diff --git a/paw/stos/head/ke/bpal.h b/paw/stos/head/ke/bpal.h
index 0575881..f7bcb95 100644
--- a/paw/stos/head/ke/bpal.h
+++ b/paw/stos/head/ke/bpal.h
@@ -97,6 +97,11 @@ VOID KeBpalInit(VOID);
  */
 VOID KeBpalGetHandle(BPAL_HANDLE *Result);
 
+/*
+ * Returns true if the BPAL is initialized
+ */
+BOOLEAN KeBpalIsInit(VOID);
+
 /*
  * Obtain the kernel load virtual memory base
  */
diff --git a/paw/stos/head/ke/knot.h b/paw/stos/head/ke/knot.h
index aa99eb4..4663d4e 100644
--- a/paw/stos/head/ke/knot.h
+++ b/paw/stos/head/ke/knot.h
@@ -14,12 +14,14 @@
 /*
  * Valid knot reasons
  *
- * @KNOT_MISC:          Misc. reason
- * @KNOT_UNBOUND_RSRC:  Unbounded resource
+ * @KNOT_MISC:              Misc. reason
+ * @KNOT_UNBOUND_RSRC:      Unbounded resource
+ * @KNOT_BAD_BOOT_PROTO:    Bad boot protocol
  */
 typedef enum {
     KNOT_MISC,
-    KNOT_UNBOUND_RSRC
+    KNOT_UNBOUND_RSRC,
+    KNOT_BAD_BOOT_PROTO
 } KNOT_REASON;
 
 /*
diff --git a/paw/stos/ke/bpal/bpal.c b/paw/stos/ke/bpal/bpal.c
index d64b4e5..57a9551 100644
--- a/paw/stos/ke/bpal/bpal.c
+++ b/paw/stos/ke/bpal/bpal.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <ke/bpal.h>
+#include <ke/knot.h>
 #include <stdef.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@
 #endif  /* !_BOOT_PROTO */
 
 static BPAL_HANDLE BpalHandle;
+static BOOLEAN IsInit = false;
 
 VOID
 KeBpalGetHandle(BPAL_HANDLE *Result)
@@ -28,6 +30,12 @@ KeBpalGetHandle(BPAL_HANDLE *Result)
     *Result = BpalHandle;
 }
 
+BOOLEAN
+KeBpalIsInit(VOID)
+{
+    return IsInit;
+}
+
 VOID
 KeBpalInit(VOID)
 {
@@ -37,9 +45,14 @@ KeBpalInit(VOID)
     case 'l':
         if (RtlMemCmp(BootProto, "limine", 6) == 0) {
             KeBpalLimineInit(&BpalHandle);
+            IsInit = true;
             return;
         }
     }
 
-    /* TODO: PANIC HERE */
+    KeKnot(
+        KNOT_BAD_BOOT_PROTO,
+        "got bad boot protocol '%s'\n",
+        BootProto
+    );
 }
diff --git a/paw/stos/ke/knot.c b/paw/stos/ke/knot.c
index f5390f4..13611a7 100644
--- a/paw/stos/ke/knot.c
+++ b/paw/stos/ke/knot.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <drivers/bootvid/fbio.h>
+#include <ke/bpal.h>
 #include <ex/trace.h>
 #include <ke/knot.h>
 
@@ -18,7 +19,8 @@
 /* Reason lookup table */
 static const CHAR *ReasonTable[] = {
     [KNOT_MISC] = "unspecified reason",
-    [KNOT_UNBOUND_RSRC] = "unbounded resource"
+    [KNOT_UNBOUND_RSRC] = "unbounded resource",
+    [KNOT_BAD_BOOT_PROTO] = "bad boot protocol"
 };
 
 /* Globals */
@@ -40,7 +42,10 @@ KiKnot(KNOT_REASON Reason, const CHAR *Fmt, ...)
 {
     va_start(Ap, Fmt);
     FmtPrintf(KnotBuf, sizeof(KnotBuf), Fmt, Ap);
-    BootVidInitCons(&KnotAttr);
+
+    if (KeBpalIsInit()) {
+        BootVidInitCons(&KnotAttr);
+    }
 
     TRACE("\033[H\033[2J");
     TRACE(KnotMessage);