diff --git a/artiq/firmware/libboard/hotswap.rs b/artiq/firmware/libboard/boot.rs
similarity index 76%
rename from artiq/firmware/libboard/hotswap.rs
rename to artiq/firmware/libboard/boot.rs
index 5fb2fd749..bd54177a0 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/libboard/hotswap.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/libboard/boot.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,16 @@
 use irq;
 
-pub unsafe fn run(new_code: &[u8]) -> ! {
+pub unsafe fn reboot() -> ! {
+    irq::set_ie(false);
+    #[cfg(target_arch="or1k")]
+    asm!(r#"
+        l.j        _ftext
+        l.nop
+    "# : : : : "volatile");
+    loop {}
+}
+
+pub unsafe fn hotswap(new_code: &[u8]) -> ! {
     irq::set_ie(false);
     #[cfg(target_arch="or1k")]
     asm!(r#"
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/libboard/lib.rs b/artiq/firmware/libboard/lib.rs
index 499e4b0e1..3c1f3cac8 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/libboard/lib.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/libboard/lib.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ mod ad9154_reg;
 #[cfg(has_ad9154)]
 pub mod ad9154;
 
-pub mod hotswap;
+pub mod boot;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "uart_console")]
 pub use uart_console::Console;
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/libboard/uart_console.rs b/artiq/firmware/libboard/uart_console.rs
index dcd79ff33..5a1c82f7c 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/libboard/uart_console.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/libboard/uart_console.rs
@@ -28,10 +28,3 @@ macro_rules! println {
     ($fmt:expr) => (print!(concat!($fmt, "\n")));
     ($fmt:expr, $($arg:tt)*) => (print!(concat!($fmt, "\n"), $($arg)*));
 }
-
-#[no_mangle]
-#[lang = "panic_fmt"]
-pub extern fn panic_fmt(args: fmt::Arguments, file: &'static str, line: u32) -> ! {
-    println!("panic at {}:{}: {}", file, line, args);
-    loop {}
-}
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/runtime/lib.rs b/artiq/firmware/runtime/lib.rs
index 61e52920e..f92b3c666 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/runtime/lib.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/runtime/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #![no_std]
-#![feature(compiler_builtins_lib, repr_simd, const_fn)]
+#![feature(compiler_builtins_lib, repr_simd, lang_items, const_fn)]
 
 extern crate compiler_builtins;
 extern crate cslice;
@@ -169,6 +169,19 @@ pub extern fn abort() {
     panic!("aborted")
 }
 
+#[no_mangle]
+#[lang = "panic_fmt"]
+pub extern fn panic_fmt(args: core::fmt::Arguments, file: &'static str, line: u32) -> ! {
+    println!("panic at {}:{}: {}", file, line, args);
+
+    if config::read_str("panic_reboot", |r| r == Ok("1")) {
+        println!("rebooting...");
+        unsafe { board::boot::reboot() }
+    } else {
+        loop {}
+    }
+}
+
 // Allow linking with crates that are built as -Cpanic=unwind even if we use -Cpanic=abort.
 // This is never called.
 #[allow(non_snake_case)]
diff --git a/artiq/firmware/runtime/session.rs b/artiq/firmware/runtime/session.rs
index 00cfb7eb7..2e33275f6 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/runtime/session.rs
+++ b/artiq/firmware/runtime/session.rs
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ fn process_host_message(io: &Io,
             host_write(stream, host::Reply::HotswapImminent)?;
             stream.close()?;
             warn!("hotswapping firmware");
-            unsafe { board::hotswap::run(&binary) }
+            unsafe { board::boot::hotswap(&binary) }
         }
 
         // artiq_run/artiq_master