diff --git a/basis/io/backend/unix/unix.factor b/basis/io/backend/unix/unix.factor
index 37dc40bcca..8c01479574 100755
--- a/basis/io/backend/unix/unix.factor
+++ b/basis/io/backend/unix/unix.factor
@@ -187,12 +187,23 @@ M: stdin cancel-operation
         size-read-fd <fd> init-fd <input-port> >>size
         data-read-fd <fd> >>data ;
 
+SYMBOL: dispatch-signal-hook
+
+dispatch-signal-hook [ [ drop ] ] initialize
+
 : signal-pipe-fd ( -- n )
     OBJ-SIGNAL-PIPE special-object ; inline
 
+: signal-pipe-loop ( port -- )
+    '[
+        int heap-size _ io:stream-read
+        dup [ int deref dispatch-signal-hook get call( x -- ) ] when*
+    ] loop ;
+
 : start-signal-pipe-thread ( -- )
-    signal-pipe-fd [ <fd> init-fd <input-port>
-        '[ [ 4 _ io:stream-read ] loop ] "Signals" spawn drop
+    signal-pipe-fd [
+        <fd> init-fd <input-port>
+        '[ _ signal-pipe-loop ] "Signals" spawn drop
     ] when* ;
 
 M: unix init-stdio
diff --git a/basis/unix/ffi/ffi.factor b/basis/unix/ffi/ffi.factor
index 6798bb1307..721efc921b 100644
--- a/basis/unix/ffi/ffi.factor
+++ b/basis/unix/ffi/ffi.factor
@@ -168,4 +168,7 @@ FUNCTION: int unlink ( c-string path ) ;
 FUNCTION: int utimes ( c-string path, timeval[2] times ) ;
 FUNCTION: ssize_t write ( int fd, void* buf, size_t nbytes ) ;
 
+FUNCTION: int kill ( pid_t pid, int signal ) ;
+FUNCTION: int raise ( int signal ) ;
+
 "librt" "librt.so" cdecl add-library
diff --git a/basis/unix/signals/signals-tests.factor b/basis/unix/signals/signals-tests.factor
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b57e4994f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/basis/unix/signals/signals-tests.factor
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+USING: calendar continuations io kernel math namespaces threads
+tools.test unix.ffi unix.signals ;
+IN: unix.signals.tests
+
+SYMBOL: sigusr1-count
+0 sigusr1-count set-global
+
+CONSTANT: test-sigusr1-handler [ 1 sigusr1-count +@ ]
+
+"=========" print
+"NOTE: This test uses SIGUSR1. It may break or cause unwanted behavior" print
+"if other SIGUSR1 handlers are installed." print
+"=========" print flush
+
+test-sigusr1-handler SIGUSR1 add-signal-handler
+[
+
+    [ 1 ] [
+        sigusr1-count get-global
+        SIGUSR1 raise drop
+        0.5 seconds sleep
+        sigusr1-count get-global
+        swap -
+    ] unit-test
+
+] [ test-sigusr1-handler SIGUSR1 remove-signal-handler ] [ ] cleanup
+
+[ 0 ] [
+    sigusr1-count get-global
+    SIGUSR1 raise drop
+    0.5 seconds sleep
+    sigusr1-count get-global swap -
+] unit-test
+
diff --git a/basis/unix/signals/signals.factor b/basis/unix/signals/signals.factor
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76e392a32e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/basis/unix/signals/signals.factor
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+! (c)2011 Joe Groff bsd license
+USING: assocs io.backend.unix kernel namespaces sequences
+threads ;
+IN: unix.signals
+
+<PRIVATE
+
+SYMBOL: signal-handlers
+
+signal-handlers [ H{ } ] initialize
+
+PRIVATE>
+
+: dispatch-signal ( sig -- )
+    signal-handlers get-global at [ in-thread ] each ;
+
+: add-signal-handler ( handler: ( -- ) sig -- )
+    signal-handlers get-global push-at ;
+
+: remove-signal-handler ( handler sig -- )
+    signal-handlers get-global at [ remove! drop ] [ drop ] if* ;
+
+[ dispatch-signal ] dispatch-signal-hook set-global
diff --git a/vm/os-unix.cpp b/vm/os-unix.cpp
index f953751799..d5b4ea90a4 100755
--- a/vm/os-unix.cpp
+++ b/vm/os-unix.cpp
@@ -318,6 +318,12 @@ void factor_vm::unix_init_signals()
 
 	init_sigaction_with_handler(&enqueue_sigaction, enqueue_signal_handler);
 	sigaction_safe(SIGWINCH,&enqueue_sigaction,NULL);
+	sigaction_safe(SIGUSR1,&enqueue_sigaction,NULL);
+	sigaction_safe(SIGCONT,&enqueue_sigaction,NULL);
+	sigaction_safe(SIGURG,&enqueue_sigaction,NULL);
+	sigaction_safe(SIGIO,&enqueue_sigaction,NULL);
+	sigaction_safe(SIGPROF,&enqueue_sigaction,NULL);
+	sigaction_safe(SIGVTALRM,&enqueue_sigaction,NULL);
 #ifdef SIGINFO
 	sigaction_safe(SIGINFO,&enqueue_sigaction,NULL);
 #endif