diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/Makemodule.am b/ruamoko/qwaq/Makemodule.am
index f43748910..d776820df 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/Makemodule.am
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/Makemodule.am
@@ -113,10 +113,13 @@ qwaq_x11_libs= \
 	$(top_builddir)/libs/models/libQFmodels.la \
 	$(top_builddir)/libs/video/targets/libQFx11.la \
 	$(qwaq_client_libs)
-ruamoko_qwaq_qwaq_x11_SOURCES=ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq.c ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq-bi.c
+ruamoko_qwaq_qwaq_x11_SOURCES= \
+	ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/main.c \
+	ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq-graphics.c \
+	ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/graphics.c
 ruamoko_qwaq_qwaq_x11_LDADD= $(qwaq_x11_libs) $(QWAQ_LIBS) \
 			$(VIDMODE_LIBS) $(DGA_LIBS) ${XFIXES_LIBS} $(XI2_LIBS) $(X_LIBS) \
-			-lX11 $(X_EXTRA_LIBS) $(X_SHM_LIB) $(DL_LIBS)
+			-lX11 $(X_EXTRA_LIBS) $(X_SHM_LIB) $(PTHREAD_LDFLAGS) $(DL_LIBS)
 ruamoko_qwaq_qwaq_x11_LDFLAGS=
 ruamoko_qwaq_qwaq_x11_DEPENDENCIES= $(qwaq_x11_libs) $(QWAQ_DEPS)
 
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq-bi.c b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/graphics.c
similarity index 90%
rename from ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq-bi.c
rename to ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/graphics.c
index f00f1eaa8..57d9c76ee 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq-bi.c
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/graphics.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
-	qwaq-bi.c
+	graphics.c
 
 	Basic game engine builtins
 
@@ -80,21 +80,6 @@ quit_f (void)
 	Sys_Quit ();
 }
 
-static void
-bi_printf (progs_t *pr)
-{
-	const char *fmt = P_GSTRING (pr, 0);
-	int         count = pr->pr_argc - 1;
-	pr_type_t **args = pr->pr_params + 1;
-	dstring_t  *dstr = dstring_new ();
-
-	PR_Sprintf (pr, dstr, "bi_printf", fmt, count, args);
-	if (dstr->str) {
-		Con_Printf ("%s", dstr->str);
-	}
-	dstring_delete (dstr);
-}
-
 static progs_t *bi_rprogs;
 static func_t qc2d;
 
@@ -138,7 +123,6 @@ bi_shutdown_ (progs_t *pr)
 }
 
 static builtin_t builtins[] = {
-	{"printf",		bi_printf,		-1},
 	{"refresh",		bi_refresh,		-1},
 	{"refresh_2d",	bi_refresh_2d,	-1},
 	{"shutdown",	bi_shutdown_,	-1},
@@ -151,9 +135,11 @@ bi_shutdown (void *data)
 }
 
 void
-BI_Init (memhunk_t *hunk, progs_t *pr)
+BI_Graphics_Init (progs_t *pr)
 {
 	byte       *basepal, *colormap;
+	size_t      memsize = 8 * 1024 * 1024;
+	memhunk_t  *hunk = Memory_Init (Sys_Alloc (memsize), memsize);
 
 	PR_RegisterBuiltins (pr, builtins);
 
