diff --git a/Changelog.md b/Changelog.md
index f365b38a..97d0b3f3 100644
--- a/Changelog.md
+++ b/Changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # Unreleased
 
+- Identity-map GDT into kernel address space to fix `iretq` ([#175](https://github.com/rust-osdev/bootloader/pull/175))
 - Uefi: Look for an ACPI2 RSDP first ([#174](https://github.com/rust-osdev/bootloader/pull/174))
 
 # 0.10.5 – 2021-05-21
diff --git a/src/binary/gdt.rs b/src/binary/gdt.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a4610b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/binary/gdt.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+use x86_64::{
+    instructions::segmentation,
+    structures::{
+        gdt::{Descriptor, GlobalDescriptorTable},
+        paging::PhysFrame,
+    },
+    VirtAddr,
+};
+
+pub fn create_and_load(frame: PhysFrame) {
+    let phys_addr = frame.start_address();
+    log::info!("Creating GDT at {:?}", phys_addr);
+    let virt_addr = VirtAddr::new(phys_addr.as_u64()); // utilize identity mapping
+
+    let ptr: *mut GlobalDescriptorTable = virt_addr.as_mut_ptr();
+
+    let mut gdt = GlobalDescriptorTable::new();
+    let code_selector = gdt.add_entry(Descriptor::kernel_code_segment());
+    let data_selector = gdt.add_entry(Descriptor::kernel_data_segment());
+    let gdt = unsafe {
+        ptr.write(gdt);
+        &*ptr
+    };
+
+    gdt.load();
+    unsafe {
+        segmentation::set_cs(code_selector);
+        segmentation::load_ds(data_selector);
+        segmentation::load_es(data_selector);
+        segmentation::load_ss(data_selector);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/binary/mod.rs b/src/binary/mod.rs
index caa56748..59e494b4 100644
--- a/src/binary/mod.rs
+++ b/src/binary/mod.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub mod bios;
 #[cfg(feature = "uefi_bin")]
 mod uefi;
 
+mod gdt;
 /// Provides a frame allocator based on a BIOS or UEFI memory map.
 pub mod legacy_memory_region;
 /// Provides a type to keep track of used entries in a level 4 page table.
@@ -170,6 +171,18 @@ where
         }
     }
 
+    // create, load, and identity-map GDT (required for working `iretq`)
+    let gdt_frame = frame_allocator
+        .allocate_frame()
+        .expect("failed to allocate GDT frame");
+    gdt::create_and_load(gdt_frame);
+    match unsafe {
+        kernel_page_table.identity_map(gdt_frame, PageTableFlags::PRESENT, frame_allocator)
+    } {
+        Ok(tlb) => tlb.flush(),
+        Err(err) => panic!("failed to identity map frame {:?}: {:?}", gdt_frame, err),
+    }
+
     // map framebuffer
     let framebuffer_virt_addr = if CONFIG.map_framebuffer {
         log::info!("Map framebuffer");
diff --git a/tests/test_kernels/default_settings/src/bin/basic_boot.rs b/tests/test_kernels/default_settings/src/bin/basic_boot.rs
index 50157689..eef2bb3a 100644
--- a/tests/test_kernels/default_settings/src/bin/basic_boot.rs
+++ b/tests/test_kernels/default_settings/src/bin/basic_boot.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ fn kernel_main(_boot_info: &'static mut BootInfo) -> ! {
 
 /// This function is called on panic.
 #[panic_handler]
-fn panic(_info: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
+fn panic(info: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
+    use core::fmt::Write;
+
+    let _ = writeln!(test_kernel_default_settings::serial(), "PANIC: {}", info);
     exit_qemu(QemuExitCode::Failed);
 }