Index: kernel/generic/include/console/chardev.h
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/include/console/chardev.h	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/include/console/chardev.h	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -73,5 +73,5 @@
 typedef struct {
 	/** Write character to output. */
-	void (* write)(struct outdev *, wchar_t, bool);
+	void (* write)(struct outdev *, wchar_t);
 	
 	/** Redraw any previously cached characters. */
Index: kernel/generic/include/console/console.h
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/include/console/console.h	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/include/console/console.h	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -72,6 +72,5 @@
 extern void release_console(void);
 
-extern sysarg_t sys_debug_enable_console(void);
-extern sysarg_t sys_debug_disable_console(void);
+extern sysarg_t sys_debug_activate_console(void);
 
 #endif /* KERN_CONSOLE_H_ */
Index: kernel/generic/include/ddi/ddi.h
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/include/ddi/ddi.h	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/include/ddi/ddi.h	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -48,4 +48,6 @@
 	pfn_t frames;     /**< Number of frames in the area. */
 	bool unpriv;      /**< Allow mapping by unprivileged tasks. */
+	bool mapped;      /**< Indicate whether the area is actually
+	                       mapped. */
 } parea_t;
 
Index: kernel/generic/include/panic.h
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/include/panic.h	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/include/panic.h	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -60,5 +60,5 @@
 struct istate;
 
-extern bool silent;
+extern bool console_override;
 
 extern void panic_common(panic_category_t, struct istate *, int,
Index: kernel/generic/include/syscall/syscall.h
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/include/syscall/syscall.h	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/include/syscall/syscall.h	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -94,6 +94,5 @@
 	SYS_SYSINFO_GET_DATA,
 	
-	SYS_DEBUG_ENABLE_CONSOLE,
-	SYS_DEBUG_DISABLE_CONSOLE,
+	SYS_DEBUG_ACTIVATE_CONSOLE,
 	
 	SYSCALL_END
Index: kernel/generic/src/console/console.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/console/console.c	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/src/console/console.c	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -87,5 +87,5 @@
 };
 
-static void stdout_write(outdev_t *, wchar_t, bool);
+static void stdout_write(outdev_t *, wchar_t);
 static void stdout_redraw(outdev_t *);
 
@@ -95,6 +95,6 @@
 };
 
-/** Silence output */
-bool silent = false;
+/** Override kernel console lockout */
+bool console_override = false;
 
 /** Standard input and output character devices */
@@ -122,10 +122,10 @@
 }
 
-static void stdout_write(outdev_t *dev, wchar_t ch, bool silent)
+static void stdout_write(outdev_t *dev, wchar_t ch)
 {
 	list_foreach(dev->list, cur) {
 		outdev_t *sink = list_get_instance(cur, outdev_t, link);
 		if ((sink) && (sink->op->write))
-			sink->op->write(sink, ch, silent);
+			sink->op->write(sink, ch);
 	}
 }
@@ -156,4 +156,5 @@
 	klog_parea.frames = SIZE2FRAMES(sizeof(klog));
 	klog_parea.unpriv = false;
+	klog_parea.mapped = false;
 	ddi_parea_register(&klog_parea);
 	
@@ -167,11 +168,11 @@
 void grab_console(void)
 {
-	bool prev = silent;
-	
-	silent = false;
+	bool prev = console_override;
+	
+	console_override = true;
 	if ((stdout) && (stdout->op->redraw))
 		stdout->op->redraw(stdout);
 	
-	if ((stdin) && (prev)) {
+	if ((stdin) && (!prev)) {
 		/*
 		 * Force the console to print the prompt.
@@ -183,10 +184,9 @@
 void release_console(void)
 {
-	// FIXME arch_release_console
-	silent = true;
-}
-
-/** Tell kernel to get keyboard/console access again */
-sysarg_t sys_debug_enable_console(void)
+	console_override = false;
+}
+
+/** Activate kernel console override */
+sysarg_t sys_debug_activate_console(void)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_KCONSOLE
@@ -196,11 +196,4 @@
 	return false;
 #endif
-}
-
-/** Tell kernel to relinquish keyboard/console access */
-sysarg_t sys_debug_disable_console(void)
-{
-	release_console();
-	return true;
 }
 
@@ -289,5 +282,5 @@
 			 */
 			spinlock_unlock(&klog_lock);
-			stdout->op->write(stdout, tmp, silent);
+			stdout->op->write(stdout, tmp);
 			spinlock_lock(&klog_lock);
 		}
@@ -317,5 +310,5 @@
 		 * it should be no longer buffered.
 		 */
-		stdout->op->write(stdout, ch, silent);
+		stdout->op->write(stdout, ch);
 	} else {
 		/*
Index: kernel/generic/src/ddi/ddi.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/ddi/ddi.c	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/src/ddi/ddi.c	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -122,5 +122,31 @@
 	backend_data.frames = pages;
 	
