diff --git a/android/FerrochromeApp/AndroidManifest.xml b/android/FerrochromeApp/AndroidManifest.xml
index 7afffe5..d640c4a 100644
--- a/android/FerrochromeApp/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/android/FerrochromeApp/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.KILL_BACKGROUND_PROCESSES" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.KILL_ALL_BACKGROUND_PROCESSES" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
+    <uses-permission android:name="com.android.virtualization.vmlauncher.permission.USE_VM_LAUNCHER" />
+
     <queries>
         <intent>
             <action android:name="android.virtualization.VM_LAUNCHER" />
diff --git a/android/VmLauncherApp/AndroidManifest.xml b/android/VmLauncherApp/AndroidManifest.xml
index c6ab1f2..67b7a45 100644
--- a/android/VmLauncherApp/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/android/VmLauncherApp/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
     <uses-feature android:name="android.software.virtualization_framework" android:required="true" />
+
+    <permission android:name="com.android.virtualization.vmlauncher.permission.USE_VM_LAUNCHER"
+        android:protectionLevel="signature|preinstalled"/>
+
     <application
         android:label="VmLauncherApp">
         <activity android:name=".MainActivity"
@@ -14,6 +18,7 @@
                   android:configChanges="orientation|screenSize|keyboard|keyboardHidden|navigation|uiMode"
                   android:theme="@style/MyTheme"
                   android:resizeableActivity="false"
+                  android:permission="com.android.virtualization.vmlauncher.permission.USE_VM_LAUNCHER"
                   android:exported="true">
             <intent-filter>
                 <action android:name="android.virtualization.VM_LAUNCHER" />
diff --git a/android/VmLauncherApp/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/MainActivity.java b/android/VmLauncherApp/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/MainActivity.java
index 0b93968..a93c173 100644
--- a/android/VmLauncherApp/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/MainActivity.java
+++ b/android/VmLauncherApp/java/com/android/virtualization/vmlauncher/MainActivity.java
@@ -457,10 +457,16 @@
                                                 + holder.getSurface()
                                                 + ")");
                                 runWithDisplayService(
-                                        (service) ->
-                                                service.setSurface(
+                                        s ->
+                                                s.setSurface(
                                                         holder.getSurface(),
                                                         false /* forCursor */));
+                                // TODO  execute the above and the below togther with the same call
+                                // to runWithDisplayService. Currently this doesn't work because
+                                // setSurface somtimes trigger an exception and as a result
+                                // drawSavedFrameForSurface is skipped.
+                                runWithDisplayService(
+                                        s -> s.drawSavedFrameForSurface(false /* forCursor */));
                             }
 
                             @Override
@@ -544,6 +550,12 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    protected void onPause() {
+        super.onPause();
+        runWithDisplayService(s -> s.saveFrameForSurface(false /* forCursor */));
+    }
+
+    @Override
     protected void onStop() {
         super.onStop();
         if (mVirtualMachine != null) {
diff --git a/android/virtmgr/Android.bp b/android/virtmgr/Android.bp
index ae85934..a21ee6c 100644
--- a/android/virtmgr/Android.bp
+++ b/android/virtmgr/Android.bp
@@ -87,6 +87,14 @@
     apex_available: ["com.android.virt"],
 }
 
+rust_binary {
+    name: "early_virtmgr",
+    defaults: ["virtualizationmanager_defaults"],
+    srcs: ["src/main.rs"],
+    cfgs: ["early"],
+    apex_available: ["com.android.virt"],
+}
+
 rust_test {
     name: "virtualizationmanager_device_test",
     srcs: ["src/main.rs"],
diff --git a/android/virtmgr/src/main.rs b/android/virtmgr/src/main.rs
index 4e88507..445260f 100644
--- a/android/virtmgr/src/main.rs
+++ b/android/virtmgr/src/main.rs
@@ -131,7 +131,11 @@
     // Start thread pool for kernel Binder connection to VirtualizationServiceInternal.
     ProcessState::start_thread_pool();
 
