diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/irq.c b/arch/x86/kernel/irq.c
index 247a55ea..3c4b621f 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/irq.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/irq.c
@@ -234,6 +234,9 @@ void irq_handler(struct state *s)
 	/* This is a blank function pointer */
 	void (*handler) (struct state * s);
 
+	// at first, we check our work queues
+	check_workqueues();
+
 	/* 
 	 * Find out if we have a custom handler to run for this
 	 * IRQ and then finally, run it 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/timer.c b/arch/x86/kernel/timer.c
index 617d47d9..73c83a51 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/timer.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/timer.c
@@ -80,8 +80,15 @@ void timer_wait(unsigned int ticks)
 {
 	uint64_t eticks = timer_ticks + ticks;
 
-	while (timer_ticks < eticks) 
+	while (timer_ticks < eticks) {
+		check_workqueues();
+
+		// recheck break condition
+		if (timer_ticks >= eticks)
+			break;
+
 		reschedule();
+	}
 }
 
 #define LATCH(f)	((CLOCK_TICK_RATE + f/2) / f)
diff --git a/arch/x86/scc/icc.c b/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
index 58a89be5..734898cc 100644
--- a/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
+++ b/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
 #include <metalsvm/errno.h>
 #include <asm/io.h>
 #include <asm/irqflags.h>
+#include <asm/irq.h>
 #ifdef CONFIG_ROCKCREEK
 #include <asm/RCCE.h>
+#include <asm/RCCE_lib.h>
 #include <asm/iRCCE.h>
 #include <asm/SCC_API.h>
 #include <asm/icc.h>
@@ -72,9 +74,20 @@ static int scc_clear(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void intr_handler(struct state *s)
+{
+	// reset appropriate bit in the core configuration register
+	int tmp, z;
+
+	z = Z_PID(RC_COREID[my_ue]);
+	tmp=ReadConfigReg(CRB_OWN + (z==0 ? GLCFG0 : GLCFG1));
+	tmp &= ~2;
+	SetConfigReg(CRB_OWN + (z==0 ? GLCFG0 : GLCFG1), tmp);
+}
+
 int icc_init(void)
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, z, tmp;
 	uint64_t start, end, ticks, freq = 533;
 	uint32_t cr4, msg = 0;
 
@@ -117,9 +130,6 @@ int icc_init(void)
 	num_ues = RCCE_num_ues();
 	kprintf("Got rank %d of %d ranks\n", my_ue, num_ues);
 
-	i = ReadConfigReg(CRB_OWN+GLCFG0);
-	kprintf("glcfg0 0x%x\n", i);
-
 	RCCE_barrier(&RCCE_COMM_WORLD);
 
 	kputs("RCCE test...\t");
@@ -130,11 +140,60 @@ int icc_init(void)
 	else
 		kprintf("failed! (0x%x)\n", msg);
 
+	// reset INTR/LINT0 flag
+	z = Z_PID(RC_COREID[my_ue]);
+	tmp=ReadConfigReg(CRB_OWN + (z==0 ? GLCFG0 : GLCFG1));
+	tmp &= ~2;
+	SetConfigReg(CRB_OWN + (z==0 ? GLCFG0 : GLCFG1), tmp);
+
+	// set interrupt handler (INTR/LINT0)
+	irq_install_handler(124, intr_handler);
+
 	kputs("Now, the SCC is initialized!\n");
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static inline int icc_send_irq(int ue)
+{
+	int tmp, x, y, z, addr;
+
+	z = Z_PID(RC_COREID[ue]);
+	x = X_PID(RC_COREID[ue]);
+	y = Y_PID(RC_COREID[ue]);
+	addr = CRB_ADDR(x,y) + (z==0 ? GLCFG0 : GLCFG1);
+
+	// send interrupt to ue
+	do {
+		tmp=ReadConfigReg(addr);
+	} while(tmp & 2);
+	tmp |= 2;
+	SetConfigReg(addr, tmp);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int icc_halt(void)
+{
+	uint32_t flags;
+	uint32_t do_send = 1;
+
+	do {
+		// iRCCE is not thread save => disable interrupts
+		flags = irq_nested_disable();
+
+		if (do_send)
+			do_send = (iRCCE_isend_push() == iRCCE_PENDING);
+		icc_check();
+
+		irq_nested_enable(flags);
+	} while(do_send);
+
+	HALT;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int icc_ping(int ue)
 {
 	icc_header_t ping_header = {ICC_TYPE_PINGREQUEST, 0, sizeof(uint64_t)};
@@ -159,6 +218,9 @@ int icc_ping(int ue)
 	while(iRCCE_isend_test(&send_request, NULL) != iRCCE_SUCCESS)
 		icc_check(); // oh, we have time to check incoming requests
 
