--- /n/sources/plan9/sys/src/9k/port/page.c	Mon Jun 22 18:18:15 2026
+++ /sys/src/9k/port/page.c	Sun Oct 25 00:00:00 2026
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@
 static void
 pagewait(uintptr va, int color)
 {
+	static uint killticks;
+
 	qlock(&palloc.pwait);	/* Hold memory requesters here */
 
 	while(waserror())	/* Ignore interrupts */
@@ -331,6 +333,12 @@
 	pagereclaim(highwater/2);
 
 	tsleep(&palloc.r, ispages, 0, 1000);
+	if(!ispages(nil) && sys->ticks - killticks >= ms2tk(5000)){
+		killbig("out of memory");
+		freebroken();
+		wakebig();
+		killticks = sys->ticks;
+	}
 	poperror();
 
 	qunlock(&palloc.pwait);
--- /n/sources/plan9/sys/src/9k/port/portfns.h	Sun Jun 28 00:00:00 2026
+++ /sys/src/9k/port/portfns.h	Sun Oct 25 00:00:00 2026
@@ -349,6 +349,7 @@
 char*		validnamedup(char*, int);
 void		validstat(uchar*, usize);
 void*		vmemchr(void*, int, int);
+void		wakebig(void);
 Proc*		wakeup(Rendez*);
 int		walk(Chan**, char**, int, int, int*);
 void		wlock(RWlock*);
--- /n/sources/plan9/sys/src/9k/port/proc.c	Fri Aug  7 00:00:00 2026
+++ /sys/src/9k/port/proc.c	Sun Oct 25 00:00:00 2026
@@ -1503,6 +1503,25 @@
 	psdecref(kp);
 }
 
+/*
+ *  wake the processes killbig marked, so that those
+ *  asleep in the kernel exit too
+ */
+void
+wakebig(void)
+{
+	int x;
+	Proc *p;
+
+	for(x = 0; (p = psincref(x)) != nil; x++) {
+		if(p->state != Dead && p->procctl == Proc_exitbig && canqlock(&p->debug)){
+			postnote(p, 0, "sys: killed", NExit);
+			qunlock(&p->debug);
+		}
+		psdecref(p);
+	}
+}
+
 /*
  *  change ownership to 'new' of all processes owned by 'old'.  Used when
  *  eve changes.