-	/* Find the zone of the physical memory */
+	/*
+	 * Check if the memory region is explicitly enabled
+	 * for mapping by any parea structure.
+	 */
+	
+	mutex_lock(&parea_lock);
+	btree_node_t *nodep;
+	parea_t *parea = (parea_t *) btree_search(&parea_btree,
+	    (btree_key_t) pf, &nodep);
+	
+	if ((parea != NULL) && (parea->frames >= pages)) {
+		if ((!priv) && (!parea->unpriv)) {
+			mutex_unlock(&parea_lock);
+			return EPERM;
+		}
+		
+		goto map;
+	}
+	
+	parea = NULL;
+	mutex_unlock(&parea_lock);
+	
+	/*
+	 * Check if the memory region is part of physical
+	 * memory generally enabled for mapping.
+	 */
+	
 	irq_spinlock_lock(&zones.lock, true);
 	size_t znum = find_zone(ADDR2PFN(pf), pages, 0);
@@ -153,32 +179,4 @@
 	}
 	
-	if (zone_flags_available(zones.info[znum].flags)) {
-		/*
-		 * Frames are part of physical memory, check
-		 * if the memory region is enabled for mapping.
-		 */
-		irq_spinlock_unlock(&zones.lock, true);
-		
-		mutex_lock(&parea_lock);
-		btree_node_t *nodep;
-		parea_t *parea = (parea_t *) btree_search(&parea_btree,
-		    (btree_key_t) pf, &nodep);
-		
-		if ((!parea) || (parea->frames < pages)) {
-			mutex_unlock(&parea_lock);
-			return ENOENT;
-		}
-		
-		if (!priv) {
-			if (!parea->unpriv) {
-				mutex_unlock(&parea_lock);
-				return EPERM;
-			}
-		}
-		
-		mutex_unlock(&parea_lock);
-		goto map;
-	}
-	
 	irq_spinlock_unlock(&zones.lock, true);
 	return ENOENT;
@@ -188,7 +186,11 @@
 	    AS_AREA_ATTR_NONE, &phys_backend, &backend_data)) {
 		/*
-		 * The address space area could not have been created.
+		 * The address space area was not created.
 		 * We report it using ENOMEM.
 		 */
+		
+		if (parea != NULL)
+			mutex_unlock(&parea_lock);
+		
 		return ENOMEM;
 	}
@@ -197,5 +199,11 @@
 	 * Mapping is created on-demand during page fault.
 	 */
-	return 0;
+	
+	if (parea != NULL) {
+		parea->mapped = true;
+		mutex_unlock(&parea_lock);
+	}
+	
+	return EOK;
 }
 
Index: kernel/generic/src/ddi/irq.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/ddi/irq.c	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/src/ddi/irq.c	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -275,24 +275,26 @@
 {
 	/*
-	 * If the kernel console is silenced,
-	 * then try first the uspace handlers,
-	 * eventually fall back to kernel handlers.
+	 * If the kernel console override is on,
+	 * then try first the kernel handlers
+	 * and eventually fall back to uspace
+	 * handlers.
 	 *
-	 * If the kernel console is active,
-	 * then do it the other way around.
+	 * In the usual case the uspace handlers
+	 * have precedence.
 	 */
-	if (silent) {
-		irq_t *irq = irq_dispatch_and_lock_uspace(inr);
+	
+	if (console_override) {
+		irq_t *irq = irq_dispatch_and_lock_kernel(inr);
 		if (irq)
 			return irq;
 		
-		return irq_dispatch_and_lock_kernel(inr);
-	}
-	
-	irq_t *irq = irq_dispatch_and_lock_kernel(inr);
+		return irq_dispatch_and_lock_uspace(inr);
+	}
+	
+	irq_t *irq = irq_dispatch_and_lock_uspace(inr);
 	if (irq)
 		return irq;
 	
-	return irq_dispatch_and_lock_uspace(inr);
+	return irq_dispatch_and_lock_kernel(inr);
 }
 
Index: kernel/generic/src/debug/panic.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/debug/panic.c	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/src/debug/panic.c	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -48,7 +48,5 @@
     uintptr_t address, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
-	va_list args;
-	
-	silent = false;
+	console_override = true;
 	
 	printf("\n%s Kernel panic ", BANNER_LEFT);
@@ -57,4 +55,5 @@
 	printf("due to ");
 	
+	va_list args;
 	va_start(args, fmt);
 	if (cat == PANIC_ASSERT) {
Index: kernel/generic/src/lib/rd.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/lib/rd.c	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/src/lib/rd.c	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -91,4 +91,5 @@
 	rd_parea.frames = SIZE2FRAMES(dsize);
 	rd_parea.unpriv = false;
+	rd_parea.mapped = false;
 	ddi_parea_register(&rd_parea);
 
Index: kernel/generic/src/syscall/syscall.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/syscall/syscall.c	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/src/syscall/syscall.c	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@
 	(syshandler_t) sys_sysinfo_get_data,
 	
-	/* Debug calls */
-	(syshandler_t) sys_debug_enable_console,
-	(syshandler_t) sys_debug_disable_console
+	/* Kernel console syscalls. */
+	(syshandler_t) sys_debug_activate_console
 };
 
Index: kernel/generic/src/time/clock.c
===================================================================
--- kernel/generic/src/time/clock.c	(revision 40f606b29b5ce95a00987cf0ba142df6245acdb4)
+++ kernel/generic/src/time/clock.c	(revision b366a6f4b86cb7fe82fcf415965c5a7de1a59638)
@@ -94,4 +94,5 @@
 	clock_parea.frames = 1;
 	clock_parea.unpriv = true;
+	clock_parea.mapped = false;
 	ddi_parea_register(&clock_parea);