diff --git a/hello_world/hello_world.bin b/hello_world/hello_world.bin
index ae4c4a8..dda2b66 100755
Binary files a/hello_world/hello_world.bin and b/hello_world/hello_world.bin differ
diff --git a/hello_world/hello_world.c b/hello_world/hello_world.c
index 6575667..b5d1ef2 100644
--- a/hello_world/hello_world.c
+++ b/hello_world/hello_world.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 int main(void)
 {
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 
 	puts(HELLO_WORLD);
 
diff --git a/hello_world/hello_world.elf b/hello_world/hello_world.elf
index e658438..d89e408 100755
Binary files a/hello_world/hello_world.elf and b/hello_world/hello_world.elf differ
diff --git a/hello_world/hello_world.hex b/hello_world/hello_world.hex
index 6098247..f799a45 100644
--- a/hello_world/hello_world.hex
+++ b/hello_world/hello_world.hex
@@ -514,67 +514,68 @@ e8010010ebc1fff0
 7c0803a6ebe1fff8
 3c4000014e800020
 7c0802a63842a000
-3fe2fffffbe1fff8
-f80100103bff7240
-48000051f821ffd1
-7fe3fb7860000000
-60000000480001d5
-7fe3fb787c641b78
-600000004800017d
-60000000480000ed
-480001295463063e
+f821ffe1f8010010
+6000000048000229
+386372783c62ffff
+600000004800018d
+60000000480000f9
+480001355463063e
 4bffffec60000000
 0100000000000000
-3c40000100000180
+3c40000100000080
 3d20c0003842a000
 6129200060000000
 f922800079290020
 612900203d20c000
 7c0004ac79290020
 3d40001c7d204eea
-7d295392614a2000
-394a0018e9428000
-7c0004ac3929ffff
+614a200079290600
+e94280007d295392
+3929ffff394a0018
+7d2057ea7c0004ac
+000000004e800020
+0000000000000000
+3842a0003c400001
+419e00082fa40000
+6000000060630002
+39290020e9228000
+7c604fea7c0004ac
+000000004e800020
+0000000000000000
+3842a0003c400001
+e922800060000000
+3929002039400000
+7d404fea7c0004ac
+000000004e800020
+0000000000000000
+3842a0003c400001
+e922800060000000
+7c0004ac39290010
+712900017d204eea
+e86280004082ffe8
+7c0004ac38630008
+5463063e7c601eea
+000000004e800020
+0000000000000000
+3842a0003c400001
+e922800060000000
+7c0004ac39290010
+712900087d204eea
+5469063e4082ffe8
+7c0004ace9428000
 4e8000207d2057ea
 0000000000000000
 3c40000100000000
-600000003842a000
-394000ffe9228000
-7c0004ac39290020
-4e8000207d404fea
-0000000000000000
-3c40000100000000
-600000003842a000
-39400000e9228000
-7c0004ac39290020
-4e8000207d404fea
-0000000000000000
-3c40000100000000
-600000003842a000
-39290010e9228000
-7d204eea7c0004ac
-4082ffe871290001
-38630008e8628000
-7c601eea7c0004ac
-4e8000205463063e
-0000000000000000
-3c40000100000000
-600000003842a000
-39290010e9228000
-7d204eea7c0004ac
-4082ffe871290008
-7c0004ace9228000
-4e8000207c604fea
-0000000000000000
-3c40000100000000
 7c0802a63842a000
 fbe1fff8fbc1fff0
-7c7f1b787fc32214
-f821ffd1f8010010
-409e000c7fbff040
-4bfffe0c38210030
-3bff0001887f0000
-4bffffe44bffff8d
+f80100103bc3ffff
+8ffe0001f821ffd1
+409e00102fbf0000
+3860000038210030
+2b9f000a4bfffe10
+3860000d409e000c
+7fe3fb784bffff81
+4bffffd04bffff79
 0100000000000000
 3920000000000280
 2f8a00007d4348ae
@@ -582,5 +583,11 @@ f821ffd1f8010010
 392900014e800020
 000000004bffffe8
 0000000000000000
+3842a0003c400001
+000000004bfffe1c
+0000000000000000
+3842a0003c400001
+000000004bfffe68
+0000000000000000
 6f57206f6c6c6548
-0000000a0d646c72
+000000000a646c72
diff --git a/include/console.h b/include/console.h
index e871c67..78d0a86 100644
--- a/include/console.h
+++ b/include/console.h
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #include <stddef.h>
 
