diff --git a/firmware/controllers/core/error_handling.cpp b/firmware/controllers/core/error_handling.cpp
index 930d2637b5..48ac1035fc 100644
--- a/firmware/controllers/core/error_handling.cpp
+++ b/firmware/controllers/core/error_handling.cpp
@@ -181,8 +181,13 @@ void onUnlockHook(void) {
 
 #endif /* EFI_CLOCK_LOCKS */
 
-
-void initErrorHandling(void) {
+/**
+ * This method should be invoked really early in firmware initialization cycle.
+ *
+ * Implementation can only do trivial things like changing memory state. No hardware or OS access allowed
+ * within this method.
+ */
+void initErrorHandlingDataStructures(void) {
 #if EFI_SIMULATOR || EFI_PROD_CODE
 	msObjectInit(&warningStream, (uint8_t *) warningBuffer, WARNING_BUFFER_SIZE, 0);
 	msObjectInit(&firmwareErrorMessageStream, errorMessageBuffer, sizeof(errorMessageBuffer), 0);
diff --git a/firmware/controllers/core/error_handling.h b/firmware/controllers/core/error_handling.h
index 4a04ad33d2..4a6d046218 100644
--- a/firmware/controllers/core/error_handling.h
+++ b/firmware/controllers/core/error_handling.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ EXTERNC void firmwareError(obd_code_e code, const char *fmt, ...);
 // todo: rename to getFatalErrorMessage
 char *getFirmwareError(void);
 
-void initErrorHandling(void);
+void initErrorHandlingDataStructures(void);
 // todo: rename to getWarningMessage?
 char *getWarning(void);
 
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/kinetis/mpu_util.cpp b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/kinetis/mpu_util.cpp
index efb53fea43..dd97f49165 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/kinetis/mpu_util.cpp
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/kinetis/mpu_util.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 EXTERN_ENGINE;
 
-void baseHardwareInit(void) {
+void baseMCUInit(void) {
 }
 
 void _unhandled_exception(void) {
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/kinetis/mpu_util.h b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/kinetis/mpu_util.h
index 5554ac8898..7a5746a9f9 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/kinetis/mpu_util.h
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/kinetis/mpu_util.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ BOR_Result_t BOR_Set(BOR_Level_t BORValue);
 #define SPI_CR1_24BIT_MODE 0
 #define SPI_CR2_24BIT_MODE 0
 
-void baseHardwareInit(void);
+void baseMCUInit(void);
 void turnOnSpi(spi_device_e device);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32_common_mpu_util.h b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32_common_mpu_util.h
index 159bc53f31..15b9c51a64 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32_common_mpu_util.h
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32_common_mpu_util.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ typedef enum {
 BOR_Level_t BOR_Get(void);
 BOR_Result_t BOR_Set(BOR_Level_t BORValue);
 
-void baseHardwareInit(void);
+void baseMCUInit(void);
 void turnOnSpi(spi_device_e device);
 void jump_to_bootloader();
 
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f0/mpu_util.h b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f0/mpu_util.h
index 57ca52bc1d..e7d9410456 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f0/mpu_util.h
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f0/mpu_util.h
@@ -11,6 +11,6 @@
 #define EFI_CAN_RX_AF 9
 #define EFI_CAN_TX_AF 9
 
-#define baseHardwareInit() {}
+#define baseMCUInit() {}
 
 #endif /* MPU_UTIL_H_ */
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f1/mpu_util.h b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f1/mpu_util.h
index 374d9c011f..f1b31235b1 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f1/mpu_util.h
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f1/mpu_util.h
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 #include "global.h"
 
-#define baseHardwareInit() {}
+#define baseMCUInit() {}
 
 void initSpiCs(SPIConfig *spiConfig, brain_pin_e csPin);
 
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f4/mpu_util.cpp b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f4/mpu_util.cpp
index 3445c77b5e..ebc20ac102 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f4/mpu_util.cpp
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f4/mpu_util.cpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ EXTERNC int getRemainingStack(thread_t *otp) {
 
 #endif /* GNU / IAR */
 
-void baseHardwareInit(void) {
+void baseMCUInit(void) {
 	// looks like this holds a random value on start? Let's set a nice clean zero
         DWT->CYCCNT = 0;
 
diff --git a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f7/mpu_util.cpp b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f7/mpu_util.cpp
index 2df8e78024..e2e11c76a3 100644
--- a/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f7/mpu_util.cpp
+++ b/firmware/hw_layer/ports/stm32/stm32f7/mpu_util.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ EXTERNC int getRemainingStack(thread_t *otp) {
 
 #endif /* GNU / IAR */
 
-void baseHardwareInit(void) {
+void baseMCUInit(void) {
 	// looks like this holds a random value on start? Let's set a nice clean zero
         DWT->CYCCNT = 0;
 
diff --git a/firmware/main.cpp b/firmware/main.cpp
index ba68d333c9..483c43d4f7 100644
--- a/firmware/main.cpp
+++ b/firmware/main.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ int main(void) {
 	halInit();
 	chSysInit();
 
-	baseHardwareInit();
+	/**
+	 * most basic MCU initialization - no configuration access, no external hardware access
+	 */
+	baseMCUInit();
 
 	runRusEfi();
 	return 0;
diff --git a/firmware/rusefi.cpp b/firmware/rusefi.cpp
index 7b70b416a3..b3d52b120b 100644
--- a/firmware/rusefi.cpp
+++ b/firmware/rusefi.cpp
@@ -162,11 +162,11 @@ static void scheduleReboot(void) {
 }
 
 void runRusEfi(void) {
+	initErrorHandlingDataStructures();
 	efiAssertVoid(CUSTOM_RM_STACK_1, getCurrentRemainingStack() > 512, "init s");
 	assertEngineReference();
 	engine->setConfig(config);
 	initIntermediateLoggingBuffer();
-	initErrorHandling();
 	addConsoleAction(CMD_REBOOT, scheduleReboot);
 	addConsoleAction(CMD_REBOOT_DFU, jump_to_bootloader);
 
diff --git a/simulator/simulator/rusEfiFunctionalTest.cpp b/simulator/simulator/rusEfiFunctionalTest.cpp
index d18c2e0200..349f1e80cf 100644
--- a/simulator/simulator/rusEfiFunctionalTest.cpp
+++ b/simulator/simulator/rusEfiFunctionalTest.cpp
@@ -92,12 +92,12 @@ static void runChprintfTest() {
 
 void rusEfiFunctionalTest(void) {
 	printToConsole("Running rusEfi simulator version:");
+	initErrorHandlingDataStructures();
 	static char versionBuffer[20];
 	itoa10(versionBuffer, (int)getRusEfiVersion());
 	printToConsole(versionBuffer);
 
 	initIntermediateLoggingBuffer();
-	initErrorHandling();
 
 	engine->setConfig(config);