-    GLOBAL_SERVICE.removeMemlockRlimit().expect("Failed to remove memlock rlimit");
+    if cfg!(early) {
+        panic!("Early VM not implemented");
+    } else {
+        GLOBAL_SERVICE.removeMemlockRlimit().expect("Failed to remove memlock rlimit");
+    }
 
     let service = VirtualizationService::init();
     let service =
diff --git a/build/apex/Android.bp b/build/apex/Android.bp
index 5e74aca..8de7b61 100644
--- a/build/apex/Android.bp
+++ b/build/apex/Android.bp
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
     config_namespace: "ANDROID",
     bool_variables: [
         "release_avf_enable_device_assignment",
+        "release_avf_enable_early_vm",
         "release_avf_enable_llpvm_changes",
         "release_avf_enable_network",
         "avf_remote_attestation_enabled",
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@
         "systemserverclasspath_fragments",
         "vintf_fragments",
         "apps",
+        "binaries",
     ],
 }
 
@@ -210,6 +212,16 @@
                 "virtualizationservice.xml",
             ],
         },
+        release_avf_enable_early_vm: {
+            arch: {
+                arm64: {
+                    binaries: ["early_virtmgr"],
+                },
+                x86_64: {
+                    binaries: ["early_virtmgr"],
+                },
+            },
+        },
     },
 }
 
diff --git a/demo_accessor/README.md b/demo_accessor/README.md
index a3959a5..c85cf3c 100644
--- a/demo_accessor/README.md
+++ b/demo_accessor/README.md
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 ```shell
 adb remount -R || adb wait-for-device  # Remount to push apex to /system_ext
 adb root && adb remount                # Ensure it's rebooted.
-adb push $ANDROID_PRODUCT_OUT/system_ext/com.android.virt.accessor_demo.apex /system_ext/apex
+adb push $ANDROID_PRODUCT_OUT/system_ext/apex/com.android.virt.accessor_demo.apex /system_ext/apex
 adb reboot && adb wait-for-device      # Ensure that newly pushed apex at /system_ext is installed
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/custom_vm.md b/docs/custom_vm.md
index 6422678..cdeddf5 100644
--- a/docs/custom_vm.md
+++ b/docs/custom_vm.md
@@ -207,28 +207,17 @@
 
 ### Running the VM
 
-First, enable the `VmLauncherApp` app. This needs to be done only once. In the
-future, this step won't be necesssary.
+1. Grant permission to the `VmLauncherApp` if the virt apex is Google-signed.
+    ```shell
+    $ adb shell su root pm grant com.google.android.virtualization.vmlauncher android.permission.USE_CUSTOM_VIRTUAL_MACHINE
+    ```
 
-```
-$ adb root
-$ adb shell pm enable com.android.virtualization.vmlauncher/.MainActivityAlias
-$ adb unroot
-```
+2. Ensure your device is connected to the Internet.
 
-If virt apex is Google-signed, you need to enable the app and grant the
-permission to the app.
-```
-$ adb root
-$ adb shell pm enable com.google.android.virtualization.vmlauncher/com.android.virtualization.vmlauncher.MainActivityAlias
-$ adb shell pm grant com.google.android.virtualization.vmlauncher android.permission.USE_CUSTOM_VIRTUAL_MACHINE
-$ adb unroot
-```
-
-Second, ensure your device is connected to the Internet.
-
-Finally, tap the VmLauncherApp app from the launcher UI. You will see
-Ferrochrome booting!
+3. Launch the app with adb.
+    ```shell
+    $ adb shell su root am start-activity -a android.virtualization.VM_LAUNCHER
+    ```
 
