diff --git a/src/system/boot/Jamfile b/src/system/boot/Jamfile
index 70e9ed1fad..4d719e7bbd 100644
--- a/src/system/boot/Jamfile
+++ b/src/system/boot/Jamfile
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ local librootFunctions =
 
 local extraLinkerArgs = ;
 if $(HAIKU_BOARD_LOADER_BASE) {
-	#extraLinkerArgs += -L$(HAIKU_TOP)/src/system/ldscripts/$(TARGET_ARCH)/board/$(TARGET_BOOT_BOARD) ;
 	extraLinkerArgs += --defsym BOARD_LOADER_BASE=$(HAIKU_BOARD_LOADER_BASE) ;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/arch/arm/shell.S b/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/arch/arm/shell.S
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..effd4f3a1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/arch/arm/shell.S
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#include <arch/arm/arch_cpu.h>
+
+#include <asm_defs.h>
+
+
+	.text
+
+/*
+ * Entry points to the loader that U-Boot passes control to.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * called as standalone (raw binary)
+ * *MUST* be first symbol
+ */
+SYMBOL(_start_raw):
+/*
+ * ELF entry
+ */
+SYMBOL(_start):
+	mov	r0,#0
+	b	_start_common
+SYMBOL_END(_start_raw)
+SYMBOL_END(_start)
+
+/*
+ * called from bootm with netbsd loader compatible args
+ */
+SYMBOL(_start_netbsd):
+	mov	r0,#1
+	b	_start_common
+SYMBOL_END(_start_netbsd)
+
+
+
+SYMBOL(_start_common):
+	strb	r0,gUBootOS
+	str	r8,gUBootGlobalData
+	/* ... */
+	ldrb	r0,gUBootOS
+	cmp	r0,#0
+	beq	start_raw
+	cmp	r0,#1
+	beq	start_netbsd
+	mov	pc,lr
+SYMBOL_END(_start_common)
+
+
+
+
+SYMBOL(gUBootGlobalData):
+	.long   0
+SYMBOL_END(gUBootGlobalData)
+SYMBOL(gUBootOS):
+	.byte   0
+SYMBOL_END(gUBootOS)
+
diff --git a/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/start.S b/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/start.S
deleted file mode 100644
index 42cb2266c2..0000000000
--- a/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/start.S
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#include <arch/arm/arch_cpu.h>
-
-#include <asm_defs.h>
-
-
-/*
- * Entry point to the loader that U-Boot passes control to.
- */
-	.text
-	.globl	_start
-_start:
-	/* I'm to stupid to get _start in a c file to work ..... */
-	b	start2
diff --git a/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/start2.c b/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/start2.c
index a196c3cae2..ccecf5879d 100644
--- a/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/start2.c
+++ b/src/system/boot/platform/u-boot/start2.c
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ extern uint8 __bss_start;
 extern uint8 _end;
 
 extern int main(stage2_args *args);
-void _start(void);
+extern void _start(void);
+extern int start_raw(int argc, char **argv);
 
 
 uint32 sBootOptions;
@@ -53,6 +54,12 @@ call_ctors(void)
 }
 
 
+/* needed for libgcc unwind XXX */
+void
+abort(void)
+{
+	panic("abort");
+}
 
 
 void
@@ -93,8 +100,40 @@ platform_exit(void)
 }
 
 
-void
-start2(void)
+typedef struct uboot_arm_gd {
+	struct board_data *bd;
+	uint32 flags;
+	uint32 baudrate;
+	uint32 have_console;
+	uint32 reloc_off;
+	uint32 env_addr;
+	uint32 env_valid;
+	uint32 fb_base;
+} uboot_arm_gd;
+
+register volatile uboot_arm_gd *gGD asm ("r8");
+extern uboot_arm_gd *gUBootGlobalData;
+extern uint8 gUBootOS;
+
+int
+start_netbsd(struct board_info *bd, struct uimage *image, const char *consdev,
+	const char *cmdline)
+{
+	const char *argv[] = { "haiku", cmdline };
+	int argc = 1;
+	if (cmdline)
+		argc++;
+	start_raw(argc, argv);
+}
+
+int
+start_linux(int argc, int archnum, void *atags)
+{
+}
+
+
+int
+start_raw(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	stage2_args args;
 
@@ -108,6 +147,17 @@ start2(void)
 	serial_init();
 	console_init();
 	cpu_init();
+
+	{ //DEBUG:
+		int i;
+		dprintf("argc = %d\n", argc);
+		for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
+			dprintf("argv[%d] @%lx = '%s'\n", i, (uint32)argv[i], argv[i]);
+		dprintf("os: %d\n", gUBootOS);
+		dprintf("gd @ %p\n", gGD);
+		dprintf("gd->bd @ %p\n", gGD->bd);
+	}
+	
 //	mmu_init();
 
 	// wait a bit to give the user the opportunity to press a key