-void potato_uart_init(void);
-void potato_uart_irq_en(void);
-void potato_uart_irq_dis(void);
+void console_init(void);
+void console_set_irq_en(bool rx_irq, bool tx_irq);
 int getchar(void);
 int putchar(int c);
 int puts(const char *str);
diff --git a/include/microwatt_soc.h b/include/microwatt_soc.h
index 77d5a58..8b69889 100644
--- a/include/microwatt_soc.h
+++ b/include/microwatt_soc.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@
 #define   POTATO_CONSOLE_STATUS_TX_FULL			0x08
 #define POTATO_CONSOLE_CLOCK_DIV	0x18
 #define POTATO_CONSOLE_IRQ_EN		0x20
+#define   POTATO_CONSOLE_IRQ_RX				0x01
+#define   POTATO_CONSOLE_IRQ_TX				0x02
 
 /*
  * Register definitionss for our standard (16550 style) UART
diff --git a/lib/console.c b/lib/console.c
index bce220e..892c76f 100644
--- a/lib/console.c
+++ b/lib/console.c
@@ -80,9 +80,15 @@ void potato_uart_init(void)
 	potato_uart_reg_write(POTATO_CONSOLE_CLOCK_DIV, potato_uart_divisor(proc_freq, UART_FREQ));
 }
 
-void potato_uart_irq_en(void)
+void potato_uart_set_irq_en(bool rx_irq, bool tx_irq)
 {
-	potato_uart_reg_write(POTATO_CONSOLE_IRQ_EN, 0xff);
+	uint64_t en = 0;
+
+	if (rx_irq)
+		en |= POTATO_CONSOLE_IRQ_RX;
+	if (tx_irq)
+		en |= POTATO_CONSOLE_IRQ_TX;
+	potato_uart_reg_write(POTATO_CONSOLE_IRQ_EN, en);
 }
 
 void potato_uart_irq_dis(void)
@@ -131,3 +137,13 @@ size_t strlen(const char *s)
 	return len;
 }
 #endif
+
+void console_init(void)
+{
+	potato_uart_init();
+}
+
+void console_set_irq_en(bool rx_irq, bool tx_irq)
+{
+	potato_uart_set_irq_en(rx_irq, tx_irq);
+}
diff --git a/litedram/gen-src/sdram_init/main.c b/litedram/gen-src/sdram_init/main.c
index dd3b507..19cc2ad 100644
--- a/litedram/gen-src/sdram_init/main.c
+++ b/litedram/gen-src/sdram_init/main.c
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ uint64_t main(void)
 	bool try_flash = false;
 
 	/* Init the UART */
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 
 	printf("\n\nWelcome to Microwatt !\n\n");
 
diff --git a/rust_lib_demo/hello_world.c b/rust_lib_demo/hello_world.c
index c8797fd..6c44be9 100644
--- a/rust_lib_demo/hello_world.c
+++ b/rust_lib_demo/hello_world.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ void init_bss()
 int main(void)
 {
 	init_bss();
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 
 	puts(HELLO_WORLD);
 
diff --git a/tests/decrementer/decrementer.c b/tests/decrementer/decrementer.c
index e6cff2c..7b1c345 100644
--- a/tests/decrementer/decrementer.c
+++ b/tests/decrementer/decrementer.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ int main(void)
 {
 	int fail = 0;
 