 If it doesn’t work well, try
 
diff --git a/libs/android_display_backend/Android.bp b/libs/android_display_backend/Android.bp
index 32587dd..f682627 100644
--- a/libs/android_display_backend/Android.bp
+++ b/libs/android_display_backend/Android.bp
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@
         "android.system.virtualizationcommon-ndk",
         "android.system.virtualizationservice-ndk",
     ],
+    static_libs: [
+        "libbase",
+    ],
     shared_libs: [
         "libbinder_ndk",
         "libnativewindow",
diff --git a/libs/android_display_backend/aidl/android/crosvm/ICrosvmAndroidDisplayService.aidl b/libs/android_display_backend/aidl/android/crosvm/ICrosvmAndroidDisplayService.aidl
index e42cdd1..77e3a8c 100644
--- a/libs/android_display_backend/aidl/android/crosvm/ICrosvmAndroidDisplayService.aidl
+++ b/libs/android_display_backend/aidl/android/crosvm/ICrosvmAndroidDisplayService.aidl
@@ -27,4 +27,6 @@
     void setSurface(inout Surface surface, boolean forCursor);
     void setCursorStream(in ParcelFileDescriptor stream);
     void removeSurface(boolean forCursor);
+    void saveFrameForSurface(boolean forCursor);
+    void drawSavedFrameForSurface(boolean forCursor);
 }
diff --git a/libs/android_display_backend/crosvm_android_display_client.cpp b/libs/android_display_backend/crosvm_android_display_client.cpp
index 6e4a793..3802a69 100644
--- a/libs/android_display_backend/crosvm_android_display_client.cpp
+++ b/libs/android_display_backend/crosvm_android_display_client.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 #include <aidl/android/crosvm/BnCrosvmAndroidDisplayService.h>
 #include <aidl/android/system/virtualizationservice_internal/IVirtualizationServiceInternal.h>
+#include <android-base/result.h>
 #include <android/binder_manager.h>
 #include <android/binder_process.h>
 #include <system/graphics.h> // for HAL_PIXEL_FORMAT_*
@@ -28,16 +29,16 @@
 using aidl::android::system::virtualizationservice_internal::IVirtualizationServiceInternal;
 using aidl::android::view::Surface;
 
+using android::base::Error;
+using android::base::Result;
+
 namespace {
 
 class SinkANativeWindow_Buffer {
 public:
-    SinkANativeWindow_Buffer() = default;
-    virtual ~SinkANativeWindow_Buffer() = default;
-
-    bool configure(uint32_t width, uint32_t height, int format) {
+    Result<void> configure(uint32_t width, uint32_t height, int format) {
         if (format != HAL_PIXEL_FORMAT_BGRA_8888) {
-            return false;
+            return Error() << "Pixel format " << format << " is not BGRA_8888.";
         }
 
         mBufferBits.resize(width * height * 4);
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@
                 .format = format,
                 .bits = mBufferBits.data(),
         };
-        return true;
+        return {};
     }
 
     operator ANativeWindow_Buffer&() { return mBuffer; }
@@ -58,16 +59,28 @@
     std::vector<uint8_t> mBufferBits;
 };
 
-// Wrapper which contains the latest available Surface/ANativeWindow
-// from the DisplayService, if available. A Surface/ANativeWindow may
-// not always be available if, for example, the VmLauncherApp on the
-// other end of the DisplayService is not in the foreground / is paused.
+static Result<void> copyBuffer(ANativeWindow_Buffer& from, ANativeWindow_Buffer& to) {
+    if (from.width != to.width || from.height != to.height) {
+        return Error() << "dimension mismatch. from=(" << from.width << ", " << from.height << ") "
+                       << "to=(" << to.width << ", " << to.height << ")";
+    }
+    uint32_t* dst = reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(to.bits);
+    uint32_t* src = reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(from.bits);
+    size_t bytes_on_line = to.width * 4; // 4 bytes per pixel
+    for (int32_t h = 0; h < to.height; h++) {
+        memcpy(dst + (h * to.stride), src + (h * from.stride), bytes_on_line);
+    }
+    return {};
+}
+
+// Wrapper which contains the latest available Surface/ANativeWindow from the DisplayService, if
+// available. A Surface/ANativeWindow may not always be available if, for example, the VmLauncherApp
+// on the other end of the DisplayService is not in the foreground / is paused.
 class AndroidDisplaySurface {
 public:
-    AndroidDisplaySurface() = default;
-    virtual ~AndroidDisplaySurface() = default;
+    AndroidDisplaySurface(const std::string& name) : mName(name) {}
 
-    void setSurface(Surface* surface) {
+    void setNativeSurface(Surface* surface) {
         {
             std::lock_guard lk(mSurfaceMutex);
             mNativeSurface = std::make_unique<Surface>(surface->release());
@@ -90,7 +103,7 @@
         return mNativeSurface.get();
     }
 
-    void configure(uint32_t width, uint32_t height) {
+    Result<void> configure(uint32_t width, uint32_t height) {
         std::unique_lock lk(mSurfaceMutex);
 
         mRequestedSurfaceDimensions = Rect{
@@ -98,7 +111,13 @@
                 .height = height,
         };
 
