diff --git a/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/host/per_cpu_variables.rs b/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/host/per_cpu_variables.rs
index de1787df9..5911eb89a 100644
--- a/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/host/per_cpu_variables.rs
+++ b/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/host/per_cpu_variables.rs
@@ -261,6 +261,8 @@ pub struct PerCpuVariablesAsm {
     vtl_return_addr: Cell<usize>,
     /// Scratch pad
     scratch: Cell<usize>,
+    /// User-mode RFLAGS captured at `syscall` entry
+    user_rflags: Cell<usize>,
     /// Top address of VTL0 VtlState
     vtl0_state_top_addr: Cell<usize>,
     /// Current kernel stack pointer
@@ -358,6 +360,9 @@ impl PerCpuVariablesAsm {
     pub const fn scratch_offset() -> usize {
         offset_of!(PerCpuVariablesAsm, scratch)
     }
+    pub const fn user_rflags_offset() -> usize {
+        offset_of!(PerCpuVariablesAsm, user_rflags)
+    }
     pub const fn vtl0_state_top_addr_offset() -> usize {
         offset_of!(PerCpuVariablesAsm, vtl0_state_top_addr)
     }
diff --git a/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/lib.rs b/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/lib.rs
index ce933a727..80271ef06 100644
--- a/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/lib.rs
@@ -1765,6 +1765,7 @@ macro_rules! XRSTOR_VTL1_ASM {
 ///
 /// Prerequisite:
 /// - Store user `rsp` in `r11` before calling this macro.
+/// - Store user `rflags` in `gs:[user_rflags]` before calling this macro.
 /// - Store the userspace return address in `rcx` (`syscall` does this automatically).
 #[cfg(target_arch = "x86_64")]
 macro_rules! SAVE_SYSCALL_USER_CONTEXT_ASM {
@@ -1772,7 +1773,7 @@ macro_rules! SAVE_SYSCALL_USER_CONTEXT_ASM {
         "
         push 0x2b       // pt_regs->ss = __USER_DS
         push r11        // pt_regs->rsp
-        pushfq          // pt_regs->eflags
+        push qword ptr gs:[{user_rflags_off}] // pt_regs->eflags
         push 0x33       // pt_regs->cs = __USER_CS
         push rcx        // pt_regs->rip
         push rax        // pt_regs->orig_rax
@@ -1926,6 +1927,7 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn run_thread_arch(
         ".globl syscall_callback",
         "syscall_callback:",
         "swapgs",
+        "mov gs:[{user_rflags_off}], r11", // store user `rflags`.
         "mov r11, rsp", // store user `rsp` in `r11`
         "mov rsp, gs:[{user_context_top_off}]", // `rsp` points to the top address of user context area
         SAVE_SYSCALL_USER_CONTEXT_ASM!(),
@@ -1945,6 +1947,8 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn run_thread_arch(
         // - GS = user (swapgs has NOT happened yet)
         ".globl exception_callback",
         "exception_callback:",
+        "cld",
+        "clac",
         "swapgs",
         "mov gs:[{scratch_off}], rax", // Save `rax` to per-CPU scratch
         "mov al, [rsp]",
@@ -2038,6 +2042,7 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn run_thread_arch(
         vtl1_user_xsaved_off = const { PerCpuVariablesAsm::vtl1_user_xsaved_offset() },
         USER_CONTEXT_SIZE = const core::mem::size_of::<litebox_common_linux::PtRegs>(),
         scratch_off = const { PerCpuVariablesAsm::scratch_offset() },
+        user_rflags_off = const { PerCpuVariablesAsm::user_rflags_offset() },
         exception_trapno_off = const { PerCpuVariablesAsm::exception_trapno_offset() },
         is_in_user_off = const { PerCpuVariablesAsm::is_in_user_offset() },
         init_handler = sym init_handler,
diff --git a/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/syscall_entry.rs b/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/syscall_entry.rs
index 2b2fb0a0f..7adc88b63 100644
--- a/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/syscall_entry.rs
+++ b/litebox_platform_lvbs/src/syscall_entry.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,20 @@ pub(crate) fn init() {
     let syscall_entry_addr = syscall_entry_wrapper as *const () as u64;
     LStar::write(VirtAddr::new(syscall_entry_addr));
 
-    let rflags = RFlags::INTERRUPT_FLAG;
+    // Mask some important bits of the FLAGS register.
+    //
+    // - IF: to block interrupts during syscall handling
+    // - DF: to maintain the direction of some instructions like `movs`
+    // - AC: to maintain SMAP enforcement active
+    // - TF: to prevent kernel-mode single-stepping
+    // - NT and IOPL: Defense-in-depth. ring-3 should not be able to affect these bits.
+    let rflags = RFlags::INTERRUPT_FLAG
+        | RFlags::DIRECTION_FLAG
+        | RFlags::ALIGNMENT_CHECK
+        | RFlags::TRAP_FLAG
+        | RFlags::NESTED_TASK
+        | RFlags::IOPL_LOW
+        | RFlags::IOPL_HIGH;
     SFMask::write(rflags);
 
     // configure STAR MSR for CS/SS selectors
diff --git a/litebox_runner_snp/src/entry.S b/litebox_runner_snp/src/entry.S
index 937f1d098..8a2e79f6f 100644
--- a/litebox_runner_snp/src/entry.S
+++ b/litebox_runner_snp/src/entry.S
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ ignore_sysret:
 
     .org 0x120
 entry_SYSCALL_64:
+    cld
     swapgs
     mov     gs:0x0, rsp
     mov     rsp, gs:0x8