diff --git a/debug.asm b/debug.asm
index a996647..b361f00 100644
--- a/debug.asm
+++ b/debug.asm
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 ; outputs:
 ; none
 debug_print:
+    push r0
     push r1
 debug_print_loop:
     mov r1, 0x00000000
@@ -14,4 +15,5 @@ debug_print_loop:
     cmp.8 [r0], 0x00
     ifnz jmp debug_print_loop
     pop r1
-    ret
\ No newline at end of file
+    pop r0
+    ret
diff --git a/panic.asm b/panic.asm
index 6b4452a..cee03cf 100644
--- a/panic.asm
+++ b/panic.asm
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ; panic routines
 
-; panic and hang
+; panic invoke the monitor
 ; inputs:
 ; r0: pointer to null-terminated string, or zero for none
 ; outputs:
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ panic:
     cmp r0, 0
     ifz mov r0, panic_string
     call debug_print
-panic_loop:
-    jmp panic_loop
-    halt
+    call print_string_to_monitor
+    call invoke_monitor
+    rjmp 0
 
-panic_string: data.str "Panic occurred!" data.8 10 data.8 0
+panic_string: data.str "Unspecified panic occurred!" data.8 10 data.8 0