diff --git a/src/runtime/src/main.rs b/src/runtime/src/main.rs
index 4a51099..d9f3e71 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/main.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use nb;
 use void::Void;
 use embedded_hal::blocking::delay::DelayMs;
 use libconfig::Config;
-use libcortex_a9::l2c::enable_l2_cache;
+use libcortex_a9::{l2c::enable_l2_cache, mutex::Mutex};
 use libboard_artiq::{logger, identifier_read, init_gateware, pl};
 #[cfg(has_si5324)]
 use libboard_artiq::si5324;
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ mod rtio;
 #[cfg(ki_impl = "acp")]
 #[path = "rtio_acp.rs"]
 mod rtio;
+mod rtio_mgt;
 mod kernel;
 mod moninj;
 mod eh_artiq;
@@ -184,6 +185,8 @@ pub fn main_core0() {
         }
     };
 
+    // before, mutex was on io, but now that io isn't used...?
+    let aux_mutex: Mutex<bool> = Mutex::new(false);
     #[cfg(has_drtio)]
     let drtio_routing_table = RefCell::new(drtio_routing::config_routing_table(csr::DRTIO.len(), cfg));
     #[cfg(not(has_drtio))]
@@ -194,6 +197,7 @@ pub fn main_core0() {
     #[cfg(has_drtio)]
     init_drtio(&mut timer);
 
+    rtio_mgt::startup()
     init_rtio(&mut timer, &cfg);
     task::spawn(report_async_rtio_errors());
 
diff --git a/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs b/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
index 57d1af7..ffe697b 100644
--- a/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
+++ b/src/runtime/src/rtio_mgt.rs
@@ -324,31 +324,6 @@ pub mod drtio {
     pub fn reset(_aux_mutex: &Mutex, _timer: GlobalTimer) {}
 }
 
-fn async_error_thread() {
-    loop {
-        unsafe {
-            // replaced io.until with spinlock
-            // could potentially put a sleep in there?
-            while csr::rtio_core::async_error_read() == 0 {}
-            
-            let errors = csr::rtio_core::async_error_read();
-            if errors & 1 != 0 {
-                error!("RTIO collision involving channel {}",
-                       csr::rtio_core::collision_channel_read());
-            }
-            if errors & 2 != 0 {
-                error!("RTIO busy error involving channel {}",
-                       csr::rtio_core::busy_channel_read());
-            }
-            if errors & 4 != 0 {
-                error!("RTIO sequence error involving channel {}",
-                       csr::rtio_core::sequence_error_channel_read());
-            }
-            csr::rtio_core::async_error_write(errors);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 pub fn startup(aux_mutex: &Mutex,
         routing_table: &RefCell<drtio_routing::RoutingTable>,
         up_destinations: &RefCell<[bool; drtio_routing::DEST_COUNT]>, timer: GlobalTimer) {
@@ -356,7 +331,6 @@ pub fn startup(aux_mutex: &Mutex,
     unsafe {
         csr::rtio_core::reset_phy_write(1);
     }
-    task::spawn(async_error_thread);
 }
 
 pub fn reset(aux_mutex: &Mutex, timer: GlobalTimer) {