diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/mm/gc-boehm.cpp
--- a/src/mm/gc-boehm.cpp	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/mm/gc-boehm.cpp	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@
 static bool in_gc_out_of_memory = false;    /* is GC out of memory?           */
 static size_t gc_max_heap_size = 0;
 
+static int pagesize;
+
 
 /* prototype static functions *************************************************/
 
@@ -115,6 +117,8 @@
 
 	if (heapstartsize > heapcurrentsize)
 		GC_expand_hp(heapstartsize - heapcurrentsize);
+
+	pagesize = os::getpagesize();
 }
 
 
@@ -150,6 +154,22 @@
 	struct timespec time_start, time_end;
 #endif
 
+	threadobject *t = thread_get_current();
+	// bdwgc accesses quite a lot of stack on its own
+	if ((uintptr_t) &p - 16*pagesize < (uintptr_t) t->stack_guard)
+	{
+		if (!t->stack_guard_hit) {
+			t->stack_guard_hit = true;
+			exceptions_throw_stackoverflowerror();
+			return 0;
+		}
+		else {
+			p = malloc(size);
+			MSET(p, 0, uint8_t, size);
+			return p;
+		}
+	}
+
 	RT_TIMING_GET_TIME(time_start);
 
 	/* We can't use a bool here for references, as it's passed as a
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/threads/posix/thread-posix.cpp
--- a/src/threads/posix/thread-posix.cpp	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/threads/posix/thread-posix.cpp	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -489,6 +489,7 @@
 	t->es = NULL;
 #endif
 
+	t->stack_guard_hit = false;
 	// Simply reuse the existing dump memory.
 }
 
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/threads/posix/thread-posix.hpp
--- a/src/threads/posix/thread-posix.hpp	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/threads/posix/thread-posix.hpp	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@
 	s4                    suspend_reason; /* reason for suspending            */
 
 	u1                   *pc;           /* current PC (used for profiling)    */
+	void                 *stack_guard;
+	bool                  stack_guard_hit;
 
 	java_object_t        *_exceptionptr;     /* current exception             */
 	struct stackframeinfo_t     *_stackframeinfo;   /* current native stackframeinfo */
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/exceptions.cpp
--- a/src/vm/exceptions.cpp	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/exceptions.cpp	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -1133,6 +1133,18 @@
 }
 
 
+/* exceptions_throw_stackoverflowerror *****************************************
+
+   Generates and throws an java.lang.StackOverflowError for the VM.
+
+*******************************************************************************/
+
+void exceptions_throw_stackoverflowerror(void)
+{
+	exceptions_throw_utf(utf_java_lang_StackOverflowError);
+}
+
+
 /* exceptions_throw_unsatisfiedlinkerror ***************************************
 
    Generates and throws a java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError for the
@@ -1565,6 +1577,21 @@
 	return o;
 }
 
+/* exceptions_new_stackoverflowerror *******************************************
+
+   Generates a java.lang.StackOverflowError for the VM system.
+
+*******************************************************************************/
+
+java_handle_t *exceptions_new_stackoverflowerror(void)
+{
+	java_handle_t *o;
+
+	o = exceptions_new_utf(utf_java_lang_StackOverflowError);
+
+	return o;
+}
+
 
 /* exceptions_throw_nullpointerexception ***************************************
 
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/exceptions.hpp
--- a/src/vm/exceptions.hpp	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/exceptions.hpp	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 void exceptions_throw_instantiationerror(classinfo *c);
 void exceptions_throw_internalerror(const char *message, ...);
 void exceptions_throw_outofmemoryerror(void);
+void exceptions_throw_stackoverflowerror(void);
 void exceptions_throw_verifyerror(methodinfo *m, const char *message, ...);
 void exceptions_throw_verifyerror_for_stack(methodinfo *m, int type);
 void exceptions_throw_unsatisfiedlinkerror(utf *name);
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@
 void exceptions_throw_negativearraysizeexception(void);
 
 java_handle_t *exceptions_new_nullpointerexception(void);
+java_handle_t *exceptions_new_stackoverflowerror(void);
 void exceptions_throw_nullpointerexception(void);
 void exceptions_throw_privilegedactionexception(java_handle_t *cause);
 void exceptions_throw_stringindexoutofboundsexception(void);
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/jit/builtin.cpp
--- a/src/vm/jit/builtin.cpp	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/jit/builtin.cpp	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -851,8 +851,10 @@
 	o = (java_handle_t*) heap_alloc(c->instancesize, c->flags & ACC_CLASS_HAS_POINTERS,
 									c->finalizer, true);
 
