diff --git a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/hpet.c b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/hpet.c
index 75e57498..58914567 100644
--- a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/hpet.c
+++ b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/hpet.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <kernel/vmm.h>
 #include <kernel/interrupt.h>
 #include <arch/tsc.h>
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
+#include <kernel/kernel_args.h>
 
 #include <uacpi/acpi.h>
 #include <uacpi/tables.h>
@@ -61,8 +61,10 @@ static void counterirq(isr_t *isr, context_t *context) {
 	write64(HPET_REG_CONFIG, 1 + ((hpet_private.type == TYPE_LEGACY) ? 2 : 0));
 }
 
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nohpet, bool);
+
 static bool hpet_probe(void) {
-	if (cmdline_get("nohpet"))
+	if (GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nohpet, bool))
 		return false;
 
 	bool usable = false;
diff --git a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/kernel.ld b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/kernel.ld
index b119c07e..6f3f0c48 100644
--- a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/kernel.ld
+++ b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/kernel.ld
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ SECTIONS
 		*(.data .data.*);
 	} :data
 
+	. = ALIGN(8);
+	.kernel_arguments : {
+		kernel_arguments = .;
+		*(.kernel_arguments);
+		kernel_arguments_end = .;
+	} :data
+
 	. = ALIGN(8);
 	.bss : {
 		*(COMMON)
diff --git a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/kvmclock.c b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/kvmclock.c
index 7b7a70b5..d3f4ac47 100644
--- a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/kvmclock.c
+++ b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/kvmclock.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include <arch/cpuid.h>
 #include <kernel/pmm.h>
 #include <arch/tsc.h>
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
+#include <kernel/kernel_args.h>
 
 #define KVM_TIMER_SYSTEM_TIME_ALIGNMENT 4
 #define KVM_TIMER_SYSTEM_TIME_ENABLE 1
@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ typedef struct {
 	uint8_t padding1[2];
 } __attribute__((packed)) kvm_timer_info_t;
 
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nokvmclock, bool);
+
 static bool kvm_timer_probe(void) {
-	if (cmdline_get("nokvmclock"))
+	if (GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nokvmclock, bool))
 		return false;
 
 	// figure out if we are running in kvm
diff --git a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/smp.c b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/smp.c
index 1a034d58..82fd65a1 100644
--- a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/smp.c
+++ b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/smp.c
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@
 #include <arch/cpu.h>
 #include <arch/gdt.h>
 #include <arch/idt.h>
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
+#include <kernel/kernel_args.h>
 #include <arch/smp.h>
 #include <kernel/alloc.h>
 #include <kernel/init.h>
 
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nosmp, bool);
+
 static volatile struct limine_smp_request smprequest = {
 	.id = LIMINE_SMP_REQUEST
 };
@@ -58,8 +60,8 @@ void arch_smp_haltallothers(void) {
 }
 
 size_t arch_smp_get_cpu_count(void) {
-	//if (cmdline_get("nosmp"))
-	//	return 1;
+	if (GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nosmp, bool))
+		return 1;
 
 	struct limine_smp_response *response = smprequest.response;
 	if (response == NULL)
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@ void arch_smp_wakeup(void) {
 	smp_cpus = alloc(response->cpu_count * sizeof(cpu_t *));
 	__assert(smp_cpus);
 
-	void (*wakeupfn)(struct limine_smp_info *) = cpuwakeup;//cmdline_get("nosmp") ? cpuwakeuphalt : cpuwakeup;
+	void (*wakeupfn)(struct limine_smp_info *) = GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nosmp, bool) ? cpuwakeuphalt : cpuwakeup;
 
 	// make the other processors jump to cpuwakeup()
 	for (int i = 0; i < response->cpu_count; ++i) {
diff --git a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/tsc.c b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/tsc.c
index e39e9b82..96f8d0a7 100644
--- a/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/tsc.c
+++ b/kernel-src/arch/x86-64/tsc.c
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@
 #include <logging.h>
 #include <kernel/alloc.h>
 #include <arch/hpet.h>
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
+#include <kernel/kernel_args.h>
+
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(notsc, bool);
 
 static bool tsc_probe(void) {
-	if (cmdline_get("notsc"))
+	if (GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(notsc, bool))
 		return false;
 
