diff --git a/arch/x86_64/addr_space.cpp b/arch/x86_64/addr_space.cpp
index aed518d..a66754e 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/addr_space.cpp
+++ b/arch/x86_64/addr_space.cpp
@@ -52,8 +52,10 @@ AddrSpace::AddrSpace()
   /* Create a new address space by allocating
    * a fresh Page Map Level 4 */
   m_pml4 = PageMap::get().alloc();
-
   updateKernelMappings();
+
+  debug(VSPACE) << "allocated new virtual address space (PML4 @ "
+                << PPN_TO_PTR(m_pml4) << ")\n";
 }
 
 AddrSpace* AddrSpace::clone()
@@ -89,6 +91,9 @@ AddrSpace* AddrSpace::clone()
     pageMap.addRef(pml4_old[i].ppn);
   }
 
+  debug(VSPACE) << "cloned address space with cow-semantics (PML4 @ "
+                << PPN_TO_PTR(m_pml4) << ")\n";
+
   /* it's important that the TLB will be flushed after setting all
    * the tables readonly by calling apply(). */
   this->apply();
@@ -100,26 +105,24 @@ void AddrSpace::setup()
     assert(sizeof(GenericPagingTable) == 8);
 
     /* Create a new virtual address space for the kernel */
-    debug() << "allocating kernel virtual address space\n";
     auto kernelSpace = new (&s_kernelAddrSpace) AddrSpace();
 
     /* map the whole physical memory to the upper half */
-    debug() << "mapping physical memory to the upper half...";
+    debug(VSPACE) << "mapping physical memory to the upper half...\n";
     const size_t totalPages = PageMap::get().getTotalPageCount();
     const size_t ident_page_offset = IDENT_OFFSET >> PAGE_SHIFT;
     for (size_t page = 0; page < totalPages; page++)
         kernelSpace->map(page + ident_page_offset, page, MAP_WRITE);
-    debug() << " done\n";
 
     /* Enable support for NX pages */
     s_nxEnabled = enable_nx();
-    debug() << "trying to enable NX: "
+    debug(VSPACE) << "trying to enable NX: "
             << (s_nxEnabled ? "ok\n" : "not available\n");
 
     /* Switch to the newly created address space. */
     kernelSpace->apply();
     s_initialized = true;
-    debug() << "successfully written %cr3\n";
+    debug(VSPACE) << "successfully written %cr3\n";
 }
 
 AddrSpace &AddrSpace::kernel()
@@ -212,6 +215,9 @@ void AddrSpace::map(size_t virt, size_t phys, int flags)
 
     currentTablePPN = currentLevelTableEntry.ppn;
   }
+
+  //debug(VSPACE) << PPN_TO_PTR(virt) << " -> " PPN_TO_PTR(phys)
+  //              << " (PML4 @ " << PPN_TO_PTR(m_pml4) << ")\n";
 }
 
 void AddrSpace::unmap(size_t virt)
@@ -260,9 +266,6 @@ bool AddrSpace::triggerCow(size_t virt)
   indices[1] = (virt >> 9) & 0x1ff;
   indices[0] = (virt) & 0x1ff;
 
-  debug() << "COW triggered for addr "
-          << (void*)(virt << PAGE_SHIFT) << "\n";
-
   size_t currentTablePpn = m_pml4;
   for (int level = 3; level >= 0; level--)
   {
@@ -303,6 +306,7 @@ bool AddrSpace::triggerCow(size_t virt)
          * actual table. That means we must not set any bits
          * but just copy the page */
         memcpy(new_table_ptr, old_table_ptr, PAGE_SIZE);
+        debug(VSPACE) << "cow: copying page: " << PPN_TO_PTR(virt) << "\n";
       }
       else
       {
@@ -444,7 +448,8 @@ AddrSpace::~AddrSpace()
   }
 
   pageMap.free(m_pml4);
-  m_pml4 = (size_t)-1;
 
