diff --git a/src/arch/x86_64/boot.asm b/src/arch/x86_64/boot.asm
index 6a9cb31f..c82b6df6 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86_64/boot.asm
+++ b/src/arch/x86_64/boot.asm
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ check_long_mode:
     jmp error
 
 set_up_page_tables:
+    ; map P4 table recursively
+    mov eax, p4_table
+    or eax, 0b11 ; present + writable
+    mov [p4_table + 511 * 8], eax
+
     ; map first P4 entry to P3 table
     mov eax, p3_table
     or eax, 0b11 ; present + writable