 	cpuid_results_t cpuid_results;
diff --git a/kernel-src/include/kernel/cmdline.h b/kernel-src/include/kernel/cmdline.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 9ae6ccb9..00000000
--- a/kernel-src/include/kernel/cmdline.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-#ifndef _CMDLINE_H
-#define _CMDLINE_H
-
-char *cmdline_get(char *);
-void cmdline_parse();
-
-#endif
diff --git a/kernel-src/include/kernel/kernel_args.h b/kernel-src/include/kernel/kernel_args.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5b624154
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel-src/include/kernel/kernel_args.h
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#ifndef _KERNEL_ARGS_H
+#define _KERNEL_ARGS_H
+
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+void kernel_arguments_parse(void);
+
+#define KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_BOOL 0
+#define KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_STR 1
+#define KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT 2
+
+typedef struct {
+	const char *key;
+	int type;
+	bool found;
+	union {
+		char *value_str;
+		uint64_t value_int;
+	};
+} kernel_argument_t;
+
+#define DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(name, t) \
+	static kernel_argument_t kernel_argument_##name = { \
+		.key = #name , \
+		.type = _Generic((t)0, \
+			uint8_t: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT, \
+			uint16_t: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT, \
+			uint32_t: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT, \
+			uint64_t: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT, \
+			int8_t: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT, \
+			int16_t: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT, \
+			int32_t: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT, \
+			int64_t: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT, \
+			bool: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_BOOL, \
+			char *: KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_STR, \
+			default: (kernel_argument_t *)NULL \
+		), \
+		.found = false \
+	}; \
+	__attribute__((section(".kernel_arguments"), used)) static kernel_argument_t *kernel_argument_ptr_##name = &kernel_argument_##name;
+
+#define GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(name, t) _Generic((t)0, \
+			uint8_t: kernel_argument_##name.value_int, \
+			uint16_t: kernel_argument_##name.value_int, \
+			uint32_t: kernel_argument_##name.value_int, \
+			uint64_t: kernel_argument_##name.value_int, \
+			int8_t: kernel_argument_##name.value_int, \
+			int16_t: kernel_argument_##name.value_int, \
+			int32_t: kernel_argument_##name.value_int, \
+			int64_t: kernel_argument_##name.value_int, \
+			bool: kernel_argument_##name.found, \
+			char *: kernel_argument_##name.value_str, \
+			default: (kernel_argument_t *)NULL \
+		)
+
+#endif
diff --git a/kernel-src/include/string.h b/kernel-src/include/string.h
index f06057f1..60ccfd22 100644
--- a/kernel-src/include/string.h
+++ b/kernel-src/include/string.h
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@ int strncmp(const char *a, const char *b, size_t c);
 int memcmp(const void *a, const void *b, size_t s);
 void *memmove(void *_d, const void *_s, size_t c);
 char *strerror(int errno);
+long long atoll(const char *c);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/kernel-src/lib/string.c b/kernel-src/lib/string.c
index 7b1e4fb5..79aee8b5 100644
--- a/kernel-src/lib/string.c
+++ b/kernel-src/lib/string.c
@@ -99,6 +99,19 @@ void *memmove(void *_d, const void *_s, size_t c) {
 	return _d;
 }
 
+long long atoll(const char *c) {
+	char first = *c;
+	if (first == '-')
+		++c;
+
+	int v = 0;
+
+	while (*c)
+		v = v * 10 + (*c++) - '0';
+
+	return first == '-' ? -v : v;
+}
+
 #define DO_NAME(e) \
 	case e: \
 		return #e;
diff --git a/kernel-src/main.c b/kernel-src/main.c
index f1a6a659..fba17a5f 100644
--- a/kernel-src/main.c
+++ b/kernel-src/main.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include <arch/cpu.h>
 #include <kernel/init.h>
 #include <logging.h>
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
+#include <kernel/kernel_args.h>
 #include <kernel/vfs.h>
 #include <kernel/devfs.h>
 #include <kernel/initrd.h>
@@ -9,27 +9,31 @@
 
 static cpu_t bsp_cpu;
 
-INIT_ROUTINE_DEFINE(bsp_early, 
-		INIT_ROUTINE_FLAGS_PHONY, 
+INIT_ROUTINE_DEFINE(bsp_early,
+		INIT_ROUTINE_FLAGS_PHONY,
 		NULL,
 		alloc, term, cpu
 	);
 
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(root, char *);
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(rootfs, char *);
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(initrd, bool);
+
 void kernel_entry() {
 	cpu_set(&bsp_cpu);
 	logging_sethook(arch_early_log);
 
-	init_run_routine(INIT_GET_ROUTINE(bsp_early));
+	kernel_arguments_parse();
 
-	cmdline_parse();
+	init_run_routine(INIT_GET_ROUTINE(bsp_early));
 
 	init_run_all_routines();
 
