diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 701845c..a79a386 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -12,7 +12,17 @@ checksum = "0c4b4d0bd25bd0b74681c0ad21497610ce1b7c91b1022cd21c80c6fbdd9476b0"
 name = "kernel"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
- "spinning_top",
+ "linked_list_allocator",
+ "spinning_top 0.3.0",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "linked_list_allocator"
+version = "0.10.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9afa463f5405ee81cdb9cc2baf37e08ec7e4c8209442b5d72c04cfb2cd6e6286"
+dependencies = [
+ "spinning_top 0.2.5",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -31,6 +41,15 @@ version = "1.2.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "94143f37725109f92c262ed2cf5e59bce7498c01bcc1502d7b9afe439a4e9f49"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "spinning_top"
+version = "0.2.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "5b9eb1a2f4c41445a3a0ff9abc5221c5fcd28e1f13cd7c0397706f9ac938ddb0"
+dependencies = [
+ "lock_api",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "spinning_top"
 version = "0.3.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 3d34e78..e8d3973 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 edition = "2021"
 
 [dependencies]
+linked_list_allocator = "0.10.5"
 spinning_top = "0.3.0"
diff --git a/src/heap.rs b/src/heap.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..910a0a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/heap.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+// src/heap.rs
+//! Provides the kernel heap.
+
+use core::arch::asm;
+
+use linked_list_allocator::LockedHeap;
+
+use crate::println;
+
+#[global_allocator]
+static ALLOCATOR: LockedHeap = LockedHeap::empty();
+
+/// Initialise the kernel heap.
+/// # Safety
+/// Must be called at most once.
+pub unsafe fn init() {
+    let heap_bottom;
+    let heap_size;
+    // UNSAFE: This is fine, just loading some constants.
+    unsafe {
+        // using inline assembly is easier to access linker constants
+        asm!(
+            "la {heap_bottom}, _kernel_heap_bottom",
+            "la {heap_size}, _kernel_heap_size",
+            heap_bottom = out(reg) heap_bottom,
+            heap_size = out(reg) heap_size,
+            options(nomem)
+        )
+    };
+    println!(
+        "Initialising kernel heap (bottom: {:#x}, size: {:#x})",
+        heap_bottom as usize, heap_size
+    );
+    // UNSAFE: Fine to call at most once.
+    unsafe { ALLOCATOR.lock().init(heap_bottom, heap_size) };
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 24f9197..46646d2 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+// src/main.rs
 #![no_std]
 #![no_main]
 #![feature(naked_functions)]
 
 use core::panic::PanicInfo;
 
+mod heap;
 mod uart;
 
 #[naked]
@@ -43,6 +45,17 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn _start() -> ! {
 }
 
 extern "C" fn entry() -> ! {
+    // UNSAFE: Called exactly once, right here.
+    unsafe { heap::init() };
+
+    // Now we're free to use dynamic allocation!
+    {
+        extern crate alloc;
+        use alloc::boxed::Box;
+        let _my_heap_pointer = Box::new(10);
+        // _my_heap_pointer lives on the heap!
+    }
+
     println!("This should not print because the console is not initialised.");
     unsafe { uart::init_console(0x1000_0000) };
     println!("Hello, world!");
@@ -59,3 +72,5 @@ extern "C" fn entry() -> ! {
 fn on_panic(_info: &PanicInfo) -> ! {
     loop {}
 }
+
+// TODO unit testing
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/script.ld b/src/script.ld
index c4444a1..3aad866 100644
--- a/src/script.ld
+++ b/src/script.ld
@@ -39,4 +39,8 @@ SECTIONS {
 
   . = ALIGN(16); # our stack needs to be 16-byte aligned, per the C calling convention
   PROVIDE(_init_stack_top = . + 0x1000); # reserve 0x1000 bytes for the initialisation stack
+
+  PROVIDE(_kernel_heap_bottom = _init_stack_top); # allocate heap to remaining physical memory
+  PROVIDE(_kernel_heap_top = ORIGIN(ram) + LENGTH(ram)); # top of heap is end of ram
+  PROVIDE(_kernel_heap_size = _kernel_heap_top - _kernel_heap_bottom); # capture size of heap
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/uart.rs b/src/uart.rs
index f54e272..4a1e766 100644
--- a/src/uart.rs
+++ b/src/uart.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+// src/uart.rs
 //! This module provides access to the UART console.
 
 use spinning_top::Spinlock;