diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/icc.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/icc.h
index f08bd07c..b02be40e 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/icc.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/icc.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ typedef struct {
 int icc_init(void);
 int icc_ping(int ue);
 void icc_check(void);
+void icc_mail_check(void);
 int icc_halt(void);
 int icc_mail_ping(void);
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/irq.c b/arch/x86/kernel/irq.c
index 3c4b621f..9e8ca5e8 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/irq.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/irq.c
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ void irq_handler(struct state *s)
 	void (*handler) (struct state * s);
 
 	// at first, we check our work queues
-	check_workqueues();
+	if( s->int_no == 124 ) 	check_workqueues();
 
 	/* 
 	 * Find out if we have a custom handler to run for this
diff --git a/arch/x86/scc/icc.c b/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
index bf4c5180..49cc0734 100644
--- a/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
+++ b/arch/x86/scc/icc.c
@@ -235,36 +235,50 @@ int icc_ping(int ue)
 int icc_mail_ping( void )
 {
 	uint32_t flags;
+	uint64_t timer;
 	int remote_rank = (my_ue+1)%2;
-	
-	kprintf( "#### Hello from icc_mail_ping\n" );	
+
+	if( my_ue ) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	// iRCCE is not thread save => disable interrupts
 	flags = irq_nested_disable();
-	
-	// start timer
-	uint64_t timer = rdtsc();
-	
-	// send mail
-	iRCCE_mail_send( 0, my_ue, 0, NULL, remote_rank );
 
-	// wait for mail from remote rank
+	// start timer
+	timer = rdtsc();
+
+	iRCCE_mail_send( 0, 1, 0, NULL, remote_rank );
+	kprintf( "Sent pingrequest to %d ...\n", remote_rank );
+
+
+	// wake up receiver
+	icc_send_irq( remote_rank );
+
+	// wait for response
 	iRCCE_MAIL_HEADER* mail;
 	do {
 		iRCCE_mail_recv( &mail );
 	} while( !mail );
 	
-	timer = rdtsc() - timer;	
-	
-	kprintf( "Received mail in %d ticks!\n", timer );
+	// stop timer
+	timer = rdtsc() - timer;
+
+	if( mail->tag == 2 ) {
+		kprintf( "Response received in %d ticks!\n", timer );	
+	}
+	else {
+		kprintf( "Response didn't arrive!\n" );
+	}
+
+
 
-	// show content	
-	iRCCE_mailbox_print_header( mail );
-	
 	irq_nested_enable(flags);
-	
+
 	return 0;
 
 }
+
 static void interpret_header(icc_header_t* header, int recv_ue)
 {
 	//kprintf("Got ICC message %d from %d\n", header->type, recv_ue);
@@ -331,4 +345,24 @@ void icc_check(void)
 	iRCCE_isend_push();
 }
 
+void icc_mail_check(void)
+{
+	if( !my_ue ) return ;
+
+	iRCCE_MAIL_HEADER* header;
+	int res;
+
+	kprintf( "Hello from icc_mail_check() \n" );
+	// empty mailbox and interpret headers
+	do {
+		res = iRCCE_mail_recv( &header );
+		if( header->tag == 1 ) {
+			kprintf( "Received mail_ping request ...\n" );
+			iRCCE_mail_send( 0, 2, 0, NULL, header->source );	
+		}
+
+		iRCCE_mail_release( &header );
+	} while( res == iRCCE_SUCCESS );
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/include/metalsvm/tasks.h b/include/metalsvm/tasks.h
index 5329fc61..b8822dfa 100644
--- a/include/metalsvm/tasks.h
+++ b/include/metalsvm/tasks.h
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ static inline void check_workqueues(void)
 	uint32_t flags = irq_nested_disable();
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ROCKCREEK
-	icc_check();
+//	icc_check();
+	icc_mail_check();
 #endif
 
 	irq_nested_enable(flags);
diff --git a/kernel/mailbox.c b/kernel/mailbox.c
index 8b7a8b78..e20e9e36 100644
--- a/kernel/mailbox.c
+++ b/kernel/mailbox.c
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ int STDCALL mail_ping(void* arg) {
 int mailbox_test_init(void)
 {
 	char* argv[] = {"/bin/mailbox", NULL};
-	kprintf( "### Hello from mailbox_test_init\n" );
 	create_kernel_task(NULL, mail_ping, argv);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/kernel/main.c b/kernel/main.c
index 9519dafc..4238ea72 100644
--- a/kernel/main.c
+++ b/kernel/main.c
@@ -114,11 +114,12 @@ int main(void)
 
 	sleep(5);
 	list_root();
-	//test_init();
+//	test_init();
 	mailbox_test_init();
 	per_core(current_task)->status = TASK_IDLE;
 	reschedule();
 
+
 	while(1) { 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ROCKCREEK
 		icc_halt();