diff --git a/src/kernel/cpu.cpp b/src/kernel/cpu.cpp
index 05db372..003c03d 100644
--- a/src/kernel/cpu.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/cpu.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include "logger.h"
 #include "msr.h"
 #include "objects/thread.h"
-#include "scheduler.h"
 #include "syscall.h"
 #include "tss.h"
 
@@ -162,7 +161,6 @@ cpu_init(cpu_data *cpu, bool bsp)
 
     obj::thread *idle = obj::thread::create_idle_thread(
             g_kernel_process,
-            scheduler::max_priority,
             cpu->rsp0);
 
     cpu->thread = idle;
diff --git a/src/kernel/objects/thread.cpp b/src/kernel/objects/thread.cpp
index 6e8abdb..f83377a 100644
--- a/src/kernel/objects/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/objects/thread.cpp
@@ -171,9 +171,9 @@ thread::setup_kernel_stack()
 }
 
 thread *
-thread::create_idle_thread(process &kernel, uint8_t pri, uintptr_t rsp0)
+thread::create_idle_thread(process &kernel, uintptr_t rsp0)
 {
-    thread *idle = new thread(kernel, pri, rsp0);
+    thread *idle = new thread(kernel, scheduler::idle_priority, rsp0);
     idle->set_state(state::constant);
     idle->set_state(state::ready);
     return idle;
diff --git a/src/kernel/objects/thread.h b/src/kernel/objects/thread.h
index 813cb28..c99c7c2 100644
--- a/src/kernel/objects/thread.h
+++ b/src/kernel/objects/thread.h
@@ -168,9 +168,8 @@ public:
 
     /// Create the kernel idle thread
     /// \arg kernel The process object that owns kernel tasks
-    /// \arg pri    The idle thread priority value
     /// \arg rsp    The existing stack for the idle thread
-    static thread * create_idle_thread(process &kernel, uint8_t pri, uintptr_t rsp);
+    static thread * create_idle_thread(process &kernel, uintptr_t rsp);
 
 protected:
     /// Don't delete a thread on no handles, the scheduler takes
diff --git a/src/kernel/scheduler.cpp b/src/kernel/scheduler.cpp
index d52a77a..5eb4d15 100644
--- a/src/kernel/scheduler.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/scheduler.cpp
@@ -226,8 +226,8 @@ scheduler::steal_work(cpu_data &cpu)
 
         size_t stolen = 0;
 
-        // Don't steal from max_priority, that's the idle thread
-        for (unsigned pri = 0; pri < max_priority; ++pri)
+        // Steal from most urgent queues first, don't steal idle threads
+        for (unsigned pri = 0; pri < idle_priority; ++pri)
             stolen += balance_lists(my_queue.ready[pri], other_queue.ready[pri], cpu);
 
         stolen += balance_lists(my_queue.blocked, other_queue.blocked, cpu);
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ void
 scheduler::maybe_schedule(TCB *t)
 {
     cpu_data *cpu = t->cpu;
+    kassert(cpu, "thread with a null cpu");
 
     run_queue &queue = m_run_queues[cpu->index];
     uint8_t current_pri = queue.current->priority;
diff --git a/src/kernel/scheduler.h b/src/kernel/scheduler.h
index df07c07..d0db968 100644
--- a/src/kernel/scheduler.h
+++ b/src/kernel/scheduler.h
@@ -29,8 +29,11 @@ public:
     /// Total number of priority levels
     static const uint8_t num_priorities = 8;
 
+    /// Idle task priority, less urgent than anything
+    static const uint8_t idle_priority = num_priorities - 1;
+
     /// Maximum (least urgent/interactive) priority
-    static const uint8_t max_priority = num_priorities - 1;
+    static const uint8_t max_priority = idle_priority - 1;
 
     /// Default priority on process creation
     static const uint8_t default_priority = 1;