diff --git a/rc/bin/cpurc b/rc/bin/cpurc
index 482b13259..61cc32e4a 100755
--- a/rc/bin/cpurc
+++ b/rc/bin/cpurc
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ for(i in m i P S t u '$')
 	bind -a '#'^$i /dev >/dev/null >[2=1]
 
 mount -qb /srv/cons /dev
-mount -qa /srv/usb /dev
+
+# usb listener
+nusbrc
 
 # mount points
 mntgen -s slashn && chmod 666 /srv/slashn
diff --git a/rc/bin/nusbrc b/rc/bin/nusbrc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..624ec527e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rc/bin/nusbrc
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/bin/rc
+
+if(! test -e '#σ/usb/usbevent')
+	exit
+if(! bind -a '#u' /dev)
+	exit
+
+@{
+	rfork ne
+	fn attach {
+		switch($4){
+		case *01
+			nusb/audio $1
+		case *02
+			# serial and ethernet
+			nusb/serial $1
+		case *03
+			# handled /sys/src/9/boot/nusbrc
+			# nusb/kb $1
+		case *08
+			# handled /sys/src/9/boot/nusbrc
+			# nusb/disk $1
+		}
+	}
+	fn detach {
+		# handled /sys/src/9/boot/nusbrc
+	}
+	rc < '#σ/usb/usbevent' &
+}
+
+bind -a '#σ/usb' /dev
diff --git a/rc/bin/termrc b/rc/bin/termrc
index 42d38508e..96430b033 100755
--- a/rc/bin/termrc
+++ b/rc/bin/termrc
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ for(i in S f k t m i v L P u U A '$' Σ κ)
 rm -f /env/i
 
 mount -qb /srv/cons /dev
-mount -qa /srv/usb /dev
+
+# usb listener
+nusbrc
 
 # set up any partitions
 diskparts