diff --git a/inc/n64_cp0.inc b/inc/n64_cp0.inc
index 060acb7..ed188c5 100644
--- a/inc/n64_cp0.inc
+++ b/inc/n64_cp0.inc
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ constant CP0_STATUS_IM5($2000) // Interrupt Mask 5 (External)
 constant CP0_STATUS_IM6($4000) // Interrupt Mask 6 (External)
 constant CP0_STATUS_IM7($8000) // Interrupt Mask 7 (External)
 constant CP0_STATUS_IM_ALL($FF00) // all interrupt masks
+constant CP0_STATUS_IM_WANTED($7F00) // FIXME: just the interrupts we can deal with
 
 // note that these are all masks.
 constant CP0_CAUSE_CODE($007C) // actually supposed to be called ExcCode
diff --git a/inc/n64_util.inc b/inc/n64_util.inc
index f82435e..e0e8630 100644
--- a/inc/n64_util.inc
+++ b/inc/n64_util.inc
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ macro SetIntMask() {
     sw      t0, MI_INTR_MASK(a0)
     // careful not to touch unrelated flags here
     mfc0    t1, CP0_Status
-    lli     t0, CP0_STATUS_IM_ALL
+    lli     t0, CP0_STATUS_IM_WANTED
     or      t1, t0
     mtc0    t1, CP0_Status
 }
diff --git a/kernel.asm b/kernel.asm
index e74606f..e532a21 100644
--- a/kernel.asm
+++ b/kernel.asm
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Start:
 
     // enable CPU interrupts.
     mfc0    t1, CP0_Status
-    ori     t1, CP0_STATUS_IM_ALL | CP0_STATUS_IE
+    ori     t1, CP0_STATUS_IM_WANTED | CP0_STATUS_IE
     mtc0    t1, CP0_Status
 
     // enable even more interrupts.