-        mSinkBuffer.configure(width, height, kFormat);
+        if (auto ret = mSinkBuffer.configure(width, height, kFormat); !ret.ok()) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to configure sink buffer: " << ret.error();
+        }
+        if (auto ret = mSavedFrameBuffer.configure(width, height, kFormat); !ret.ok()) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to configure saved frame buffer: " << ret.error();
+        }
+        return {};
     }
 
     void waitForNativeSurface() {
@@ -106,7 +125,7 @@
         mNativeSurfaceReady.wait(lk, [this] { return mNativeSurface != nullptr; });
     }
 
-    int lock(ANativeWindow_Buffer* out_buffer) {
+    Result<void> lock(ANativeWindow_Buffer* out_buffer) {
         std::unique_lock lk(mSurfaceMutex);
 
         Surface* surface = mNativeSurface.get();
@@ -114,62 +133,137 @@
             // Surface not currently available but not necessarily an error
             // if, for example, the VmLauncherApp is not in the foreground.
             *out_buffer = mSinkBuffer;
-            return 0;
+            return {};
         }
 
         ANativeWindow* anw = surface->get();
         if (anw == nullptr) {
-            return -1;
+            return Error() << "Failed to get ANativeWindow";
         }
 
         if (mNativeSurfaceNeedsConfiguring) {
             if (!mRequestedSurfaceDimensions) {
-                return -1;
+                return Error() << "Surface dimension is not configured yet!";
             }
             const auto& dims = *mRequestedSurfaceDimensions;
 
             // Ensure locked buffers have our desired format.
             if (ANativeWindow_setBuffersGeometry(anw, dims.width, dims.height, kFormat) != 0) {
-                return -1;
+                return Error() << "Failed to set buffer geometry.";
             }
 
             mNativeSurfaceNeedsConfiguring = false;
         }
 
-        return ANativeWindow_lock(anw, out_buffer, nullptr);
+        if (ANativeWindow_lock(anw, out_buffer, nullptr) != 0) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to lock window";
+        }
+        mLastBuffer = *out_buffer;
+        return {};
     }
 
-    int unlockAndPost() {
+    Result<void> unlockAndPost() {
         std::unique_lock lk(mSurfaceMutex);
 
         Surface* surface = mNativeSurface.get();
         if (surface == nullptr) {
             // Surface not currently available but not necessarily an error
             // if, for example, the VmLauncherApp is not in the foreground.
-            return 0;
+            return {};
         }
 
         ANativeWindow* anw = surface->get();
         if (anw == nullptr) {
-            return -1;
+            return Error() << "Failed to get ANativeWindow";
         }
 
-        return ANativeWindow_unlockAndPost(anw);
+        if (ANativeWindow_unlockAndPost(anw) != 0) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to unlock and post window";
+        }
+        return {};
     }
 
+    // Saves the last frame drawn
+    Result<void> saveFrame() {
+        std::unique_lock lk(mSurfaceMutex);
+        if (auto ret = copyBuffer(mLastBuffer, mSavedFrameBuffer); !ret.ok()) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to copy frame: " << ret.error();
+        }
+        return {};
+    }
+
+    // Draws the saved frame
+    Result<void> drawSavedFrame() {
+        std::unique_lock lk(mSurfaceMutex);
+        Surface* surface = mNativeSurface.get();
+        if (surface == nullptr) {
+            return Error() << "Surface not ready";
+        }
+
+        ANativeWindow* anw = surface->get();
+        if (anw == nullptr) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to get ANativeWindow";
+        }
+
+        // TODO: dedup this and the one in lock(...)
+        if (mNativeSurfaceNeedsConfiguring) {
+            if (!mRequestedSurfaceDimensions) {
+                return Error() << "Surface dimension is not configured yet!";
+            }
+            const auto& dims = *mRequestedSurfaceDimensions;
+
+            // Ensure locked buffers have our desired format.
+            if (ANativeWindow_setBuffersGeometry(anw, dims.width, dims.height, kFormat) != 0) {
+                return Error() << "Failed to set buffer geometry.";
+            }
+
+            mNativeSurfaceNeedsConfiguring = false;
+        }
+
+        ANativeWindow_Buffer buf;
+        if (ANativeWindow_lock(anw, &buf, nullptr) != 0) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to lock window";
+        }
+
+        if (auto ret = copyBuffer(mSavedFrameBuffer, buf); !ret.ok()) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to copy frame: " << ret.error();
+        }
+
+        if (ANativeWindow_unlockAndPost(anw) != 0) {
+            return Error() << "Failed to unlock and post window";
+        }
+        return {};
+    }
+
+    const std::string& name() const { return mName; }
+
 private:
     // Note: crosvm always uses BGRA8888 or BGRX8888. See devices/src/virtio/gpu/mod.rs in
     // crosvm where the SetScanoutBlob command is handled. Let's use BGRA not BGRX with a hope
     // that we will need alpha blending for the cursor surface.
     static constexpr const int kFormat = HAL_PIXEL_FORMAT_BGRA_8888;
 