+	// wake up receiver
+	icc_send_irq(ue);
+
 	irq_nested_enable(flags);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -180,7 +242,10 @@ static void interpret_header(icc_header_t* header, int recv_ue)
 				iRCCE_irecv_wait(&recv_req);
 
 			iRCCE_isend((char*) &tsc, sizeof(uint64_t), recv_ue, NULL);
-			iRCCE_isend_push();
+			if (iRCCE_isend_push() == iRCCE_PENDING)
+				iRCCE_isend_push();
+
+			icc_send_irq(recv_ue);
 		}
 		break;
 	case ICC_TYPE_PINGRESPONSE: {
@@ -206,9 +271,20 @@ void icc_check(void)
 {
 	static icc_header_t header[MAX_SCC_CORES];
 	static iRCCE_RECV_REQUEST request[MAX_SCC_CORES];
-	static int8_t pending[MAX_SCC_CORES] = {[0 ... MAX_SCC_CORES-1] = 0};
+	static int8_t first_call = 1;
 	int i, ret;
 
+	if (first_call) {
+		first_call = 0;
+
+		for(i=0; i<num_ues; i++) {
+			if (i == my_ue)
+				continue;
+
+			iRCCE_irecv((char*) (header+i), sizeof(icc_header_t), i, request+i);
+		}
+	}
+
 	// pushes the progress of non-blocking communication requests
 	iRCCE_isend_push();
 	iRCCE_irecv_push();
@@ -216,19 +292,11 @@ void icc_check(void)
 	for(i=0; i<num_ues; i++) {
 		if (i == my_ue)
 			continue;
-
-		if (!pending[i]) {
-			ret = iRCCE_irecv((char*) (header+i), sizeof(icc_header_t), i, request+i);
-			if (ret == iRCCE_SUCCESS)
-				interpret_header(header+i, i);
-			else
-				pending[i] = 1;
-		} else {
-			ret = iRCCE_irecv_test(request+i, NULL);
-			if (ret == iRCCE_SUCCESS) {
-				interpret_header(header+i, i);
-				pending[i] = 0;
-			}
+			
+		ret = iRCCE_irecv_test(request+i, NULL);
+		if (ret == iRCCE_SUCCESS) {
+			interpret_header(header+i, i);
+			iRCCE_irecv((char*) (header+i), sizeof(icc_header_t), i, request+i);
 		}
 	}	
 }
diff --git a/kernel/main.c b/kernel/main.c
index 0b7ef87f..2d9caca9 100644
--- a/kernel/main.c
+++ b/kernel/main.c
@@ -117,7 +117,11 @@ int main(void)
 	reschedule();
 
 	while(1) { 
+#ifdef CONFIG_ROCKCREEK
+		icc_halt();
+#else
 		HALT;
+#endif
 	}
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/kernel/tasks.c b/kernel/tasks.c
index b85f3cd1..26774de7 100644
--- a/kernel/tasks.c
+++ b/kernel/tasks.c
@@ -710,8 +710,6 @@ void scheduler(void)
 	unsigned int i;
 	unsigned int new_id;
 
-	check_workqueues();
-
 #if MAX_CORES > 1
 	spinlock_irqsave_lock(&table_lock);
 #endif
diff --git a/kernel/tests.c b/kernel/tests.c
index 72869600..5c26d41d 100644
--- a/kernel/tests.c
+++ b/kernel/tests.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static int STDCALL ping(void* arg)
 
 	for(i=0; i<20; i++) {
 		icc_ping(1);
-		sleep(1);
+		HALT;
 	}
 
 	return 0;