diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 16179b1..745f6c2 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ name = "cast"
 version = "0.2.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "cpuio"
+version = "0.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "lazy_static"
 version = "1.4.0"
@@ -41,6 +46,19 @@ name = "nodrop"
 version = "0.1.14"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pc-keyboard"
+version = "0.3.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "pic8259_simple"
+version = "0.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "cpuio 0.2.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "spin"
 version = "0.5.2"
@@ -83,6 +101,8 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "bootloader 0.8.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "lazy_static 1.4.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "pc-keyboard 0.3.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "pic8259_simple 0.1.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "spin 0.5.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "uart_16550 0.2.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "volatile 0.2.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
@@ -95,8 +115,11 @@ dependencies = [
 "checksum bitflags 1.2.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "cf1de2fe8c75bc145a2f577add951f8134889b4795d47466a54a5c846d691693"
 "checksum bootloader 0.8.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "abfbe6cdea6367860818facc8e4a184f003cb83d7d004acaaf57baebf1949da0"
 "checksum cast 0.2.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "926013f2860c46252efceabb19f4a6b308197505082c609025aa6706c011d427"
+"checksum cpuio 0.2.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "22b8e308ccfc5acf3b82f79c0eac444cf6114cb2ac67a230ca6c177210068daa"
 "checksum lazy_static 1.4.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "e2abad23fbc42b3700f2f279844dc832adb2b2eb069b2df918f455c4e18cc646"
 "checksum nodrop 0.1.14 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "72ef4a56884ca558e5ddb05a1d1e7e1bfd9a68d9ed024c21704cc98872dae1bb"
+"checksum pc-keyboard 0.3.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "fff50ab09ba31bcebc0669f4e64c0952fae1acdca9e6e0587e68e4e8443808ac"
+"checksum pic8259_simple 0.1.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "dc64b2fd10828da8521b6cdabe0679385d7d2a3a6d4c336b819d1fa31ba35c72"
 "checksum spin 0.5.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "6e63cff320ae2c57904679ba7cb63280a3dc4613885beafb148ee7bf9aa9042d"
 "checksum uart_16550 0.2.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "803ea8cb602dbb32c1a657a866d2dd79fe7dbeab0fb2ac667cb4dcc7de12a58b"
 "checksum ux 0.1.3 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "88dfeb711b61ce620c0cb6fd9f8e3e678622f0c971da2a63c4b3e25e88ed012f"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 2803c32..ca9903c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ volatile = "0.2.6"
 spin = "0.5.2"
 x86_64 = "0.7.5"
 uart_16550 = "0.2.0"
+pic8259_simple = "0.1.1"
+pc-keyboard = "0.3.1"
 
 [dependencies.lazy_static]
 version = "1.0"
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ panic = "abort"
 
 [package.metadata.bootimage]
 run-args = [
+    "-device", "isa-debug-exit,iobase=0xf4,iosize=0x04",
     "-display", "curses"
 ]
 test-args = [
diff --git a/src/interrupts.rs b/src/interrupts.rs
index 5c0e15b..e292c66 100644
--- a/src/interrupts.rs
+++ b/src/interrupts.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use x86_64::structures::idt::{InterruptDescriptorTable, InterruptStackFrame};
-use crate::{gdt, println};
+use crate::{gdt, print, println};
 use lazy_static::lazy_static;
 