-  debug() << "address space deleted\n";
+  debug(VSPACE) << "deleted address space (had PML4 @ "
+          << PPN_TO_PTR(m_pml4) << ")\n";
+  m_pml4 = (size_t)-1;
 }
diff --git a/arch/x86_64/context.cpp b/arch/x86_64/context.cpp
index d5902d0..2963759 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/context.cpp
+++ b/arch/x86_64/context.cpp
@@ -44,14 +44,15 @@ void IrqContext::newKernelCtx()
 
 void IrqContext::print()
 {
-  debug() << "--- Register dump (x86) ---\n"
-          << DEBUG_HEX << "  rip=" << rip
-          << ", rsp=" << rsp
-          << ", err=" << error_id << "\n"
-          << DEBUG_HEX << "  rax=" << rax
-          << ", rbx=" << rbx
-          << ", rcx=" << rcx << "\n"
-          << DEBUG_HEX << "  rdx=" << rdx
-          << ", rdi=" << rdi
-          << ", rsi=" << rsi << "\n";
+  debug(EXCEPT)
+    << "--- REGISTER DUMP (x86_64) ---\n"
+    << DEBUG_HEX << "  rip=" << rip
+    << ", rsp=" << rsp
+    << ", err=" << error_id << "\n"
+    << DEBUG_HEX << "  rax=" << rax
+    << ", rbx=" << rbx
+    << ", rcx=" << rcx << "\n"
+    << DEBUG_HEX << "  rdx=" << rdx
+    << ", rdi=" << rdi
+    << ", rsi=" << rsi << "\n";
 }
diff --git a/arch/x86_64/idt.cpp b/arch/x86_64/idt.cpp
index c0f0286..28c0fe0 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/idt.cpp
+++ b/arch/x86_64/idt.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ static IrqDescriptor g_idt[256];
 
 static void setup_pic()
 {
-  debug() << "reconfigure PIC\n";
+  debug(BOOT) << "reconfigure PIC\n";
 
   outb(0x20, 0x11);   // init PIC1
   outb(0xA0, 0x11);   // init PIC2
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@ extern "C" {
 
 static void setup_idt()
 {
-    debug() << "Setting up interrupt descriptor table\n";
-
   install_descriptor(0,  &irq0,  IDT_PRESENT | IDT_SUPV | IDT_GATE, 0);
   install_descriptor(1,  &irq1,  IDT_PRESENT | IDT_SUPV | IDT_GATE, 0);
   install_descriptor(2,  &irq2,  IDT_PRESENT | IDT_SUPV | IDT_GATE, 0);
diff --git a/arch/x86_64/syscall.cpp b/arch/x86_64/syscall.cpp
index c1cb96f..29cd78a 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/syscall.cpp
+++ b/arch/x86_64/syscall.cpp
@@ -5,15 +5,24 @@
 #include <context.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <debug.h>
+#include <scheduler.h>
 
 #include "../../kernel/syscall_list.h"
 
+static void invalidSyscall(IrqContext* ctx)
+{
+  debug(SYSCALL) << "PID " << sched::currentPid()
+                 << ": invalid system call: #"
+                 << ctx->returnValue() << "\n";
+}
+
 void do_syscall(IrqContext* ctx)
 {
   /* check for an invalid system call number */
   if (ctx->rax >= sizeof(syscalls) / sizeof(void*))
   {
     ctx->rax = -ENOSYS;
+    invalidSyscall(ctx);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -22,6 +31,7 @@ void do_syscall(IrqContext* ctx)
   if (syscall_addr == nullptr)
   {
     ctx->rax = -ENOSYS;
+    invalidSyscall(ctx);
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/arch/x86_common/interrupt.cpp b/arch/x86_common/interrupt.cpp
index 8d8cf54..d56ea07 100644
--- a/arch/x86_common/interrupt.cpp
+++ b/arch/x86_common/interrupt.cpp
@@ -59,19 +59,20 @@ extern "C" IrqContext* x86_irq_handler(IrqContext* ctx)
         void* addr = getPageFaultAddr();
         sti();
 