-	if (!o)
+	if (!o) {
+		thread_get_current()->stack_guard_hit = false;
 		return NULL;
+	}
 
 #if !defined(ENABLE_GC_CACAO) && defined(ENABLE_HANDLES)
 	/* XXX this is only a dirty hack to make Boehm work with handles */
@@ -933,8 +935,10 @@
 										c->finalizer, true);
 	}
 
-	if (!o)
+	if (!o) {
+		thread_get_current()->stack_guard_hit = false;
 		return NULL;
+	}
 
 # if !defined(ENABLE_GC_CACAO) && defined(ENABLE_HANDLES)
 	/* XXX this is only a dirty hack to make Boehm work with handles */
@@ -1018,8 +1022,10 @@
 	o = (java_handle_t*) heap_alloc(c->instancesize, c->flags & ACC_CLASS_HAS_POINTERS,
 									c->finalizer, false);
 
-	if (!o)
+	if (!o) {
+		thread_get_current()->stack_guard_hit = false;
 		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	o->vftbl = c->vftbl;
 
@@ -2143,8 +2149,10 @@
         
 		co = (java_handle_t*) heap_alloc(size, (ad->arraytype == ARRAYTYPE_OBJECT), NULL, true);
 
-		if (co == NULL)
+		if (co == NULL) {
+			thread_get_current()->stack_guard_hit = false;
 			return NULL;
+		}
 
 #if !defined(ENABLE_GC_CACAO) && defined(ENABLE_HANDLES)
 		/* XXX this is only a dirty hack to make Boehm work with handles */
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/jit/trap.cpp
--- a/src/vm/jit/trap.cpp	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/jit/trap.cpp	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@
 			return;
 		}
 
+		if (thread_get_current()->stack_guard_hit) {
+			es.pc += 8;
+			md_executionstate_write(&es, context);
+			return;
+		}
 		// We have a problem...
 		vm_abort_disassemble(xpc, 1, "trap_handle: Unknown trap instruction at %p", xpc);
 	}
@@ -242,6 +247,10 @@
 		p = exceptions_new_nullpointerexception();
 		break;
 
+	case TRAP_StackOverflowError:
+		p = exceptions_new_stackoverflowerror();
+		break;
+
 	case TRAP_ArithmeticException:
 		p = exceptions_new_arithmeticexception();
 		break;
@@ -407,6 +416,8 @@
 			es.intregs[REG_ITMP2_XPC]  = (uintptr_t) xpc;
 			es.pc                      = (uint8_t *) (uintptr_t) asm_handle_exception;
 #endif
+
+			thread_get_current()->stack_guard_hit = false;
 		}
 	}
 
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/jit/x86_64/codegen.c
--- a/src/vm/jit/x86_64/codegen.c	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/jit/x86_64/codegen.c	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@
 	registerdata* rd = jd->rd;
 
 	/* create stack frame (if necessary) */
-
 	if (cd->stackframesize)
 		M_ASUB_IMM(cd->stackframesize * 8, REG_SP);
 
@@ -153,6 +152,10 @@
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
+	if (!code_is_leafmethod(jd->code))
+		/* stack probe */
+		M_LLD(REG_ITMP1, REG_SP, -4096 * 8);
 }
 
 
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/jit/x86_64/md-trap.h
--- a/src/vm/jit/x86_64/md-trap.h	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/jit/x86_64/md-trap.h	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -52,13 +52,14 @@
 	/* Don't use 4 (could be a normal load offset). */
 
 	TRAP_ClassCastException             = 5,
-	TRAP_CHECK_EXCEPTION                = 6,
-	TRAP_PATCHER                        = 7,
+	TRAP_StackOverflowError             = 6,
+	TRAP_CHECK_EXCEPTION                = 7,
 
 	/* Don't use 8 (could be a normal load offset). */
 
-	TRAP_COMPILER                       = 9,
-	TRAP_COUNTDOWN                      = 10,
+	TRAP_PATCHER                        = 9,
+	TRAP_COMPILER                       = 10,
+	TRAP_COUNTDOWN                      = 11,
 	TRAP_END
 };
 