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 
 	print_test_number(1);
 	if (dec_test_1() != 0) {
diff --git a/tests/illegal/illegal.c b/tests/illegal/illegal.c
index af0c04b..fbd9634 100644
--- a/tests/illegal/illegal.c
+++ b/tests/illegal/illegal.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ int main(void)
 {
 	int fail = 0;
 
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 
 	print_test_number(1);
 	if (ill_test_1() != 0) {
diff --git a/tests/misc/misc.c b/tests/misc/misc.c
index 0b9079c..f96203e 100644
--- a/tests/misc/misc.c
+++ b/tests/misc/misc.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ int main(void)
 {
 	int fail = 0;
 
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 
 	print_test_number(1);
 	if (test_addpcis_1() != 0) {
diff --git a/tests/mmu/mmu.c b/tests/mmu/mmu.c
index a5d086b..b91a852 100644
--- a/tests/mmu/mmu.c
+++ b/tests/mmu/mmu.c
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ void do_test(int num, int (*test)(void))
 
 int main(void)
 {
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 	init_mmu();
 
 	do_test(1, mmu_test_1);
diff --git a/tests/privileged/privileged.c b/tests/privileged/privileged.c
index 98c037c..154e9b4 100644
--- a/tests/privileged/privileged.c
+++ b/tests/privileged/privileged.c
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ void do_test(int num, int (*fn)(unsigned long))
 
 int main(void)
 {
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 	init_mmu();
 	map(0x2000, 0x2000, REF | CHG | PERM_RD | PERM_EX);	/* map code page */
 	map(0x7000, 0x7000, REF | CHG | PERM_RD | PERM_WR);	/* map stack page */
diff --git a/tests/sc/sc.c b/tests/sc/sc.c
index a705d19..94e17fa 100644
--- a/tests/sc/sc.c
+++ b/tests/sc/sc.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ int main(void)
 {
 	int fail = 0;
 
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 
 	print_test_number(1);
 	if (sc_test_1() != 0) {
diff --git a/tests/xics/xics.c b/tests/xics/xics.c
index a867744..97b6539 100644
--- a/tests/xics/xics.c
+++ b/tests/xics/xics.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ void ipi_isr(void) {
 void uart_isr(void) {
 	debug_puts(UART);
 
-	potato_uart_irq_dis(); // disable interrupt to ack it
+	console_set_irq_en(false, false);
 
 	isrs_run |= ISR_UART;
 }
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ int xics_test_1(void)
 	icp_write8(XICS_XIRR, 0x00); // mask all interrupts
 
 	// trigger two interrupts
-	potato_uart_irq_en();        // cause serial interrupt
+	console_set_irq_en(true,true);// cause serial interrupt
 	ics_write_xive(0x6, 0);      // set source to prio 6
 	icp_write8(XICS_MFRR, 0x04); // cause ipi interrupt at prio 5
 
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ int xics_test_1(void)
 
 	// cleanup
 	icp_write8(XICS_XIRR, 0x00); // mask all interrupts
-	potato_uart_irq_dis();
+	console_set_irq_en(false, false);
 	ics_write_xive(0, 0xff);
 	isrs_run = 0;
 
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ int xics_test_2(void)
 	assert(isrs_run == 0);
 
 	// trigger both
-	potato_uart_irq_en(); // cause 0x500 interrupt
+	console_set_irq_en(true, true);
 	icp_write8(XICS_MFRR, 0x05); // cause 0x500 interrupt
 
 	delay();
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ int xics_test_2(void)
 
 	// cleanup
 	icp_write8(XICS_XIRR, 0x00); // mask all interrupts
-	potato_uart_irq_dis();
+	console_set_irq_en(false, false);
 	isrs_run = 0;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ int main(void)
 	int i = 0;
 	int (*t)(void);
 
-	potato_uart_init();
+	console_init();
 	ipi_running = false;
 
 	/* run the tests */