diff --git a/cmd/utils/cmd.go b/cmd/utils/cmd.go
index a0d60a583d..7d299026b3 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/cmd.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/node"
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ func StartNode(stack *node.Node) {
 			}
 		}
 		glog.V(logger.Error).Infof("Force quitting: this might not end so well.")
-		panic("boom")
+		debug.LoudPanic("boom")
 	}()
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/debug/flags.go b/internal/debug/flags.go
index 22e524cd6e..76f32561ad 100644
--- a/internal/debug/flags.go
+++ b/internal/debug/flags.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ var (
 	memprofilerateFlag = cli.IntFlag{
 		Name:  "memprofilerate",
 		Usage: "Turn on memory profiling with the given rate",
+		Value: runtime.MemProfileRate,
 	}
 	blockprofilerateFlag = cli.IntFlag{
 		Name:  "blockprofilerate",
diff --git a/internal/debug/loudpanic.go b/internal/debug/loudpanic.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..572ebcefa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/debug/loudpanic.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Copyright 2016 The go-ethereum Authors
+// This file is part of the go-ethereum library.
+//
+// The go-ethereum library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// The go-ethereum library 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 Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// along with the go-ethereum library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+// +build go1.6
+
+package debug
+
+import "runtime/debug"
+
+// LoudPanic panics in a way that gets all goroutine stacks printed on stderr.
+func LoudPanic(x interface{}) {
+	debug.SetTraceback("all")
+	panic(x)
+}
diff --git a/internal/debug/loudpanic_fallback.go b/internal/debug/loudpanic_fallback.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4ce4985da7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/debug/loudpanic_fallback.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Copyright 2016 The go-ethereum Authors
+// This file is part of the go-ethereum library.
+//
+// The go-ethereum library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// The go-ethereum library 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 Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+// along with the go-ethereum library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+// +build !go1.6
+
+package debug
+
+// LoudPanic panics in a way that gets all goroutine stacks printed on stderr.
+func LoudPanic(x interface{}) {
+	panic(x)
+}