diff --git a/minix/drivers/storage/ramdisk/Makefile b/minix/drivers/storage/ramdisk/Makefile
index 5edb62fea..47760acf3 100644
--- a/minix/drivers/storage/ramdisk/Makefile
+++ b/minix/drivers/storage/ramdisk/Makefile
@@ -201,8 +201,9 @@ proto.dev.mtree:
 proto.dev: proto.dev.mtree etc/pwd.db etc/spwd.db etc/passwd etc/group
 	${TOOL_MTREE} -f ${.TARGET}.mtree -N ${.OBJDIR}/etc -C -K device | \
 		${TOOL_TOPROTO} | ${TOOL_SED} -e '1,4d' | \
-		${TOOL_SED} -e '$$d' |${TOOL_SED} -e '$$d' > ${.TARGET}.tmp && \
-		mv ${.TARGET}.tmp ${.TARGET}
+		${TOOL_SED} -e '$$d' |${TOOL_SED} -e '$$d' > ${.TARGET}.tmp
+	grep console ${.TARGET}.tmp	# sanity check; is there a console entry?
+	mv ${.TARGET}.tmp ${.TARGET}
 
 proto.gen: ${PROTO} ${PROTO_FILES} proto.dev ${PROGRAMS}
 	${STRIP} ${PROGRAMS}
diff --git a/minix/servers/pm/forkexit.c b/minix/servers/pm/forkexit.c
index a221d3c9f..218fff5e0 100644
--- a/minix/servers/pm/forkexit.c
+++ b/minix/servers/pm/forkexit.c
@@ -314,7 +314,8 @@ int dump_core;			/* flag indicating whether to dump core */
   vm_notify_sig_wrapper(rmp->mp_endpoint);
   if (proc_nr_e == INIT_PROC_NR)
   {
-	printf("PM: INIT died\n");
+	printf("PM: INIT died with exit status %d; showing stacktrace\n", exit_status);
+	sys_diagctl_stacktrace(proc_nr_e);
 	return;
   }
   if (proc_nr_e == VFS_PROC_NR)
diff --git a/sbin/init/Makefile b/sbin/init/Makefile
index 602b5e07a..03f4fdd96 100644
--- a/sbin/init/Makefile
+++ b/sbin/init/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ DPADD=	${LIBUTIL}
 LDADD=	-lutil
 CPPFLAGS+=	-DMFS_DEV_IF_NO_CONSOLE -DSUPPORT_UTMP -DSUPPORT_UTMPX
 
+#.if defined(__MINIX)
+# BJG - by default produce line numbers in case init exits without producing
+# output
+DBG=-g
+#.endif
+
 .ifdef	 INIT_CHROOT
 CPPFLAGS+=	-DCHROOT
 .elifdef SMALLPROG