-        debug() << "fault: " << addr
-                << ", present=" << (ctx->error() & PF_PRESENT ? "y" : "n")
-                << ", user=" << (ctx->error() & PF_USER ? "y" : "n")
-                << ", write=" << (ctx->error() & PF_WRITE ? "y" : "n")
-                << ", reserved=" << (ctx->error() & PF_RESERVED ? "y" : "n")
-                << ", data=" << (ctx->error() & PF_CODE ? "n" : "y") << "\n";
-
         if (handlePageFault((size_t)addr, (FaultFlags)ctx->error())) {
           return ctx;
         }
+
+        debug(PAGEFAULT)
+          << "fault @ " << addr << ": "
+          << (ctx->error() & PF_PRESENT ? "protection, " : "non-present, ")
+          << (ctx->error() & PF_USER ? "user, " : "kernel,")
+          << (ctx->error() & PF_WRITE ? "write, " : "read, ")
+          << (ctx->error() & PF_RESERVED ? "reserved, " : "")
+          << (ctx->error() & PF_CODE ? "code" : "data") << "\n";
       }
 
-      debug() << "(!!) exception #" << ctx->irq()
+      debug(EXCEPT) << "(!!) exception #" << ctx->irq()
               << " (" << strexcept(ctx->irq()) << ")\n";
       ctx->print();
 
diff --git a/arch/x86_common/pagemap.cpp b/arch/x86_common/pagemap.cpp
index 98049b0..baf2f2b 100644
--- a/arch/x86_common/pagemap.cpp
+++ b/arch/x86_common/pagemap.cpp
@@ -71,28 +71,29 @@ static const char* get_mmap_type_str(uint32_t type)
 
 static void print_mmap_entry(stivale_mmap_entry& entry)
 {
-    debug() << "  " << DEBUG_HEX
-            << entry.base << " - " << (entry.base + entry.length - 1)
-            << ": " << get_mmap_type_str(entry.type) << "\n";
+  debug(MEMORY)
+    << "  " << DEBUG_HEX
+    << entry.base << " - " << (entry.base + entry.length - 1)
+    << ": " << get_mmap_type_str(entry.type) << "\n";
 }
 
 void create_page_bitmap()
 {
     /* Compute total RAM size */
     const auto total_pages = getSystemPageCount();
-    debug() << "Total RAM size: " << (total_pages >> 8) << "MB ("
+    debug(MEMORY) << "Total RAM size: " << (total_pages >> 8) << "MB ("
             << total_pages << " page frames)\n";
 
     /* Compute the amount of pages needed to store the page refcounter */
     size_t pagemap_pages = total_pages >> PAGE_SHIFT;
     if (total_pages % PAGE_SIZE != 0)
         pagemap_pages++;
-    debug() << "PageMap: ref counter size: ~" << (total_pages >> 10) << "KB\n";
+    debug(MEMORY) << "PageMap: ref counter size: ~" << (total_pages >> 10) << "KB\n";
 
     /* Get a memory location to store the page bitmap */
     const size_t pagemap_start_page = getFirstNFreePages(pagemap_pages);
     const auto pagemap = (uint8_t*)PPN_TO_VIRT(pagemap_start_page);
-    debug() << "PageMap: stored at " << (void*)pagemap << "\n";
+    debug(MEMORY) << "PageMap: stored at " << (void*)pagemap << "\n";
 
     /* Set initial refcount for all pages to 0xff (max) */
     memset(pagemap, 0xff, total_pages);
@@ -128,6 +129,6 @@ void create_page_bitmap()
     /* Initialize the PageManager class */
     new (&s_pagemap) PageMap(total_pages, free_pages, usable_pages, pagemap);
 
