diff --git a/src/gopheros/kernel/kfmt/ringbuf.go b/src/gopheros/kernel/kfmt/ringbuf.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2bd5baa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gopheros/kernel/kfmt/ringbuf.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package kfmt
+
+import "io"
+
+// ringBufferSize defines size of the ring buffer that buffers early Printf
+// output. Its default size is selected so it can buffer the contents of a
+// standard 80*25 text-mode console. The ring buffer size must always be a
+// power of 2.
+const ringBufferSize = 2048
+
+// ringBuffer models a ring buffer of size ringBufferSize. This buffer is used
+// for capturing the output of Printf before the tty and console systems are
+// initialized.
+type ringBuffer struct {
+	buffer         [ringBufferSize]byte
+	rIndex, wIndex int
+}
+
+// Write writes len(p) bytes from p to the ringBuffer.
+func (rb *ringBuffer) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	for _, b := range p {
+		rb.buffer[rb.wIndex] = b
+		rb.wIndex = (rb.wIndex + 1) & (ringBufferSize - 1)
+		if rb.rIndex == rb.wIndex {
+			rb.rIndex = (rb.rIndex + 1) & (ringBufferSize - 1)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return len(p), nil
+}
+
+// Read reads up to len(p) bytes into p. It returns the number of bytes read (0
+// <= n <= len(p)) and any error encountered.
+func (rb *ringBuffer) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
+	switch {
+	case rb.rIndex < rb.wIndex:
+		// read up to min(wIndex - rIndex, len(p)) bytes
+		n = rb.wIndex - rb.rIndex
+		if pLen := len(p); pLen < n {
+			n = pLen
+		}
+
+		copy(p, rb.buffer[rb.rIndex:rb.rIndex+n])
+		rb.rIndex += n
+
+		return n, nil
+	case rb.rIndex > rb.wIndex:
+		// Read up to min(len(buf) - rIndex, len(p)) bytes
+		n = len(rb.buffer) - rb.rIndex
+		if pLen := len(p); pLen < n {
+			n = pLen
+		}
+
+		copy(p, rb.buffer[rb.rIndex:rb.rIndex+n])
+		rb.rIndex += n
+
+		if rb.rIndex == len(rb.buffer) {
+			rb.rIndex = 0
+		}
+
+		return n, nil
+	default: // rIndex == wIndex
+		return 0, io.EOF
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/gopheros/kernel/kfmt/ringbuf_test.go b/src/gopheros/kernel/kfmt/ringbuf_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f153bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gopheros/kernel/kfmt/ringbuf_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+package kfmt
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestRingBuffer(t *testing.T) {
+	var (
+		buf    bytes.Buffer
+		expStr = "the big brown fox jumped over the lazy dog"
+		rb     ringBuffer
+	)
+
+	t.Run("read/write", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rb.wIndex = 0
+		rb.rIndex = 0
+		n, err := rb.Write([]byte(expStr))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		if n != len(expStr) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected to write %d bytes; wrote %d", len(expStr), n)
+		}
+
+		if got := readByteByByte(&buf, &rb); got != expStr {
+			t.Fatalf("expected to read %q; got %q", expStr, got)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("write moves read pointer", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rb.wIndex = ringBufferSize - 1
+		rb.rIndex = 0
+		_, err := rb.Write([]byte{'!'})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		if exp := 1; rb.rIndex != exp {
+			t.Fatalf("expected write to push rIndex to %d; got %d", exp, rb.rIndex)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("wIndex < rIndex", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rb.wIndex = ringBufferSize - 2
+		rb.rIndex = ringBufferSize - 2
+		n, err := rb.Write([]byte(expStr))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		if n != len(expStr) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected to write %d bytes; wrote %d", len(expStr), n)
+		}
+
+		if got := readByteByByte(&buf, &rb); got != expStr {
+			t.Fatalf("expected to read %q; got %q", expStr, got)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("with io.WriteTo", func(t *testing.T) {
+		rb.wIndex = ringBufferSize - 2
+		rb.rIndex = ringBufferSize - 2
+		n, err := rb.Write([]byte(expStr))
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		if n != len(expStr) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected to write %d bytes; wrote %d", len(expStr), n)
+		}
+
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+		io.Copy(&buf, &rb)
+
+		if got := buf.String(); got != expStr {
+			t.Fatalf("expected to read %q; got %q", expStr, got)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func readByteByByte(buf *bytes.Buffer, r io.Reader) string {
+	buf.Reset()
+	var b = make([]byte, 1)
+	for {
+		_, err := r.Read(b)
+		if err == io.EOF {
+			break
+		}
+
+		buf.Write(b)
+	}
+	return buf.String()
+}