+    std::string mName;
+
     std::mutex mSurfaceMutex;
     std::unique_ptr<Surface> mNativeSurface;
     std::condition_variable mNativeSurfaceReady;
     bool mNativeSurfaceNeedsConfiguring = true;
 
+    // Buffer which crosvm uses when in background. This is just to not fail crosvm even when
+    // Android-side Surface doesn't exist. The content drawn here is never displayed on the physical
+    // screen.
     SinkANativeWindow_Buffer mSinkBuffer;
 
+    // Buffer which is currently allocated for crosvm to draw onto. This holds the last frame. This
+    // is what gets displayed on the physical screen.
+    ANativeWindow_Buffer mLastBuffer;
+
+    // Copy of mLastBuffer made by the call saveFrameForSurface. This holds the last good (i.e.
+    // non-blank) frame before the VM goes background. When the VM is brought up to foreground,
+    // this is drawn to the physical screen until the VM starts to emit actual frames.
+    SinkANativeWindow_Buffer mSavedFrameBuffer;
+
     struct Rect {
         uint32_t width = 0;
         uint32_t height = 0;
@@ -183,35 +277,50 @@
     virtual ~DisplayService() = default;
 
     ndk::ScopedAStatus setSurface(Surface* surface, bool forCursor) override {
-        if (forCursor) {
-            mCursor.setSurface(surface);
-        } else {
-            mScanout.setSurface(surface);
-        }
+        getSurface(forCursor).setNativeSurface(surface);
         return ::ndk::ScopedAStatus::ok();
     }
 
     ndk::ScopedAStatus removeSurface(bool forCursor) override {
-        if (forCursor) {
-            mCursor.removeSurface();
-        } else {
-            mScanout.removeSurface();
-        }
+        getSurface(forCursor).removeSurface();
         return ::ndk::ScopedAStatus::ok();
     }
 
-    AndroidDisplaySurface* getCursorSurface() { return &mCursor; }
-    AndroidDisplaySurface* getScanoutSurface() { return &mScanout; }
-
     ndk::ScopedFileDescriptor& getCursorStream() { return mCursorStream; }
     ndk::ScopedAStatus setCursorStream(const ndk::ScopedFileDescriptor& in_stream) {
         mCursorStream = ndk::ScopedFileDescriptor(dup(in_stream.get()));
         return ::ndk::ScopedAStatus::ok();
     }
 
+    ndk::ScopedAStatus saveFrameForSurface(bool forCursor) override {
+        if (auto ret = getSurface(forCursor).saveFrame(); !ret.ok()) {
+            std::string msg = std::format("Failed to save frame: {}", ret.error().message());
+            return ::ndk::ScopedAStatus(
+                    AStatus_fromServiceSpecificErrorWithMessage(-1, msg.c_str()));
+        }
+        return ::ndk::ScopedAStatus::ok();
+    }
+
+    ndk::ScopedAStatus drawSavedFrameForSurface(bool forCursor) override {
+        if (auto ret = getSurface(forCursor).drawSavedFrame(); !ret.ok()) {
+            std::string msg = std::format("Failed to draw saved frame: {}", ret.error().message());
+            return ::ndk::ScopedAStatus(
+                    AStatus_fromServiceSpecificErrorWithMessage(-1, msg.c_str()));
+        }
+        return ::ndk::ScopedAStatus::ok();
+    }
+
+    AndroidDisplaySurface& getSurface(bool forCursor) {
+        if (forCursor) {
+            return mCursor;
+        } else {
+            return mScanout;
+        }
+    }
+
 private:
-    AndroidDisplaySurface mScanout;
-    AndroidDisplaySurface mCursor;
+    AndroidDisplaySurface mScanout{"scanout"};
+    AndroidDisplaySurface mCursor{"cursor"};
     ndk::ScopedFileDescriptor mCursorStream;
 };
 
