diff --git a/src/pc80/keyboard.c b/src/pc80/keyboard.c
index d293f714de..f46d1ffa16 100644
--- a/src/pc80/keyboard.c
+++ b/src/pc80/keyboard.c
@@ -3,21 +3,45 @@
 #include <device/device.h>
 #include <arch/io.h>
 
+static int kbd_empty_input_buffer(void)
+{
+	unsigned long timeout;
+	for(timeout = 1000000; timeout && (inb(0x64) & 0x02); timeout--) {
+		post_code(0);
+	}
+	return !!timeout;
+}
+
+static int kbd_empty_output_buffer(void)
+{
+	unsigned long timeout;
+	for(timeout = 1000000; timeout && ((inb(0x64) & 0x01) == 0); timeout--) {
+		post_code(0);
+	}
+	return !!timeout;
+}
+
 /* much better keyboard init courtesy ollie@sis.com.tw 
    TODO: Typematic Setting, the keyboard is too slow for me */
 static void pc_keyboard_init(struct pc_keyboard *keyboard)
 {
-	volatile unsigned char regval;
+	unsigned char regval;
+	unsigned long timeout;
 
 	/* send cmd = 0xAA, self test 8042 */
 	outb(0xaa, 0x64);
 
 	/* empty input buffer or any other command/data will be lost */
-	while ((inb(0x64) & 0x02))
-		post_code(0);
+	if (!kbd_empty_input_buffer()) {
+		printk_err("Keyboard input buffer would not empty\n");
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* empty output buffer or any other command/data will be lost */
-	while ((inb(0x64) & 0x01) == 0)
-		post_code(1);
+	if (!kbd_empty_output_buffer()) {
+		printk_err("Keyboard output buffer would not empty\n");
+		return;
+	}
 
 	/* read self-test result, 0x55 should be returned form 0x60 */
 	if ((regval = inb(0x60) != 0x55))
@@ -25,29 +49,25 @@ static void pc_keyboard_init(struct pc_keyboard *keyboard)
 
 	/* enable keyboard interface */
 	outb(0x60, 0x64);
-	while ((inb(0x64) & 0x02))
-		post_code(2);
+	kbd_empty_input_buffer();
 
 	/* send cmd: enable IRQ 1 */
 	outb(0x61, 0x60);
-	while ((inb(0x64) & 0x02))
-		post_code(3);
+	kbd_empty_input_buffer();
 
 	/* reset kerboard and self test  (keyboard side) */
 	outb(0xff, 0x60);
 
 	/* empty inut bufferm or any other command/data will be lost */
-	while ((inb(0x64) & 0x02))
-		post_code(4);
+	kbd_empty_input_buffer();
+
 	/* empty output buffer or any other command/data will be lost */
-	while ((inb(0x64) & 0x01) == 0)
-		post_code(5);
+	kbd_empty_output_buffer();
 
 	if ((regval = inb(0x60) != 0xfa))
 		return;
 
-	while ((inb(0x64) & 0x01) == 0)
-		post_code(6);
+	kbd_empty_output_buffer();
 	if ((regval = inb(0x60) != 0xaa))
 		return;
 }