 	// kernel is fully up and running by now
 	// mount root filesystem
 
-	char *root   = cmdline_get("root");
-	char *rootfs = cmdline_get("rootfs");
+	char *root   = GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(root, char *);
+	char *rootfs = GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(rootfs, char *);
 
 	printf("entry: mounting %s (%s) on /\n", root == NULL ? "none" : root, rootfs);
 
@@ -46,7 +50,7 @@ void kernel_entry() {
 		VOP_RELEASE(backing);
 	}
 
-	if (cmdline_get("initrd"))
+	if (GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(initrd, bool))
 		initrd_unpack();
 
 	// spawn init
diff --git a/kernel-src/sys/cmdline.c b/kernel-src/sys/cmdline.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 9fbf4276..00000000
--- a/kernel-src/sys/cmdline.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,77 +0,0 @@
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
-#include <kernel/alloc.h>
-#include <hashtable.h>
-#include <limine.h>
-#include <logging.h>
-
-static volatile struct limine_kernel_file_request kernel_file_request = {
-	.id = LIMINE_KERNEL_FILE_REQUEST,
-	.revision = 0
-};
-
-static hashtable_t pair_table;
-
-char *cmdline_get(char *key) {
-	void *v;
-	return hashtable_get(&pair_table, &v, key, strlen(key)) == 0 ? v : NULL;
-}
-
-void cmdline_parse() {
-	__assert(hashtable_init(&pair_table, 16) == 0);
-	__assert(kernel_file_request.response);
-	struct limine_file *kernel_file = kernel_file_request.response->kernel_file;
-	__assert(kernel_file);
-	char *cmdline = kernel_file->cmdline;
-	__assert(cmdline);
-
-	size_t buffer_len = strlen(cmdline) + 1;
-	char buffer[buffer_len];
-	memset(buffer, 0, buffer_len);
-	char *cmdline_ptr = cmdline;
-	char *buffer_ptr = buffer;
-
-	bool do_convert = true;
-
-	while (*cmdline_ptr) {
-		char cmd_char = *cmdline_ptr++;
-		if (cmd_char == ' ' && do_convert)
-			*buffer_ptr++ = '\0';
-		else if (cmd_char == '"') {
-			do_convert = !do_convert;
-			--buffer_len;
-		} else
-			*buffer_ptr++ = cmd_char;
-	}
-	buffer[buffer_len - 1] = '\0';
-
-	int i = 0;
-	while (i < buffer_len) {
-		char *iterator = &buffer[i];
-		bool pair = false;
-		while (*iterator) {
-			if (*iterator == '=') {
-				pair = true;
-				*iterator = '\0';
-			}
-			++iterator;
-		}
-
-		size_t key_len = strlen(&buffer[i]);
-		if (pair) {
-			char *value_ptr = &buffer[i + key_len + 1];
-			size_t value_len = strlen(value_ptr);
-
-			char *value = alloc(value_len) + 1;
-			__assert(value);
-			strcpy(value, value_ptr);
-			__assert(hashtable_set(&pair_table, value, &buffer[i], key_len, true) == 0);
-			i += value_len + 1;
-		} else {
-			char *value = alloc(key_len + 1);
-			__assert(value);
-			strcpy(value, &buffer[i]);
-			__assert(hashtable_set(&pair_table, value, &buffer[i], key_len, true) == 0);
-		}
-		i += key_len + 1;
-	}
-}
diff --git a/kernel-src/sys/kernel_args.c b/kernel-src/sys/kernel_args.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..eb793b89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel-src/sys/kernel_args.c
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#include <kernel/kernel_args.h>
+#include <kernel/alloc.h>
+#include <hashtable.h>
+#include <limine.h>
+#include <logging.h>
+
+#define TOTAL_ARGUMENTS_CHARACTER_LIMIT 4096
+
+static volatile struct limine_kernel_file_request kernel_file_request = {
+	.id = LIMINE_KERNEL_FILE_REQUEST,
+	.revision = 0
+};
+
+static size_t allocated = 0;
+static char argument_buffer[TOTAL_ARGUMENTS_CHARACTER_LIMIT];
+
+extern kernel_argument_t *kernel_arguments[];
+extern kernel_argument_t *kernel_arguments_end[];
+
+static void insert_argument(const char *key, const char *value) {
+	size_t argument_count = ((uintptr_t)kernel_arguments_end - (uintptr_t)kernel_arguments) / sizeof(kernel_argument_t *);
+	char *buffer = &argument_buffer[allocated];
+	if (value) {
+		strcpy(buffer, value);
+		allocated += strlen(value) + 1;
+	}
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < argument_count; ++i) {
+		if (strcmp(kernel_arguments[i]->key, key))
+			continue;
+
+		kernel_arguments[i]->found = true;
+
+		switch (kernel_arguments[i]->type) {
+			case KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_STR:
+				kernel_arguments[i]->value_str = value ? buffer : NULL;
+				break;
+			case KERNEL_ARGUMENT_TYPE_INT:
+				kernel_arguments[i]->value_int = value ? atoll(buffer) : 0;
+				break;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+void kernel_arguments_parse(void) {
+	__assert(kernel_file_request.response);
+	const char *cmdline = kernel_file_request.response->kernel_file->cmdline;
+	__assert(cmdline);
+	size_t length = min(strlen(cmdline), TOTAL_ARGUMENTS_CHARACTER_LIMIT);
+	char temp_buffer[length];
+	memcpy(temp_buffer, cmdline, length);
+
+	bool escaping = false;
+	const char *key = temp_buffer[0] == ' ' ? NULL : temp_buffer;
+	const char *value = NULL;
+	for (int i = 0; i < length; ++i) {
+		if (temp_buffer[i] == '"') {
+			escaping = !escaping;
+			temp_buffer[i] = '\0';
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (temp_buffer[i] == '=') {
+			value = &temp_buffer[i + 1];
+			temp_buffer[i] = '\0';
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (temp_buffer[i] == ' ' && !escaping) {
+			temp_buffer[i] = '\0';
+
+			if (key)
+				insert_argument(key, value);
+
+			key = &temp_buffer[i + 1];
+			value = NULL;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (key != temp_buffer + length)
+		insert_argument(key, value);
+}
diff --git a/kernel-src/sys/proc.c b/kernel-src/sys/proc.c
index f56ebb81..e28959c1 100644
--- a/kernel-src/sys/proc.c
+++ b/kernel-src/sys/proc.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include <kernel/scheduler.h>
 #include <kernel/elf.h>
 #include <kernel/devfs.h>
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
+#include <kernel/kernel_args.h>
 