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/jit/x86_64/md.c
--- a/src/vm/jit/x86_64/md.c	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/jit/x86_64/md.c	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -194,12 +194,21 @@
 
 		// Default case is a normal NullPointerException.
 		else {
-			trp->type  = TRAP_NullPointerException;
+			threadobject *t = thread_get_current();
+			uint64_t sp = (uint64_t) es->sp;
+			uint64_t guard = (uint64_t) t->stack_guard;
+			if ((uint64_t) sp < guard + 12*4096) {
+				if (t->stack_guard_hit)
+					return false;
+				trp->type = TRAP_StackOverflowError;
+				t->stack_guard_hit = true;
+			} else
+				trp->type  = TRAP_NullPointerException;
 			trp->value = 0;
 			return true;
 		}
 	}
-	
+
 	default:
 		return false;
 	}
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/utf8.c
--- a/src/vm/utf8.c	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/utf8.c	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
 utf *utf_java_lang_NoSuchFieldError;
 utf *utf_java_lang_NoSuchMethodError;
 utf *utf_java_lang_OutOfMemoryError;
+utf *utf_java_lang_StackOverflowError;
 utf *utf_java_lang_UnsatisfiedLinkError;
 utf *utf_java_lang_UnsupportedClassVersionError;
 utf *utf_java_lang_VerifyError;
@@ -303,6 +304,8 @@
 
 	utf_java_lang_OutOfMemoryError = utf_new_char("java/lang/OutOfMemoryError");
 
+	utf_java_lang_StackOverflowError = utf_new_char("java/lang/StackOverflowError");
+
 	utf_java_lang_UnsatisfiedLinkError =
 		utf_new_char("java/lang/UnsatisfiedLinkError");
 
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/utf8.h
--- a/src/vm/utf8.h	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/utf8.h	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@
 extern utf *utf_java_lang_NoSuchFieldError;
 extern utf *utf_java_lang_NoSuchMethodError;
 extern utf *utf_java_lang_OutOfMemoryError;
+extern utf *utf_java_lang_StackOverflowError;
 extern utf *utf_java_lang_UnsatisfiedLinkError;
 extern utf *utf_java_lang_UnsupportedClassVersionError;
 extern utf *utf_java_lang_VerifyError;
diff -r a97f753cfb7a src/vm/vm.cpp
--- a/src/vm/vm.cpp	Sun Jan 06 19:28:42 2013 +0100
+++ b/src/vm/vm.cpp	Mon Jan 14 22:44:36 2013 +0100
@@ -580,6 +580,31 @@
 static void  vm_compile_method(char* mainname);
 #endif
 
+/*
+void *growstack_(int n, char *p)
+{
+	char buf[4000];
+	for (int i=0; i<4000; i++)
+		buf[i] = *p + 1;
+	if (n>0)
+		return growstack_(n-1, buf);
+	else
+		return buf;
+}
+
+void *growstack()
+{
+	char buf[4000];
+	void *bottom, *aligned;
+	memset(buf, 0, 4000);
+	bottom = growstack_(256, buf);
+
+	int pagesize = os::getpagesize();
+	aligned = (void*)(((uint64_t)(((u1*) bottom)-32000)) & ~(pagesize-1));
+	(void) os::mmap_anonymous(aligned, pagesize, PROT_NONE, MAP_PRIVATE | MAP_FIXED);
+	return aligned;
+}
+// */
 
 /**
  * Implementation for JNI_CreateJavaVM.  This function creates a VM
@@ -1402,6 +1427,16 @@
   	threads_init();
 #endif
 
+	threadobject *t = thread_get_current();
+
+	int pagesize = os::getpagesize();
+	// just an arbitrarily chosen stack size of 512k
+	void *aligned = (void*) MEMORY_ALIGN((uintptr_t) ((void*) &t) - 512 * 1024, pagesize);
+	(void) os::mmap_anonymous(aligned, pagesize*4, PROT_NONE, MAP_PRIVATE | MAP_FIXED);
+
+	t->stack_guard = aligned;
+	t->stack_guard_hit = false;
+
 	/* Initialize the native VM subsystem. */
 	/* AFTER: threads_init (at least for SUN's classes) */