-    debug() << "Usable RAM: " << (free_pages >> 8)
+    debug(MEMORY) << "Usable RAM: " << (free_pages >> 8)
             << "/" << (total_pages >> 8) << " MB\n";
 }
diff --git a/arch/x86_common/start.cpp b/arch/x86_common/start.cpp
index 13a97d2..02272d5 100644
--- a/arch/x86_common/start.cpp
+++ b/arch/x86_common/start.cpp
@@ -58,18 +58,18 @@ extern "C" void _NORETURN _start(struct stivale_struct *stivale)
   debug_init();
 
   s_stivale = stivale;
-  debug() << "Hello, world!\n";
+  debug(BOOT) << "Hello, world!\n";
 
   /* Load our own Global Descriptor Table */
-  debug() << "Setting up Global Descriptor Table ...";
+  debug(BOOT) << "Setup: Global Descriptor Table\n";
   setup_gdt();
-  debug() << " done\n";
 
   /* Create a map of free pages from the stivale
    * memory map. */
   create_page_bitmap();
 
   /* Load an interrupt descriptor table */
+  debug(BOOT) << "Setup: Interrupt Descriptor Table\n";
   x86_irq_init();
 
   /* Create the kernel virtual memory address space and
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ extern "C" void _NORETURN _start(struct stivale_struct *stivale)
 
   /* enable SSE and AVX if available */
   s_sseEnabled = sse_enable();
-  debug() << "trying to enable SSE: "
+  debug(BOOT) << "trying to enable SSE: "
           << (s_sseEnabled ? "ok\n" : "not available\n");
   s_sseEnabled = sse_enable();
 
diff --git a/kernel/boot.cpp b/kernel/boot.cpp
index 0c0c38e..ae05f1d 100644
--- a/kernel/boot.cpp
+++ b/kernel/boot.cpp
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@
 
 static void printIssue()
 {
-  debug() << "Koerix OS kernel\n"
+  debug(BOOT) << "Koerix OS kernel\n"
              "Copyright (C) 2017-2021 Alexander Ulmer\n";
 
   auto& pagemap = PageMap::get();
-  debug() << "Memory: " << (pagemap.getUsedMemory() >> 20) << "/"
+  debug(BOOT) << "Memory: " << (pagemap.getUsedMemory() >> 20) << "/"
           << (pagemap.getUsableMemory() >> 20) << " MB used"
              " of total " << (pagemap.getTotalMemory() >> 20) << " MB\n\n";
 }
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ void kernel_init(const char* cmdline)
     int error;
     auto fd = fs::open(valueBuffer, error);
     if (!fd.valid()) {
-      debug() << "warning: " << valueBuffer << ": "
+      debug(BOOT) << "warning: " << valueBuffer << ": "
               << strerror(error) << "\n";
     } else {
       mainTerm = ktl::shared_ptr<Terminal>(new Terminal(fd));
diff --git a/kernel/debug.cpp b/kernel/debug.cpp
index 894e3d2..1d94323 100644
--- a/kernel/debug.cpp
+++ b/kernel/debug.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <mm.h>
 #include <pc/serial.h>
 
-using namespace debugging;
+using namespace dbg;
 
 static Spinlock s_debugLock;
 static bool s_initialized = false;
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ static pc::SerialPort s_serial;
 void panic(const char* message)
 {
   cli();
-  debug() << "**** kernel panic: " << message << "\n\n\n";
+  debug(KERNEL) << "**** kernel panic: " << message << "\n\n\n";
   for (;;) { hlt(); }
 }
 
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ DebugStream::~DebugStream()
   if (!s_initialized)
     return;
 