 static hashtable_t pid_table;
 static scache_t *processcache;
@@ -292,6 +292,8 @@ void proc_exit(void) {
 	}
 }
 
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(initarg, char *);
+
 void proc_run_init() {
 	printf("proc: loading /init\n");
 
@@ -358,7 +360,7 @@ void proc_run_init() {
 	proc->root = vfsroot;
 	VOP_HOLD(vfsroot);
 
-	char *argv[] = {"/init", cmdline_get("initarg"), NULL};
+	char *argv[] = {"/init", GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(initarg, char *), NULL};
 	char *envp[] = {NULL};
 
 	void *stack = elf_preparestack(STACK_TOP, &auxv64, argv, envp, "/init");
diff --git a/kernel-src/sys/scheduler/scheduler.c b/kernel-src/sys/scheduler/scheduler.c
index 9371d0e7..ff8d88bd 100644
--- a/kernel-src/sys/scheduler/scheduler.c
+++ b/kernel-src/sys/scheduler/scheduler.c
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 #include <semaphore.h>
 #include <kernel/devfs.h>
 #include <kernel/jobctl.h>
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
 #include <kernel/auth.h>
 #include <arch/smp.h>
 #include <kernel/init.h>
diff --git a/kernel-src/sys/syscalls/newthread.c b/kernel-src/sys/syscalls/newthread.c
index a7f9b305..3c6cd952 100644
--- a/kernel-src/sys/syscalls/newthread.c
+++ b/kernel-src/sys/syscalls/newthread.c
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #include <kernel/syscalls.h>
 #include <kernel/scheduler.h>
-#include <kernel/cmdline.h>
+#include <kernel/kernel_args.h>
 #include <kernel/alloc.h>
 #include <arch/cpu.h>
 
+DEFINE_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nomultithread, bool);
+
 syscallret_t syscall_newthread(context_t *, void *entry, void *stack) {
 	syscallret_t ret = {
 		.ret = -1
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ syscallret_t syscall_newthread(context_t *, void *entry, void *stack) {
 
 	// TODO perhaps clean up threads here as well
 	// if the kernel was specified to have no user threading in the cmdline
-	if (cmdline_get("nomultithread")) {
+	if (GET_KERNEL_ARGUMENT(nomultithread, bool)) {
 		ret.errno = ENOSYS;
 		return ret;
 	}