Index: kernel/generic/src/main/kinit.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/main/kinit.c	(revision 67b152eac7904a434fc44aeec4f36587b34d9f81)
+++ kernel/generic/src/main/kinit.c	(revision 0dfa93b0cda81f93598fc30620d75a22c14f06d2)
@@ -250,6 +250,14 @@
 				    CAP_IO_MANAGER | CAP_IRQ_REG);
 				
-				if (!ipc_phone_0)
+				if (!ipc_phone_0) {
 					ipc_phone_0 = &programs[i].task->answerbox;
+					/*
+					 * Hold the first task so that the
+					 * ipc_phone_0 remains a valid pointer
+					 * even if the first task exits for
+					 * whatever reason.
+					 */
+					task_hold(programs[i].task);
+				}
 			}