diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/loader/Jamfile b/src/kernel/boot/loader/Jamfile
index 5ee6614916..7fb46eb8a4 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/loader/Jamfile
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/loader/Jamfile
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ KernelStaticLibrary boot_loader :
 	elf.cpp
 	menu.cpp
 	loader.cpp
+	kernel_args.cpp
 
 	# utils
 	list.c
diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/loader/elf.cpp b/src/kernel/boot/loader/elf.cpp
index 60cea362d8..65c139b685 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/loader/elf.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/loader/elf.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* 
-** Copyright 2002-2003, Axel Dörfler, axeld@pinc-software.de. All rights reserved.
+** Copyright 2002-2004, Axel Dörfler, axeld@pinc-software.de. All rights reserved.
 ** Distributed under the terms of the OpenBeOS License.
 */
 
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
-#define TRACE_ELF 1
-#if TRACE_ELF
+//#define TRACE_ELF
+#ifdef TRACE_ELF
 #	define TRACE(x) dprintf x
 #else
 #	define TRACE(x) ;
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ elf_load_image(Directory *directory, const char *path)
 	if (fd < 0)
 		return fd;
 
-	image = (preloaded_image *)malloc(sizeof(preloaded_image));
+	image = (preloaded_image *)kernel_args_malloc(sizeof(preloaded_image));
 	if (image == NULL) {
 		close(fd);
 		return B_NO_MEMORY;
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ elf_load_image(Directory *directory, const char *path)
 		image->next = gKernelArgs.preloaded_images;
 		gKernelArgs.preloaded_images = image;
 	} else
-		free(image);
+		kernel_args_free(image);
 
 	close(fd);
 	return B_OK;
diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/loader/kernel_args.cpp b/src/kernel/boot/loader/kernel_args.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..91f62d809b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/loader/kernel_args.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+/*
+** Copyright 2004, Axel Dörfler, axeld@pinc-software.de. All rights reserved.
+** Distributed under the terms of the OpenBeOS License.
+*/
+
+
+#include <OS.h>
+
+#include <boot/stage2.h>
+#include <boot/platform.h>
+
+
+static const size_t kChunkSize = 16384;
+
+kernel_args gKernelArgs;
+
+static void *sFirstFree;
+static void *sLast;
+static size_t sFree = kChunkSize;
+
+
+/** This function can be used to allocate memory that is going
+ *	to be passed over to the kernel. For example, the preloaded_image
+ *	structures are allocated this way.
+ *	The boot loader heap doesn't make it into the kernel!
+ */
+
+extern "C" void *
+kernel_args_malloc(size_t size)
+{
+	if (sFirstFree != NULL && size <= sFree) {
+		// there is enough space in the current buffer
+		void *address = sFirstFree;
+		sFirstFree = (void *)((addr_t)sFirstFree + size);
+		sLast = address;
+		sFree -= size;
+
+		return address;
+	}
+
+	if (size > kChunkSize / 2 && sFree < size) {
+		// the block is so large, we'll allocate a new block for it
+		void *block = NULL;
+		if (platform_allocate_region(&block, size, B_READ_AREA | B_WRITE_AREA) != B_OK)
+			return NULL;
+
+		return block;
+	}
+
+	// just allocate a new block and "close" the old one
+	void *block = NULL;
+	if (platform_allocate_region(&block, kChunkSize, B_READ_AREA | B_WRITE_AREA) != B_OK)
+		return NULL;
+
+	sFirstFree = (void *)((addr_t)block + size);
+	sLast = block;
+	sFree = kChunkSize - size;
+
+	return block;
+}
+
+
+/** This function frees a block allocated via kernel_args_malloc().
+ *	It's very simple; it can only free the last allocation. It's
+ *	enough for its current usage in the boot loader, though.
+ */
+
+extern "C" void
+kernel_args_free(void *block)
+{
+	if (sLast != block) {
+		// sorry, we're dumb
+		return;
+	}
+
+	sFree = (addr_t)sFirstFree - (addr_t)sLast;
+	sFirstFree = block;
+	sLast = NULL;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/loader/loader.cpp b/src/kernel/boot/loader/loader.cpp
index 47dd3ceda5..5d3e5d247f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/loader/loader.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/loader/loader.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 // temp. VFS API
 extern Node *get_node_from(int fd);
 
+addr_t gKernelEntry;
+
 
 bool
 is_bootable(Directory *volume)
diff --git a/src/kernel/boot/loader/main.cpp b/src/kernel/boot/loader/main.cpp
index 6d39bf8eca..692ab45478 100644
--- a/src/kernel/boot/loader/main.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/boot/loader/main.cpp
@@ -16,18 +16,14 @@
 #include <util/kernel_cpp.h>
 
 
-#define TRACE_MAIN 0
-#if TRACE_MAIN
+//#define TRACE_MAIN
+#ifdef TRACE_MAIN
 #	define TRACE(x) printf x
 #else
 #	define TRACE(x) ;
 #endif
 
 
-kernel_args gKernelArgs;
-addr_t gKernelEntry;
-
-
 extern "C" int
 main(stage2_args *args)
 {