@@ -287,21 +396,18 @@
         return nullptr;
     }
 
-    AndroidDisplaySurface* displaySurface = forCursor ? ctx->disp_service->getCursorSurface()
-                                                      : ctx->disp_service->getScanoutSurface();
-    if (displaySurface == nullptr) {
-        ctx->errorf("AndroidDisplaySurface was not created");
-        return nullptr;
+    AndroidDisplaySurface& surface = ctx->disp_service->getSurface(forCursor);
+    if (auto ret = surface.configure(width, height); !ret.ok()) {
+        ctx->errorf("Failed to configure surface %s: %s", surface.name().c_str(),
+                    ret.error().message().c_str());
     }
 
-    displaySurface->configure(width, height);
-
-    displaySurface->waitForNativeSurface(); // this can block
+    surface.waitForNativeSurface(); // this can block
 
     // TODO(b/332785161): if we know that surface can get destroyed dynamically while VM is running,
     // consider calling ANativeWindow_acquire here and _release in destroy_android_surface, so that
     // crosvm doesn't hold a dangling pointer.
-    return displaySurface;
+    return &surface;
 }
 
 extern "C" void destroy_android_surface(struct AndroidDisplayContext*, ANativeWindow*) {
@@ -321,8 +427,10 @@
         return false;
     }
 
-    if (surface->lock(out_buffer) != 0) {
-        ctx->errorf("Failed to lock buffer");
+    auto ret = surface->lock(out_buffer);
+    if (!ret.ok()) {
+        ctx->errorf("Failed to lock surface %s: %s", surface->name().c_str(),
+                    ret.error().message().c_str());
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -351,8 +459,10 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    if (surface->unlockAndPost() != 0) {
-        ctx->errorf("Failed to unlock and post AndroidDisplaySurface.");
-        return;
+    auto ret = surface->unlockAndPost();
+    if (!ret.ok()) {
+        ctx->errorf("Failed to unlock and post for surface %s: %s", surface->name().c_str(),
+                    ret.error().message().c_str());
     }
+    return;
 }
diff --git a/libs/libvmbase/src/console.rs b/libs/libvmbase/src/console.rs
index cd05250..7b01bb6 100644
--- a/libs/libvmbase/src/console.rs
+++ b/libs/libvmbase/src/console.rs
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
 // Matches the UART count in crosvm.
 const MAX_CONSOLES: usize = 4;
 
-static CONSOLES: [SpinMutex<Option<Uart>>; MAX_CONSOLES] =
-    [SpinMutex::new(None), SpinMutex::new(None), SpinMutex::new(None), SpinMutex::new(None)];
+static CONSOLES: [Once<SpinMutex<Uart>>; MAX_CONSOLES] =
+    [Once::new(), Once::new(), Once::new(), Once::new()];
 static ADDRESSES: [Once<usize>; MAX_CONSOLES] =
     [Once::new(), Once::new(), Once::new(), Once::new()];
 
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@
         ADDRESSES[i].call_once(|| base_address);
 
         // Initialize the console driver, for normal console accesses.
-        let mut console = CONSOLES[i].lock();
-        assert!(console.is_none(), "console::init() called more than once");
-        // SAFETY: base_address must be the base of a mapped UART.
-        console.replace(unsafe { Uart::new(base_address) });
+        assert!(!CONSOLES[i].is_completed(), "console::init() called more than once");
+        // SAFETY: The caller promised that base_address is the base of a mapped UART with no
+        // aliases.
+        CONSOLES[i].call_once(|| SpinMutex::new(unsafe { Uart::new(base_address) }));
     }
 }
 
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@
 ///
 /// Panics if the n-th console was not initialized by calling [`init`] first.
 pub fn writeln(n: usize, format_args: Arguments) {
-    let mut guard = CONSOLES[n].lock();
-    let uart = guard.as_mut().unwrap();
+    let uart = &mut *CONSOLES[n].get().unwrap().lock();
 
     write(uart, format_args).unwrap();
     let _ = uart.write_str("\n");