diff --git a/base-nova/include/nova/syscall-generic.h b/base-nova/include/nova/syscall-generic.h
index 8eefef099..82e69c1c0 100644
--- a/base-nova/include/nova/syscall-generic.h
+++ b/base-nova/include/nova/syscall-generic.h
@@ -217,9 +217,11 @@ namespace Nova {
 				return sel_hotspot << 12;
 			}
 
+			mword_t addr()  const { return base() << BASE_SHIFT; }
 			mword_t base()  const { return _query<BASE_MASK, BASE_SHIFT>(); }
 			mword_t order() const { return _query<ORDER_MASK, ORDER_SHIFT>(); }
 			bool is_null()  const { return (_value & TYPE_MASK) == NULL_CRD_TYPE; }
+			uint8_t type()  const { return _query<TYPE_MASK, TYPE_SHIFT>(); }
 	} __attribute__((packed));
 
 
diff --git a/base-nova/src/core/echo.cc b/base-nova/src/core/echo.cc
index 809b4d359..b76c62957 100644
--- a/base-nova/src/core/echo.cc
+++ b/base-nova/src/core/echo.cc
@@ -34,7 +34,26 @@ inline void *echo_stack_top()
 
 /**
  * IDC handler for the echo portal, executed by the echo EC
- */ static void echo_reply(){ Nova::reply(echo_stack_top()); }
+ */
+static void echo_reply()
+{
+	/* collect map information from calling thread, sent as 3 words */
+	Nova::Crd snd_rcv(echo()->utcb()->msg[0]);
+	Nova::mword_t offset = echo()->utcb()->msg[1];
+	bool kern_pd         = echo()->utcb()->msg[2];
+
+	/* reset message transfer descriptor */
+	echo()->utcb()->set_msg_word(0);
+	/* append capability-range as message-transfer item */
+	bool res = echo()->utcb()->append_item(snd_rcv, offset, kern_pd);
+
+	/* set return code, 0 means failure */
+	echo()->utcb()->msg[0] = res;
+	echo()->utcb()->items += 1;
+
+	/* during reply the mapping will be established */
+	Nova::reply(echo_stack_top());
+}
 
 
 Echo::Echo(Genode::addr_t utcb_addr)
@@ -56,6 +75,9 @@ Echo::Echo(Genode::addr_t utcb_addr)
 	/* set up echo portal to ourself */
 	res = create_pt(_pt_sel, pd_sel, _ec_sel, Mtd(0), (mword_t)echo_reply);
 	if (res) { ((void (*)())(res*0x10001UL))(); }
+
+	/* echo thread doesn't receive anything, it transfers items during reply */
+	utcb()->crd_rcv = utcb()->crd_xlt = 0;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/base-nova/src/core/include/nova_util.h b/base-nova/src/core/include/nova_util.h
index 4faee7f25..e7c72fd61 100644
--- a/base-nova/src/core/include/nova_util.h
+++ b/base-nova/src/core/include/nova_util.h
@@ -45,19 +45,28 @@ enum { verbose_local_map = false };
 static int map_local(Nova::Utcb *utcb, Nova::Crd src_crd, Nova::Crd dst_crd,
                      bool kern_pd = false)
 {
-	/* open receive window at the echo EC */
-	echo()->utcb()->crd_rcv = dst_crd;
+	/* open receive window at current EC */
+	utcb->crd_rcv = dst_crd;
 
-	/* reset message transfer descriptor */
-	utcb->set_msg_word(0);
+	/* tell echo thread what to map */
+	utcb->msg[0] = src_crd.value();
+	utcb->msg[1] = 0;
+	utcb->msg[2] = kern_pd;
+	utcb->set_msg_word(3);
 
-	/* append capability-range as message-transfer item */
-	utcb->append_item(src_crd, 0, kern_pd);
+	/* establish the mapping via a portal traversal during reply phase */
+	Nova::uint8_t res = Nova::call(echo()->pt_sel());
+	if (res != 0 || utcb->msg_words() != 1 || !utcb->msg[0]) {
+		PERR("Failure - map_local 0x%lx:%lu:%u->0x%lx:%lu:%u - call result=%x utcb=%x:%lx !!!",
+		     src_crd.addr(), src_crd.order(), src_crd.type(),
+		     dst_crd.addr(), dst_crd.order(), dst_crd.type(),
+		     res, utcb->msg_words(), utcb->msg[0]);
+		return res > 0 ? res : -1;
+	}
+	/* clear receive window */
+	utcb->crd_rcv = 0;
 
-	/* establish the mapping via a portal traversal */
-	if (echo()->pt_sel() == 0)
-		PWRN("call to pt 0");
-	return Nova::call(echo()->pt_sel());
+	return 0;
 }