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq-graphics.c b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq-graphics.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9cb56b15e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq-graphics.c
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/*
+	qwaq-graphics.c
+
+	Qwaq graphics initialization
+
+	Copyright (C) 2021 Bill Currie
+
+	Author: Bill Currie <bill@taniwha.org>
+	Date: 2021/12/20
+
+	This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+	modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+	as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+	of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+	This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+	but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+	MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+
+	See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+	You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+	along with this program; if not, write to:
+
+		Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+		59 Temple Place - Suite 330
+		Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA
+
+*/
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+# include "config.h"
+#endif
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+//#include "QF/cbuf.h"
+//#include "QF/cmd.h"
+//#include "QF/cvar.h"
+//#include "QF/gib.h"
+//#include "QF/idparse.h"
+#include "QF/input.h"
+//#include "QF/keys.h"
+//#include "QF/progs.h"
+//#include "QF/qargs.h"
+//#include "QF/quakefs.h"
+//#include "QF/ruamoko.h"
+//#include "QF/sys.h"
+//#include "QF/va.h"
+//#include "QF/zone.h"
+
+//#include "compat.h"
+
+#include "ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq.h"
+
+static progsinit_f main_app[] = {
+	BI_Graphics_Init,
+	0
+};
+#if 0// FIXME no multi-thread support yet
+static progsinit_f secondary_app[] = {
+	0
+};
+#endif
+static FILE *logfile;
+
+static __attribute__((format(PRINTF, 1, 0))) void
+qwaq_print (const char *fmt, va_list args)
+{
+	vfprintf (logfile, fmt, args);
+	fflush (logfile);
+}
+
+int
+qwaq_init_threads (qwaq_thread_set_t *thread_data)
+{
+	int         main_ind = -1;
+
+	logfile = fopen ("qwaq-graphics.log", "wt");
+	Sys_SetStdPrintf (qwaq_print);
+
+	IN_Init_Cvars ();
+	//IN_Init ();
+
+	for (size_t i = 1, thread_ind = 0; i < thread_data->size; i++) {
+		qwaq_thread_t *thread = thread_data->a[i];
+		progsinit_f *app_funcs = 0;//secondary_app;
+
+		if (thread->args.size && thread->args.a[0]
+			&& strcmp (thread->args.a[0], "--qargs")) {
+			// skip the args set that's passed to qargs
+			continue;
+		}
+		if (thread_ind < thread_data->a[0]->args.size) {
+			thread->args.a[0] = thread_data->a[0]->args.a[thread_ind++];
+		} else {
+			printf ("ignoring extra arg sets\n");
+			break;
+		}
+		if (main_ind < 0) {
+			main_ind = i;
+			app_funcs = main_app;
+		}
+		thread->progsinit = app_funcs;
+	}
+	return main_ind;
+}
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq.c b/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 47cd5b588..000000000
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/builtins/qwaq.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,197 +0,0 @@
-/*
-	qwaq.c
-
-	Qwaq
-
-	Copyright (C) 2001 Bill Currie <bill@taniwha.org>
-
-	Author: Bill Currie <bill@taniwha.org>
-	Date: 2001/6/1
-
-	This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
-	modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
-	as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
-	of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
-
-	This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-	but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-	MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
-
-	See the GNU General Public License for more details.
-
-	You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-	along with this program; if not, write to:
-
-		Free Software Foundation, Inc.
-		59 Temple Place - Suite 330
-		Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA
-
-*/
