diff --git a/arch/x86/stage1.c b/arch/x86/stage1.c
index dcd0ab3942..2ae6f259ce 100644
--- a/arch/x86/stage1.c
+++ b/arch/x86/stage1.c
@@ -70,10 +70,19 @@ void init_archive(struct mem_file *archive)
 
 }
 
+/*
+ * The name is slightly misleading because this is the initial stack pointer,
+ * not the address of the first element on the stack.
+ */
 void *bottom_of_stack(void)
 {
-	/* -4-4 because CONFIG_CARBASE + CONFIG_CARSIZE - 4 is initial %esp */
-	return (void *)(CONFIG_CARBASE + CONFIG_CARSIZE - 4 - 4);
+	/* -4 because CONFIG_CARBASE + CONFIG_CARSIZE - 4 is initial %esp */
+	return (void *)(CONFIG_CARBASE + CONFIG_CARSIZE - 4);
+}
+
+struct global_vars *global_vars(void)
+{
+	return (struct global_vars *)(bottom_of_stack() - sizeof(struct global_vars));
 }
 
 void dump_mem_range(int msg_level, unsigned char *buf, int size)
diff --git a/include/arch/x86/cpu.h b/include/arch/x86/cpu.h
index 51d2aa3630..725a8ed3b2 100644
--- a/include/arch/x86/cpu.h
+++ b/include/arch/x86/cpu.h
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ static inline __attribute__((always_inline)) void hlt(void)
 }
 
 SHARED(bottom_of_stack, void *, void);
+SHARED(global_vars, struct global_vars *, void);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_CONSOLE_BUFFER
 #define PRINTK_BUF_SIZE_CAR (CONFIG_CARSIZE / 2)
diff --git a/include/console.h b/include/console.h
index 0a23c0b114..920d7db653 100644
--- a/include/console.h
+++ b/include/console.h
@@ -59,6 +59,18 @@ struct printk_buffer {
 };
 #endif
 
+/*
+ * If you change struct global_vars in any way, you have to fix all stage0 asm
+ * code. The stage0 asm code modification is nontrivial (size of the struct,
+ * alignment, initialization, order of struct members, initialization).
+ * Depending on your compiler, real breakage may happen.
+ */
+struct global_vars {
+#ifdef CONFIG_CONSOLE_BUFFER
+	struct printk_buffer *printk_buffer;
+#endif
+};
+
 SHARED_WITH_ATTRIBUTES(printk, int, __attribute__((format (printf, 2, 3))),
 					int msg_level, const char *fmt, ...);
 SHARED(banner, void, int msg_level, const char *msg);
diff --git a/lib/console.c b/lib/console.c
index 9cad3b7b7f..6557638578 100644
--- a/lib/console.c
+++ b/lib/console.c
@@ -35,13 +35,16 @@ static unsigned int console_loglevel(void)
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_CONSOLE_BUFFER
+struct printk_buffer *printk_buffer_addr(void)
+{
+	return global_vars()->printk_buffer;
+}
+
 void printk_buffer_move(void *newaddr, int newsize)
 {
-	struct printk_buffer **p;
 	struct printk_buffer *oldbuf, *newbuf;
 	int copylen;
-	p = bottom_of_stack();
-	oldbuf = *p;
+	oldbuf = printk_buffer_addr();
 	newbuf = newaddr;
 	newbuf->len = newsize;
 	newbuf->readoffset = 0;
@@ -68,17 +71,10 @@ void printk_buffer_move(void *newaddr, int newsize)
 			&oldbuf->buffer[0], copylen);
 		newbuf->writeoffset += copylen;
 	}
-	*p = newbuf;
+	global_vars()->printk_buffer = newbuf;
 	return;
 }
 
-struct printk_buffer *printk_buffer_addr(void)
-{
-	struct printk_buffer **p;
-	p = bottom_of_stack();
-	return *p;
-}
-
 void printk_buffer_init(void)
 {
 	struct printk_buffer *buf = printk_buffer_addr();