+  if ((m_loglevel & OUTPUT_ENABLE) == 0)
+    return;
+
   size_t len = strlen(m_buffer);
   s_debugLock.lock();
 #ifdef DEBUG
diff --git a/kernel/debug_stream.cpp b/kernel/debug_stream.cpp
index 35d7e7d..a04571e 100644
--- a/kernel/debug_stream.cpp
+++ b/kernel/debug_stream.cpp
@@ -4,13 +4,14 @@
 #include <debug.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-using namespace debugging;
+using namespace dbg;
 
-DebugStream::DebugStream()
+DebugStream::DebugStream(int loglevel)
     : m_currentMode(DEC)
+    , m_loglevel(loglevel)
 {
-    m_buffer[0] = 0;
-    m_destPtr = m_buffer;
+  m_buffer[0] = 0;
+  m_destPtr = m_buffer;
 }
 
 DebugStream& DebugStream::operator<<(Modifier modif)
diff --git a/kernel/devices.cpp b/kernel/devices.cpp
index 5355064..faef10b 100644
--- a/kernel/devices.cpp
+++ b/kernel/devices.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ namespace dev {
 
   void registerDevice(const char* name, DeviceFile* dev)
   {
+    debug(DEVICES) << "registered device '" << name << "'\n";
     DeviceFs* devfs = (DeviceFs*)s_devfs.get();
     devfs->registerDevice(name, ktl::shared_ptr<DeviceFile>(dev));
   }
diff --git a/kernel/include/debug.h b/kernel/include/debug.h
index 538c767..08c6085 100644
--- a/kernel/include/debug.h
+++ b/kernel/include/debug.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ void _NORETURN panic(const char* msg);
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
 #define assert(x) if (!(x)) { \
-    debug() << "****\n" \
+    debug(KERNEL) << "****\n" \
                "**** in " << __FILE__ << ": " \
             << __func__ << "(), line " << __LINE__ << "\n"; \
     panic("assertion failed"); \
@@ -20,21 +20,36 @@ void _NORETURN panic(const char* msg);
 #define assert_verify(x) (x)
 #endif
 
-#define DEBUG_HEX debugging::DebugStream::HEX
-#define DEBUG_DEC debugging::DebugStream::HEX
+#define DEBUG_HEX dbg::DebugStream::HEX
+#define DEBUG_DEC dbg::DebugStream::HEX
 
-namespace debugging {
+#define OUTPUT_ENABLE BIT(10)
+#define PAGEFAULT     1 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define SYSCALL       2 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define PROCESS       3 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define TASK          4 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define VSPACE        5 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define FPU           6 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define KERNEL        7 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define BOOT          8 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define EXCEPT        9 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define MEMORY       10 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define LOADER       11 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define TIMER        12 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+#define DEVICES      13 | OUTPUT_ENABLE
+
+namespace dbg {
 
     class DebugStream
     {
       public:
         enum Modifier
         {
-            HEX,
-            DEC
+          HEX,
+          DEC
         };
 
-        DebugStream();
+        DebugStream(int loglevel);
         ~DebugStream();
 
         DebugStream& operator<<(char c);
@@ -58,11 +73,13 @@ namespace debugging {
         char *m_destPtr;
         Modifier m_currentMode;
         char m_buffer[BUFFER_SIZE];
+
+        int m_loglevel;
     };
 
 }
 
-static inline debugging::DebugStream debug()
+static inline dbg::DebugStream debug(int loglevel)
 {
-    return debugging::DebugStream();
+  return dbg::DebugStream(loglevel);
 }
diff --git a/kernel/include/scheduler.h b/kernel/include/scheduler.h
index c6129d3..ab32201 100644
--- a/kernel/include/scheduler.h
+++ b/kernel/include/scheduler.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ namespace sched {
 
   bool isEnabled();
   Task* currentTask();
+  size_t currentPid();
   UserTask* currentUserTask();
 
   size_t taskCount();
diff --git a/kernel/kernel_task.cpp b/kernel/kernel_task.cpp
index d244033..6a996af 100644
--- a/kernel/kernel_task.cpp
+++ b/kernel/kernel_task.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 static void ktask_runtime(KernelTask* task, void(*func)(void*))
 {
-  debug() << "kernel task #" << task->tid() << " started executing\n";
+  debug(TASK) << "kernel task #" << task->tid() << " started executing\n";
   func(task->arg());
   task->exit();
 }
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ KernelTask::KernelTask(void(*entry)(void* arg), void* arg)
   context()->arg1() = (size_t)this;
   context()->arg2() = (size_t)entry;
 
