diff --git a/servers/vfs/Makefile b/servers/vfs/Makefile
index 3521d95a4..f69576458 100644
--- a/servers/vfs/Makefile
+++ b/servers/vfs/Makefile
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ OBJ =	main.o open.o read.o write.o pipe.o dmap.o \
 	path.o device.o mount.o link.o exec.o \
 	filedes.o stadir.o protect.o time.o \
 	lock.o misc.o utility.o select.o timers.o table.o \
-	vnode.o vmnt.o request.o
+	vnode.o vmnt.o request.o kputc.o
 
 # build local binary 
 install all build:	$(SERVER)
diff --git a/servers/vfs/kputc.c b/servers/vfs/kputc.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..92e5495eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/servers/vfs/kputc.c
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+/* A server must occasionally print some message.  It uses a simple version of 
+ * printf() found in the system lib that calls kputc() to output characters.
+ * Printing is done with a call to the kernel, and not by going through FS.
+ *
+ * This routine can only be used by servers and device drivers.  The kernel
+ * must define its own kputc(). Note that the log driver also defines its own 
+ * kputc() to directly call the TTY instead of going through this library.
+ */
+
+#include "sysutil.h"
+#include "proto.h"
+#include "glo.h"
+
+#define OVERFLOW_STR "[...]\n"
+
+#define PRINTPROCS (sizeof(procs)/sizeof(procs[0]))
+
+static char print_buf[80];	/* output is buffered here */
+
+int kputc_use_private_grants= 0;
+
+static int buf_count = 0;	/* # characters in the buffer */
+static int buf_offset = 0;	/* Start of current line in buffer */
+static int procs[] = OUTPUT_PROCS_ARRAY;
+static cp_grant_id_t printgrants[PRINTPROCS];
+static int procbusy[PRINTPROCS];
+static int do_flush = FALSE;
+static int overflow = FALSE;
+
+/*===========================================================================*
+ *				kputc					     *
+ *===========================================================================*/
+void kputc(c)
+int c;
+{
+/* Accumulate another character.  If 0 or buffer full, print it. */
+  int p;
+  message m;
+
+  static int firstprint = 1;
+
+  if (c == 0)
+  {
+	if (buf_count > buf_offset)
+		do_flush= TRUE;
+  }
+  else if (buf_count >= sizeof(print_buf))
+  {
+	overflow= TRUE;
+	if (buf_count > buf_offset)
+		do_flush= TRUE;
+  }
+  else
+  	print_buf[buf_count++] = c;
+
+  if (!do_flush || buf_offset != 0)
+	return;
+
+	buf_offset= buf_count;
+	if (kputc_use_private_grants)
+	{
+		for (p= 0; p<PRINTPROCS; p++)
+			printgrants[p]= GRANT_INVALID;
+		firstprint= 0;
+	}
+	if(firstprint) {
+		for(p = 0; procs[p] != NONE; p++) {
+			printgrants[p] = GRANT_INVALID;
+		}
+
+		firstprint = 0;
+
+		/* First time? Initialize grant table;
+		 * Grant printing processes read copy access to our
+		 * print buffer forever. (So buffer can't be on stack!)
+		 */
+		for(p = 0; procs[p] != NONE; p++) {
+			printgrants[p] = cpf_grant_direct(procs[p],
+				(vir_bytes) print_buf,
+				sizeof(print_buf), CPF_READ);
+		}
+	}
+
+	do_flush= FALSE;
+	for(p = 0; procs[p] != NONE; p++) {
+		/* Send the buffer to this output driver. */
+		m.DIAG_BUF_COUNT = buf_count;
+		if(GRANT_VALID(printgrants[p])) {
+			m.m_type = DIAGNOSTICS_S;
+			m.DIAG_PRINT_BUF_G = (char *) printgrants[p];
+		} else {
+			m.m_type = DIAGNOSTICS;
+			m.DIAG_PRINT_BUF_G = print_buf;
+		}
+		if (procs[p] == LOG_PROC_NR)
+		{
+			procbusy[p]= TRUE;
+			(void) asynsend(procs[p], &m);
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			sendrec(procs[p], &m);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+PUBLIC void diag_repl()
+{
+	endpoint_t driver_e;
+	int p;
+
+	driver_e= m_in.m_source;
+
+	/* Find busy flag to clear */
+	for(p = 0; procs[p] != NONE; p++)
+	{
+		if (procs[p] == driver_e)
+			break;
+	}
+	if (procs[p] == NONE)
+	{
+		/* Message from wrong source */
+		return;
+	}
+	procbusy[p]= FALSE;
+
+	/* Wait for more replies? */
+	for(p = 0; procs[p] != NONE; p++)
+	{
+		if (procbusy[p])
+			return;
+	}
+	if (buf_count > buf_offset)
+	{
+		memmove(&print_buf[0], &print_buf[buf_offset], 
+			buf_count-buf_offset);
+	}
+	buf_count -= buf_offset;
+	buf_offset= 0;
+	if (overflow)
+	{
+		if (buf_count + sizeof(OVERFLOW_STR) > sizeof(print_buf))
+			buf_count= sizeof(print_buf)-sizeof(OVERFLOW_STR);
+		overflow= FALSE;
+		do_flush= FALSE;
+		printf("%s", OVERFLOW_STR);
+	}
+	kputc(0);
+}