-#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
-# include "config.h"
-#endif
-
-#include <stdlib.h>
-
-#include "QF/cbuf.h"
-#include "QF/cmd.h"
-#include "QF/cvar.h"
-#include "QF/gib.h"
-#include "QF/idparse.h"
-#include "QF/progs.h"
-#include "QF/qargs.h"
-#include "QF/quakefs.h"
-#include "QF/ruamoko.h"
-#include "QF/sys.h"
-#include "QF/va.h"
-#include "QF/zone.h"
-
-#include "ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq.h"
-
-#define MAX_EDICTS 1024
-
-static edict_t *edicts;
-static int num_edicts;
-static int reserved_edicts;
-static progs_t pr;
-
-cbuf_t *qwaq_cbuf;
-
-static QFile *
-open_file (const char *path, int *len)
-{
-	QFile      *file = Qopen (path, "rbz");
-
-	if (!file) {
-		perror (path);
-		return 0;
-	}
-	*len = Qfilesize (file);
-	return file;
-}
-
-static void *
-load_file (progs_t *pr, const char *name, off_t *_size)
-{
-	QFile      *file;
-	int         size;
-	char       *sym;
-
-	file = open_file (name, &size);
-	if (!file) {
-		file = open_file (va (0, "%s.gz", name), &size);
-		if (!file) {
-			return 0;
-		}
-	}
-	sym = malloc (size + 1);
-	sym[size] = 0;
-	Qread (file, sym, size);
-	*_size = size;
-	return sym;
-}
-
-static void *
-allocate_progs_mem (progs_t *pr, int size)
-{
-	return malloc (size);
-}
-
-static void
-free_progs_mem (progs_t *pr, void *mem)
-{
-	free (mem);
-}
-
-static void
-init_qf (void)
-{
-	qwaq_cbuf = Cbuf_New (&id_interp);
-
-	Sys_Init ();
-	GIB_Init (true);
-	COM_ParseConfig (qwaq_cbuf);
-
-	//Cvar_Set (developer, "1");
-
-	size_t      memsize = 8 * 1024 * 1024;
-	memhunk_t  *hunk = Memory_Init (Sys_Alloc (memsize), memsize);
-
-	Cvar_Get ("pr_debug", "2", 0, 0, 0);
-	Cvar_Get ("pr_boundscheck", "0", 0, 0, 0);
-
-	pr.pr_edicts = &edicts;
-	pr.num_edicts = &num_edicts;
-	pr.reserved_edicts = &reserved_edicts;
-	pr.load_file = load_file;
-	pr.allocate_progs_mem = allocate_progs_mem;
-	pr.free_progs_mem = free_progs_mem;
-	pr.no_exec_limit = 1;
-
-	PR_Init_Cvars ();
-	PR_Init (&pr);
-	RUA_Init (&pr, 0);
-	PR_Cmds_Init (&pr);
-	BI_Init (hunk, &pr);
-}
-
-static int
-load_progs (const char *name)
-{
-	QFile      *file;
-	int         size;
-
-	file = open_file (name, &size);
-	if (!file) {
-		return 0;
-	}
-	pr.progs_name = name;
-	pr.max_edicts = 1;
-	pr.zone_size = 1024*1024;
-	PR_LoadProgsFile (&pr, file, size);
-	Qclose (file);
-	if (!PR_RunLoadFuncs (&pr) || !PR_RunPostLoadFuncs (&pr))
-		PR_Error (&pr, "unable to load %s", pr.progs_name);
-	return 1;
-}
-
-int
-main (int argc, const char **argv)
-{
-	dfunction_t *dfunc;
-	func_t      main_func = 0;
-	const char *name = "qwaq.dat";
-	string_t   *pr_argv;
-	int         pr_argc = 1, i;
-
-	COM_InitArgv (argc, argv);
-	init_qf ();
-
-	if (argc > 1)
-		name = argv[1];
-
-	if (!load_progs (name))
-		Sys_Error ("couldn't load %s", name);
-
-	PR_PushFrame (&pr);
-	if (argc > 2)
-		pr_argc = argc - 1;
-	pr_argv = PR_Zone_Malloc (&pr, (pr_argc + 1) * 4);
-	pr_argv[0] = PR_SetTempString (&pr, name);
-	for (i = 1; i < pr_argc; i++)
-		pr_argv[i] = PR_SetTempString (&pr, argv[1 + i]);
-	pr_argv[i] = 0;
-
-	if ((dfunc = PR_FindFunction (&pr, ".main"))
-		|| (dfunc = PR_FindFunction (&pr, "main")))
-		main_func = dfunc - pr.pr_functions;
-	else
-		PR_Undefined (&pr, "function", "main");
-	PR_RESET_PARAMS (&pr);
-	P_INT (&pr, 0) = pr_argc;
-	P_POINTER (&pr, 1) = PR_SetPointer (&pr, pr_argv);
-	pr.pr_argc = 2;
-	PR_ExecuteProgram (&pr, main_func);
-	PR_PopFrame (&pr);
-	return R_INT (&pr);
-}
diff --git a/ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq.h b/ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq.h
index d580dada0..005704d86 100644
--- a/ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq.h
+++ b/ruamoko/qwaq/qwaq.h
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ typedef struct qwaq_thread_s {
 
 typedef struct qwaq_thread_set_s DARRAY_TYPE(qwaq_thread_t *) qwaq_thread_set_t;
 
-struct memhunk_s;
-void BI_Init (struct memhunk_s *hunk, progs_t *pr);
+void BI_Graphics_Init (progs_t *pr);
 void BI_Curses_Init (progs_t *pr);
 void BI_TermInput_Init (progs_t *pr);
 void QWAQ_EditBuffer_Init (progs_t *pr);