-  debug() << "created new kernel task with TID " << tid() << "\n";
+  debug(TASK) << "created new kernel task with TID " << tid() << "\n";
 }
diff --git a/kernel/loader.cpp b/kernel/loader.cpp
index 56ce68b..1f201b5 100644
--- a/kernel/loader.cpp
+++ b/kernel/loader.cpp
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ bool Loader::isValidBinary() const
 
     if ((phtEntry.p_vaddr & 0xfff) != 0)
     {
-      debug() << "loader warning: trying to load ELF "
+      debug(LOADER) << "loader warning: trying to load ELF "
                  "with unaligned LOAD program headers\n";
       return false;
     }
 
-    //debug() << "load: addr=" << (void*)phtEntry.p_vaddr
+    //debug(LOADER) << "load: addr=" << (void*)phtEntry.p_vaddr
     //        << ", size=" << DEBUG_HEX << phtEntry.p_memsz << "\n";
   }
 
diff --git a/kernel/mm/heap.cpp b/kernel/mm/heap.cpp
index 94c4606..dfeb2c7 100644
--- a/kernel/mm/heap.cpp
+++ b/kernel/mm/heap.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ void kheap_print()
 {
   s_heapMutex.lock();
 
-  debug() << "--- HEAP DUMP ---\n";
+  debug(MEMORY) << "--- HEAP DUMP ---\n";
   HeapBlock *entry;
   for (HeapBlock* entry = heap_start;
        entry != nullptr;
@@ -58,15 +58,15 @@ void kheap_print()
 
     if (entry->available)
     {
-        debug() << "  @ " << (entry + 1) << ": " << entry->size << "B [free]\n";
+        debug(MEMORY) << "  @ " << (entry + 1) << ": " << entry->size << "B [free]\n";
     }
     else
     {
 #ifdef DEBUG
-      debug() << "  @ " << (entry + 1) << ": " << entry->size
+      debug(MEMORY) << "  @ " << (entry + 1) << ": " << entry->size
               << "B [used " << entry->function << "():" << entry->line << "]\n";
 #else
-      debug() << "  @ " << (entry + 1) << ": " << entry->size << "B [used]\n";
+      debug(MEMORY) << "  @ " << (entry + 1) << ": " << entry->size << "B [used]\n";
 #endif
     }
   }
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ void _kheap_check_corrupt(const char* func, unsigned line)
   {
     if (entry->magic != HEAP_MAGIC)
     {
-      debug() << "heap corruption detected in " << func << "():" << line << "\n";
+      debug(MEMORY) << "heap corruption detected in " << func << "():" << line << "\n";
       panic("heap corruption detected");
     }
   }
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static void* kbrk(ssize_t increment)
       first_unmap += 1;
     size_t last_unmap = (size_t)orig_brk / PAGE_SIZE;
 
-    // debug() << "kheap: freeing pages " << first_unmap << " to " << last_unmap << "\n";
+    // debug(MEMORY) << "kheap: freeing pages " << first_unmap << " to " << last_unmap << "\n";
     for (size_t page = first_unmap; page <= last_unmap; page++)
       AddrSpace::kernel().unmap(page);
   }
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static void* kbrk(ssize_t increment)
       first_map += 1;
     size_t last_map = (size_t)(kheap_break_ - 1) >> PAGE_SHIFT;
 