 lazy_static! {
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ lazy_static! {
             idt.double_fault.set_handler_fn(double_fault_handler)
                             .set_stack_index(gdt::DOUBLE_FAULT_IST_INDEX);
         }
+        idt[InterruptIndex::Timer.as_usize()]
+            .set_handler_fn(timer_interrupt_handler);
+        idt[InterruptIndex::Keyboard.as_usize()]
+            .set_handler_fn(keyboard_interrupt_handler);
         idt
     };
 }
@@ -40,3 +44,71 @@ fn test_breakpoint_exception() {
     x86_64::instructions::interrupts::int3();
     serial_println!("[ok]");
 }
+
+use pic8259_simple::ChainedPics;
+use spin;
+
+pub const PIC_1_OFFSET: u8 = 32;
+pub const PIC_2_OFFSET: u8 = PIC_1_OFFSET + 8;
+
+pub static PICS: spin::Mutex<ChainedPics> =
+    spin::Mutex::new(unsafe { ChainedPics::new(PIC_1_OFFSET, PIC_2_OFFSET) });
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+#[repr(u8)]
+pub enum InterruptIndex {
+    Timer = PIC_1_OFFSET,
+    Keyboard,
+}
+
+impl InterruptIndex {
+    fn as_u8(self) -> u8 {
+        self as u8
+    }
+
+    fn as_usize(self) -> usize {
+        usize::from(self.as_u8())
+    }
+}
+
+extern "x86-interrupt" fn timer_interrupt_handler(
+    _stack_frame: &mut InterruptStackFrame)
+{
+    //print!(".");
+
+    unsafe {
+        PICS.lock()
+            .notify_end_of_interrupt(InterruptIndex::Timer.as_u8());
+    }
+}
+
+extern "x86-interrupt" fn keyboard_interrupt_handler(
+    _stack_frame: &mut InterruptStackFrame)
+{
+    use x86_64::instructions::port::Port;
+    use pc_keyboard::{Keyboard, ScancodeSet1, DecodedKey, layouts};
+    use spin::Mutex;
+
+    lazy_static! {
+        static ref KEYBOARD: Mutex<Keyboard<layouts::Us104Key, ScancodeSet1>> =
+            Mutex::new(Keyboard::new(layouts::Us104Key, ScancodeSet1));
+    }
+
+    let mut keyboard = KEYBOARD.lock();
+    let mut port = Port::new(0x60);
+
+    let scancode: u8 = unsafe { port.read() };
+    if let Ok(Some(key_event)) = keyboard.add_byte(scancode) {
+        if let Some(key) = keyboard.process_keyevent(key_event) {
+            match key {
+                DecodedKey::Unicode(character) => print!("{}", character),
+                DecodedKey::RawKey(key) => print!("{:?}", key),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    unsafe {
+        PICS.lock()
+            .notify_end_of_interrupt(InterruptIndex::Keyboard.as_u8());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 08f7e37..a04059a 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ use core::panic::PanicInfo;
 pub fn init() {
     gdt::init();
     interrupts::init_idt();
+    unsafe { interrupts::PICS.lock().initialize() };
+    x86_64::instructions::interrupts::enable();
+}
+
+pub fn hlt_loop() -> ! {
+    loop {
+        x86_64::instructions::hlt();
+    }
 }
 
 pub fn test_runner(tests: &[&dyn Fn()]) {
@@ -29,7 +37,7 @@ pub fn test_panic_handler(info: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
     serial_println!("[failed]\n");
     serial_println!("Error: {}\n", info);
     exit_qemu(QemuExitCode::Failed);
-    loop {}
+    hlt_loop();
 }
 
 /// Entry point for `cargo xtest`
@@ -38,7 +46,7 @@ pub fn test_panic_handler(info: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
 pub extern "C" fn _start() -> ! {
     init();
     test_main();
-    loop {}
+    hlt_loop();
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index d3435eb..e47cab0 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub extern "C" fn _start() -> ! {
     test_main();
 
     println!("It did not crash!");
-    loop {}
+    xe_os::hlt_loop();
 }
 
 // our existing panic handler
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub extern "C" fn _start() -> ! {
 #[panic_handler]
 fn panic(info: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
     println!("{}", info);
-    loop {}
+    xe_os::hlt_loop();
 }
 
 // our panic handler in test mode
diff --git a/src/serial.rs b/src/serial.rs
index e8073d9..2a69296 100644
--- a/src/serial.rs
+++ b/src/serial.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ lazy_static! {
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub fn _print(args: ::core::fmt::Arguments) {
     use core::fmt::Write;
-    SERIAL1.lock().write_fmt(args).expect("Printing to serial failed");
+    use x86_64::instructions::interrupts;
+
+    interrupts::without_interrupts(|| {
+        SERIAL1.lock().write_fmt(args).expect("Printing to serial failed");
+    });
 }
 
 /// Prints to the host through the serial interface.
diff --git a/src/vga_buffer.rs b/src/vga_buffer.rs
index 183929e..47dc7f0 100644
--- a/src/vga_buffer.rs
+++ b/src/vga_buffer.rs
@@ -167,7 +167,11 @@ macro_rules! println {
 #[doc(hidden)]
 pub fn _print(args: fmt::Arguments) {
     use core::fmt::Write;
-    WRITER.lock().write_fmt(args).unwrap();
+    use x86_64::instructions::interrupts;
+
+    interrupts::without_interrupts(|| {
+        WRITER.lock().write_fmt(args).unwrap();
+    });
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -191,14 +195,20 @@ fn test_println_many() {
 
 #[test_case]
 fn test_println_output() {
+    use core::fmt::Write;
+    use x86_64::instructions::interrupts;
+
     serial_print!("test_println_output... ");
 
     let s = "Some test string that fits on a single line";
-    println!("{}", s);
-    for (i, c) in s.chars().enumerate() {
-        let screen_char = WRITER.lock().buffer.chars[BUFFER_HEIGHT - 2][i].read();
-        assert_eq!(char::from(screen_char.ascii_character), c);
-    }
+    interrupts::without_interrupts(|| {
+        let mut writer = WRITER.lock();
+        writeln!(writer, "\n{}", s).expect("writeln failed");
+        for (i, c) in s.chars().enumerate() {
+            let screen_char = writer.buffer.chars[BUFFER_HEIGHT - 2][i].read();
+            assert_eq!(char::from(screen_char.ascii_character), c);
+        }
+    });
 
     serial_println!("[ok]");
 }