_x86_64
+endif
+
+LIBMAXSIROOT=$(OSROOT)/libmaxsi
+
+LIBC=$(LIBMAXSIROOT)/libc.a $(LIBMAXSIROOT)/start.o
+LIBS=$(LIBC)
+
+CPPFLAGS=$(CPUDEFINES)
+FLAGS=-nostdinc -nostdlib -fno-builtin -nostartfiles -nodefaultlibs
+INCLUDES=-I $(LIBMAXSIROOT)/c/h/ -I $(OSROOT)/
+
+LD=ld
+LDFLAGS=$(CPULDFLAGS) 
+CC=gcc
+CFLAGS=$(CPUFLAGS) $(FLAGS) $(INCLUDES)
+CXX=g++
+CXXFLAGS=$(CPUFLAGS) $(FLAGS) $(INCLUDES)
+
+
diff --git a/hello/Makefile b/hello/Makefile
index 108a5fbe..af3e9291 100644
--- a/hello/Makefile
+++ b/hello/Makefile
@@ -1,46 +1,15 @@
-# This is a bit bothersome design, but it should serve well enough as a simple
-# cross-compiler for the Sortix operating system.
-
-ifndef CPU
-    CPU=x86
-endif
-
-ifeq ($(CPU),x86)
-	X86FAMILY=1
-    CPUDEFINES=-DPLATFORM_X86
-    CPUFLAGS=-m32
-    CPULDFLAGS=-melf_i386
-endif
-
-ifeq ($(CPU),x64)
-	X86FAMILY=1
-    CPUDEFINES=-DPLATFORM_X64
-    CPUFLAGS=-m64
-    CPULDFLAGS=-melf_x86_64
-endif
-
-LIBMAXSIROOT=../libmaxsi
-
-INCLUDES=-I $(LIBMAXSIROOT)/c/h/ -I ../
-CPPFLAGS=$(CPUDEFINES)
-
-LD=ld
-LDFLAGS=$(CPULDFLAGS) -Ttext 400000 $(LIBMAXSIROOT)/start.o
-CC=gcc
-CFLAGS=$(CPUFLAGS) -nostdinc -nostdlib -fno-builtin -nostartfiles -nodefaultlibs -fno-stack-protector $(INCLUDES)
-CXX=g++
-CXXFLAGS=$(CPUFLAGS) -nostdinc -nostdlib -fno-builtin -nostartfiles -nodefaultlibs -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti -fno-stack-protector $(INCLUDES)
-LIBC=$(LIBMAXSIROOT)/libc.a
+# Set up variables such that we can easily cross-compile.
+OSROOT=..
+include ../crosscompilemakefile.mak
 
 all: hello
 
 hello: hello.o
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) hello.o -o hello.tmp $(LIBC)
-	objcopy -O binary hello.tmp hello
+	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) hello.o -o hello $(LIBS)
 
 hello.o: hello.cpp
 	$(CXX) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) -O2 -c hello.cpp -o hello.o
 
 clean:
-	rm -f hello.tmp hello.o hello
+	rm -f hello.o hello
 
diff --git a/sortix/kernel.cpp b/sortix/kernel.cpp
index 8e6dc179..ee4494a4 100644
--- a/sortix/kernel.cpp
+++ b/sortix/kernel.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include "uart.h"
 #include "serialterminal.h"
 #include "vgaterminal.h"
+#include "elf.h"
 
 using namespace Maxsi;
 
@@ -251,19 +252,14 @@ namespace Sortix
 
 		if ( initrd != NULL )
 		{
-			addr_t loadat = process->_endcodesection;
-
-			for ( size_t i = 0; i < initrdsize; i += 4096 )
+			initstart = (Thread::Entry) ELF::Construct(initrd, initrdsize);
+			if ( initstart == NULL )
 			{
-				addr_t apppage = Page::Get();
-				if ( apppage == 0 ) { Panic("kernel.cpp: not enough memory for initrd!"); }
-				VirtualMemory::MapUser(loadat + i, apppage);
+				Panic("kernel.cpp: Could not construct ELF program");
 			}
 
-			Memory::Copy((void*) loadat, initrd, initrdsize);
-			initstart = (Thread::Entry) loadat;
-
-			process->_endcodesection += initrdsize;
+			// HACK: This should be determined from other information!
+			process->_endcodesection = 0x400000UL;
 		}
 
 		if ( Scheduler::CreateThread(process, initstart) == NULL )