-    //debug() << "kheap: alloc " << (last_map - first_map + 1)
+    //debug(MEMORY) << "kheap: alloc " << (last_map - first_map + 1)
     //        << " pages @ "
     //        << (void*)(first_map << PAGE_SHIFT) << "\n";
     for (size_t page = first_map; page <= last_map; page++)
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ static void mergeBlocks(HeapBlock *first, HeapBlock *second)
 
 void kfree(void *ptr)
 {
-  //debug() << "kfree(): " << ptr << "\n";
+  //debug(MEMORY) << "kfree(): " << ptr << "\n";
 
   if (ptr == nullptr) {
     return;
diff --git a/kernel/mm/page_fault.cpp b/kernel/mm/page_fault.cpp
index 5bf0de9..200550f 100644
--- a/kernel/mm/page_fault.cpp
+++ b/kernel/mm/page_fault.cpp
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@
 static bool checkIfValid(size_t addr, FaultFlags flags)
 {
   if (addr < MIN_LOAD_ADDR) {
-    debug() << "PF: nullptr dereferenced!\n";
+    debug(PAGEFAULT) << "PF: nullptr dereferenced!\n";
     return false;
   }
 
   if (addr >= USER_BREAK) {
-    debug() << "PF: referencing (unmapped) kernel memory!\n";
+    debug(PAGEFAULT) << "PF: referencing (unmapped) kernel memory!\n";
     return false;
   }
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ static bool checkIfValid(size_t addr, FaultFlags flags)
 void killProgram()
 {
   auto& proc = sched::currentUserTask()->getProcess();
-  debug() << "PID " << proc.pid()
+  debug(PAGEFAULT) << "PID " << proc.pid()
           << ": KILLED due to invalid memory reference\n";
   proc.exit(-1);
 }
diff --git a/kernel/sched/proc_list.cpp b/kernel/sched/proc_list.cpp
index f223c48..9893d40 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/proc_list.cpp
+++ b/kernel/sched/proc_list.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ void ProcList::checkForDeadProcesses()
     if (proc->state() == UserProcess::TO_BE_DELETED)
     {
       delete proc;
-      debug() << "proc: deleted\n";
+      debug(PROCESS) << "proc: deleted\n";
 
       auto prev = it->prev;
       m_procList.remove(it);
diff --git a/kernel/sched/scheduler.cpp b/kernel/sched/scheduler.cpp
index 4d0f2ac..11cfdef 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/scheduler.cpp
+++ b/kernel/sched/scheduler.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <addr_space.h>
 #include <user_task.h>
 #include <proc_list.h>
+#include <user_proc.h>
 #include <fpu.h>
 
 /* sets the stack pointer that will be used
@@ -151,4 +152,10 @@ namespace sched {
   {
     return s_taskList.size();
   }
+
+  size_t currentPid()
+  {
+    return sched::currentUserTask()->getProcess().pid();
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/kernel/sched/task_syscalls.cpp b/kernel/sched/task_syscalls.cpp
index 60f17d0..6be0fe4 100644
--- a/kernel/sched/task_syscalls.cpp
+++ b/kernel/sched/task_syscalls.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 void sys_exit(int status)
 {
-  debug() << "exit(" << status << ")\n";
+  debug(PROCESS) << "exit(" << status << ")\n";
   auto userTask = sched::currentUserTask();
   userTask->getProcess().exit(status);
 }
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ void sys_exit(int status)
 void sys_thread_exit(void* ret)
 {
   auto userTask = sched::currentUserTask();
-  debug() << "tid " << userTask->tid() << ": thread_exit(" << ret << ")\n";
+  debug(TASK) << "tid " << userTask->tid() << ": thread_exit(" << ret << ")\n";
   sched::currentUserTask()->exit();
 }
 
