diff --git a/src/cpu/simple/atomic.cc b/src/cpu/simple/atomic.cc
index 133b5500b..cd335e36d 100644
--- a/src/cpu/simple/atomic.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/simple/atomic.cc
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ AtomicSimpleCPU::init()
     for (int i = 0; i < threadContexts.size(); ++i) {
         ThreadContext *tc = threadContexts[i];
 
+        // initialize the mem pointers
+        tc->init();
+
         // initialize CPU, including PC
         TheISA::initCPU(tc, tc->readCpuId());
     }
diff --git a/src/cpu/simple/timing.cc b/src/cpu/simple/timing.cc
index 3648f7613..aa23a00e8 100644
--- a/src/cpu/simple/timing.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/simple/timing.cc
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ TimingSimpleCPU::init()
     for (int i = 0; i < threadContexts.size(); ++i) {
         ThreadContext *tc = threadContexts[i];
 
+        // initialize the mem pointers
+        tc->init();
+
         // initialize CPU, including PC
         TheISA::initCPU(tc, tc->readCpuId());
     }
diff --git a/src/cpu/simple_thread.cc b/src/cpu/simple_thread.cc
index 1edcbf352..e07d6e7c1 100644
--- a/src/cpu/simple_thread.cc
+++ b/src/cpu/simple_thread.cc
@@ -91,18 +91,6 @@ SimpleThread::SimpleThread(BaseCPU *_cpu, int _thread_num, System *_sys,
     } else {
         kernelStats = NULL;
     }
-    Port *mem_port;
-    physPort = new FunctionalPort(csprintf("%s-%d-funcport",
-                                           cpu->name(), tid));
-    mem_port = system->physmem->getPort("functional");
-    mem_port->setPeer(physPort);
-    physPort->setPeer(mem_port);
-
-    virtPort = new VirtualPort(csprintf("%s-%d-vport",
-                                        cpu->name(), tid));
-    mem_port = system->physmem->getPort("functional");
-    mem_port->setPeer(virtPort);
-    virtPort->setPeer(mem_port);
 }
 #else
 SimpleThread::SimpleThread(BaseCPU *_cpu, int _thread_num,
@@ -116,6 +104,25 @@ SimpleThread::SimpleThread(BaseCPU *_cpu, int _thread_num,
 
 #endif
 
+#if FULL_SYSTEM
+void
+SimpleThread::init()
+{
+    Port *mem_port;
+    physPort = new FunctionalPort(csprintf("%s-%d-funcport",
+                                           cpu->name(), tid));
+    mem_port = getMemFuncPort();
+    mem_port->setPeer(physPort);
+    physPort->setPeer(mem_port);
+
+    virtPort = new VirtualPort(csprintf("%s-%d-vport",
+                                        cpu->name(), tid));
+    mem_port = getMemFuncPort();
+    mem_port->setPeer(virtPort);
+    virtPort->setPeer(mem_port);
+}
+#endif
+
 SimpleThread::SimpleThread()
 #if FULL_SYSTEM
     : ThreadState(NULL, -1, -1)
diff --git a/src/cpu/simple_thread.hh b/src/cpu/simple_thread.hh
index e8757c8c2..b9ce4e0ce 100644
--- a/src/cpu/simple_thread.hh
+++ b/src/cpu/simple_thread.hh
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ class SimpleThread : public ThreadState
     SimpleThread(BaseCPU *_cpu, int _thread_num, System *_system,
                  TheISA::ITB *_itb, TheISA::DTB *_dtb,
                  bool use_kernel_stats = true);
+
+    void init();
 #else
     SimpleThread(BaseCPU *_cpu, int _thread_num, Process *_process, int _asid);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/cpu/thread_context.hh b/src/cpu/thread_context.hh
index 1e6a907f8..baeb7a8be 100644
--- a/src/cpu/thread_context.hh
+++ b/src/cpu/thread_context.hh
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@ class ThreadContext
     virtual VirtualPort *getVirtPort(ThreadContext *tc = NULL) = 0;
 
     virtual void delVirtPort(VirtualPort *vp) = 0;
+
+    virtual void init() = 0;
 #else
     virtual TranslatingPort *getMemPort() = 0;
 
@@ -305,6 +307,8 @@ class ProxyThreadContext : public ThreadContext
     VirtualPort *getVirtPort(ThreadContext *tc = NULL) { return actualTC->getVirtPort(tc); }
 
     void delVirtPort(VirtualPort *vp) { return actualTC->delVirtPort(vp); }
+
+    void init() {actualTC->init(); }
 #else
     TranslatingPort *getMemPort() { return actualTC->getMemPort(); }
 
diff --git a/src/cpu/thread_state.hh b/src/cpu/thread_state.hh
index 0a0af8b71..183ddcd2b 100644
--- a/src/cpu/thread_state.hh
+++ b/src/cpu/thread_state.hh
@@ -141,12 +141,11 @@ struct ThreadState {
     /** Sets the status of this thread. */
     void setStatus(Status new_status) { _status = new_status; }
 
-  protected:
+  public:
     /** Gets a functional port from the memory object that's connected
      * to the CPU. */
     Port *getMemFuncPort();
 
-  public:
     /** Number of instructions committed. */
     Counter numInst;
     /** Stat for number instructions committed. */