diff --git a/include/metalsvm/init.h b/include/metalsvm/init.h
index 02f97091..8ca4a89a 100644
--- a/include/metalsvm/init.h
+++ b/include/metalsvm/init.h
@@ -36,11 +36,8 @@ extern "C" {
  * initialize the VGA output. If configured.*/
 int lowlevel_init(void);
 
-/** @brief Initialize LWIP stack and start a networking task. */
-int network_init(void);
-
-/** @brief Shutdown the networking subsystem. */
-int network_shutdown(void);
+/** @brief Shutdown the system */
+int shutdown(void);
 
 /** @brief Entry point of the init task */
 int initd(void* arg);
diff --git a/kernel/init.c b/kernel/init.c
index ac1653a8..cbb9c32e 100644
--- a/kernel/init.c
+++ b/kernel/init.c
@@ -72,30 +72,14 @@ int lowlevel_init(void)
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_LWIP) && (defined(CONFIG_PCI) || defined(CONFIG_ROCKCREEK))
 static struct netif*	default_netif = NULL;
-static volatile uint32_t lwip_initialized = 0;
 
-static void tcp_init_ok(void* e)
+static int init_netifs(void)
 {
-	kputs("TCP/IP init COMPLETE!!\n");
-	lwip_initialized = 1;
-}
-#endif
-
-int network_init(void)
-{
-#if defined(CONFIG_LWIP) && (defined(CONFIG_PCI) || defined(CONFIG_ROCKCREEK))
 	struct ip_addr	ipaddr;
 	struct ip_addr	netmask;
 	struct ip_addr	gw;
 
-	kputs("Initialize network...\n");
-
-	// Initialize lwIP modules
-	tcpip_init(tcp_init_ok, NULL);
-
-	while(!lwip_initialized) {
-		reschedule();
-	}
+	kputs("Initialize NICs...\n");
 
 	// Set up the lwIP network interface
 	// Allocate and configure netif
@@ -115,6 +99,14 @@ int network_init(void)
 
 	/* Bring up the network interface */
 	if (!netif_add(default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, rckemacif_init, tcpip_input)) {
+		kputs("Unable to add network interface\n");
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
+
+	netif_set_default(default_netif);
+	netif_set_up(default_netif);
+
+	//mmnif_open();
 #else
 	/* Clear network address because we use DHCP to get an ip address */
 	IP4_ADDR(&gw, 0,0,0,0);
@@ -123,64 +115,63 @@ int network_init(void)
 
 	/* Bring up the network interface */
 	if (!netif_add(default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, rtl8139if_init, tcpip_input)) {
-#endif
 		kputs("Unable to add network interface\n");
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
 	netif_set_default(default_netif);
-	netif_set_up(default_netif);
 
-	/* test if interface is really up */
-	if (!netif_is_up(default_netif)) {
-		kputs("network interface is not up\n");
-		return -ENODEV;
-	}
-
-#ifndef CONFIG_ROCKCREEK
 	kprintf("Starting DHCPCD...\n");
 	dhcp_start(default_netif);
-
-	int mscnt = 0;
-	/* wait for ip address */
-	while(!default_netif->ip_addr.addr) {
-		sys_msleep(DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS);
-		dhcp_fine_tmr();
-		mscnt += DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS;
-		if (mscnt >= DHCP_COARSE_TIMER_SECS*1000) {
-			dhcp_coarse_tmr();
-			mscnt = 0;
-		}
-	}
-#else
-	//mmnif_open();
-#endif
-
-	// start echo and ping server
-	echo_init();
-	//ping_init();
-	netio_init();
 #endif
 
 	return 0;
 }
-
-int network_shutdown(void)
-{
-#ifdef CONFIG_LWIP
-#ifdef CONFIG_ROCKCREEK
-	//mmnif_close();
-#elif defined(CONFIG_PCI)
-	dhcp_release(default_netif);
-	dhcp_stop(default_netif);
 #endif
 
-	mem_free(default_netif);
-	default_netif = NULL;
+#ifdef CONFIG_LWIP
+static void tcpip_init_done(void* arg)
+{
+	sys_sem_t* sem = (sys_sem_t*)arg;
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_LWIP) && (defined(CONFIG_PCI) || defined(CONFIG_ROCKCREEK))
+	init_netifs();
+#endif
+	sys_sem_signal(sem);
+}
+#endif
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_LWIP
+static int network_shutdown(void)
+{
+#ifdef CONFIG_ROCKCREEK
+	if (default_netif) {
+		netif_set_link_down(default_netif);
+		mem_free(default_netif);
+		default_netif = NULL;
+	}
+	//mmnif_close();
+#elif defined(CONFIG_PCI)
+	if (default_netif) {
+		dhcp_release(default_netif);
+		dhcp_stop(default_netif);
+		mem_free(default_netif);
+		default_netif = NULL;
+	}
 #endif
 
 	return 0;
 }
+#endif
+
+int shutdown(void)
+{
+#ifdef CONFIG_LWIP
+	return network_shutdown();
+#else
+	return 0;
+#endif
+}
 
 static void list_fs(vfs_node_t* node, uint32_t depth)
 {
@@ -217,7 +208,45 @@ static void list_root(void) {
 
 int initd(void* arg)
 {
-	network_init();
+#ifdef CONFIG_LWIP
+	sys_sem_t	sem;
+
+	// Initialize lwIP modules
+	if(sys_sem_new(&sem, 0) != ERR_OK)
+		LWIP_ASSERT("Failed to create semaphore", 0);
+	tcpip_init(tcpip_init_done, &sem);
+	sys_sem_wait(&sem);
+	kprintf("TCP/IP initialized.\n");
+	sys_sem_free(&sem);
+
+#if defined(CONFIG_LWIP) && (defined(CONFIG_PCI) || defined(CONFIG_ROCKCREEK))
+	/* test if interface is really up */
+	if (!netif_is_up(default_netif)) {
+		kputs("network interface is not up\n");
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
+#endif
+
+#ifndef CONFIG_ROCKCREEK
+	int mscnt = 0;
+	/* wait for ip address */
+	while(default_netif && !default_netif->ip_addr.addr) {
+		sys_msleep(DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS);
+		dhcp_fine_tmr();
+		mscnt += DHCP_FINE_TIMER_MSECS;
+		if (mscnt >= DHCP_COARSE_TIMER_SECS*1000) {
+			dhcp_coarse_tmr();
+			mscnt = 0;
+		}
+	}
+#endif
+
+	// start echo and ping server
+	echo_init();
+	//ping_init();
+	netio_init();
+#endif
+
 	list_root();
 	test_init();