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ void* get_thread_ptr()
 ssize_t sys_thread_create(void* rt0, void* func, void* arg, int flags)
 {
   auto& proc = sched::currentUserTask()->getProcess();
-  return proc.addTask(rt0, func, arg);
+  auto tid = proc.addTask(rt0, func, arg);
+
+  debug(PROCESS) << "PID " << proc.pid()
+                 << ": created new thread with TID " << tid << "\n";
+  return tid;
 }
 
 size_t sys_thread_count()
diff --git a/kernel/task.cpp b/kernel/task.cpp
index e990222..c4ec421 100644
--- a/kernel/task.cpp
+++ b/kernel/task.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ Task::Task(AddrSpace& vspace)
 
 void Task::exit()
 {
-  debug() << "tid " << tid() << ": terminating\n";
+  debug(TASK) << "tid " << tid() << ": terminating\n";
   assert(sched::currentTask() == this);
   m_state = KILLED;
   sched::yield();
diff --git a/kernel/user_proc.cpp b/kernel/user_proc.cpp
index 5db0504..136177a 100644
--- a/kernel/user_proc.cpp
+++ b/kernel/user_proc.cpp
@@ -80,8 +80,10 @@ size_t UserProcess::addTask(void* entryPoint, void* arg1, void* arg2)
 ssize_t UserProcess::fork()
 {
   assert(isOwnProcess());
-
   auto forked = new UserProcess(*this);
+
+  debug(PROCESS) << "PID " << this->pid()
+                 << " is forking PID " << forked->pid() << "\n";
   return forked->pid();
 }
 
@@ -132,7 +134,7 @@ void UserProcess::checkForDeadTasks()
 
       sched::removeTask(userTask);
       delete userTask;
-      debug() << "tid " << userTask->tid() << ": deleted\n";
+      debug(TASK) << "tid " << userTask->tid() << ": deleted\n";
 
       /* some boilerplate code to remove the task from the list and
        * not break the for loop at the same time:  */
diff --git a/platform/pc/drivers/init.cpp b/platform/pc/drivers/init.cpp
index 12ae047..bc5b6be 100644
--- a/platform/pc/drivers/init.cpp
+++ b/platform/pc/drivers/init.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ extern void ps2kbd_init();
 
 void init_drivers()
 {
-  debug() << "init platform drivers\n";
+  debug(DEVICES) << "init platform drivers\n";
 
   /* init timer to 50hz */
   timer_reset(50);
diff --git a/platform/pc/drivers/serial.cpp b/platform/pc/drivers/serial.cpp
index 733cbee..4604212 100644
--- a/platform/pc/drivers/serial.cpp
+++ b/platform/pc/drivers/serial.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ SerialPort::SerialPort()
 SerialPort::SerialPort(SerialPort::Port port, bool noIrq)
   : m_port(port)
 {
-  debug() << "init PC serial port #" << minor()
+  debug(DEVICES) << "init PC serial port #" << minor()
           << " at port " << DEBUG_HEX << (size_t)port << "\n";
 
   /* temporarily disable all IRQs */
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ void SerialPort::setBaudRate(SerialPort::BaudRate baud)
   outb(m_port + 1, baud >> 8);          // high byte
   outb(m_port + 3, line_ctrl & 0x7f);   // clear DLAB bit
 
-  debug() << "uart" << minor() << ": baud_rate="
+  debug(DEVICES) << "uart" << minor() << ": baud_rate="
           << (115200 / baud) << "\n";
 }
 
diff --git a/platform/pc/drivers/timer.cpp b/platform/pc/drivers/timer.cpp
index dfe2024..cb8bb37 100644
--- a/platform/pc/drivers/timer.cpp
+++ b/platform/pc/drivers/timer.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 void timer_reset(uint16_t freqHz)
 {
-  debug() << "setting timer freq: " << freqHz << "Hz\n";
+  debug(TIMER) << "setting timer freq: " << freqHz << "Hz\n";
 
   uint16_t pit = OSCILLATOR / freqHz;
   outb(PIT_CMD, PIT_CMD_CH0 | PIT_ACCESS | PIT_RATEGEN);