diff --git a/README b/README
index e87846bf7d..9d9484f79f 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -39,3 +39,18 @@ Build Options
 	When reporting a panic, change to a completely new stack. This might
 	help get a useful trace out a situation where the stack or stack
 	pointer has been corrupted.
+
+- CONFIG_PANIC_HELP
+
+	Report extra information about a panic, such as the fault address,
+	here shown as bfar. This shows the reason for the fault and may help
+	to determine the cause.
+
+	=== EXCEPTION: 03 ====== xPSR: 01000000 ===========
+	r0 :0000000b r1 :00000047 r2 :60000000 r3 :200013dd
+	r4 :00000000 r5 :080053f4 r6 :200013d0 r7 :00000002
+	r8 :00000000 r9 :200013de r10:00000000 r11:00000000
+	r12:00000000 sp :200009a0 lr :08002b85 pc :08003a8a
+	Precise data bus error, Forced hard fault, Vector catch, bfar = 60000000
+	mmfs = 00008200, shcsr = 00000000, hfsr = 40000000, dfsr = 00000008
+
diff --git a/core/cortex-m/cpu.h b/core/cortex-m/cpu.h
index 7e032164a7..2e75d6c1c5 100644
--- a/core/cortex-m/cpu.h
+++ b/core/cortex-m/cpu.h
@@ -23,4 +23,24 @@
 
 #define CPU_SCB_SYSCTRL        CPUREG(0xe000ed10)
 
+#define CPU_NVIC_CCR           CPUREG(0xe000ed14)
+#define CPU_NVIC_SHCSR         CPUREG(0xe000ed24)
+#define CPU_NVIC_MMFS          CPUREG(0xe000ed28)
+#define CPU_NVIC_HFSR          CPUREG(0xe000ed2c)
+#define CPU_NVIC_DFSR          CPUREG(0xe000ed30)
+#define CPU_NVIC_MFAR          CPUREG(0xe000ed34)
+#define CPU_NVIC_BFAR          CPUREG(0xe000ed38)
+
+enum {
+	CPU_NVIC_MMFS_BFARVALID		= 1 << 15,
+	CPU_NVIC_MMFS_MFARVALID		= 1 << 7,
+
+	CPU_NVIC_CCR_DIV_0_TRAP		= 1 << 4,
+	CPU_NVIC_CCR_UNALIGN_TRAP	= 1 << 3,
+
+	CPU_NVIC_HFSR_DEBUGEVT		= 1UL << 31,
+	CPU_NVIC_HFSR_FORCED		= 1 << 30,
+	CPU_NVIC_HFSR_VECTTBL		= 1 << 1,
+};
+
 #endif /* __CPU_H */
diff --git a/core/cortex-m/panic.c b/core/cortex-m/panic.c
index 8e022857ef..d249974b06 100644
--- a/core/cortex-m/panic.c
+++ b/core/cortex-m/panic.c
@@ -150,6 +150,141 @@ static void print_reg(int regnum, uint32_t *regs, int index)
 	panic_putc((regnum & 3) == 3 ? '\n' : ' ');
 }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_PANIC_HELP
+/* Names for each of the bits in the mmfs register, starting at bit 0 */
+static const char * const mmfs_name[32] = {
+	"Instruction access violation",
+	"Data access violation",
+	NULL,
+	"Unstack from exception violation",
+	"Stack from exception violation",
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+
+	"Instruction bus error",
+	"Precise data bus error",
+	"Imprecise data bus error",
+	"Unstack from exception bus fault",
+	"Stack from exception bus fault",
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+
+	"Undefined instructions",
+	"Invalid state",
+	"Invalid PC",
+	"No coprocessor",
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+
+	"Unaligned",
+	"Divide by 0",
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+	NULL,
+};
+
+
+/* Names for the first 5 bits in the DFSR */
+static const char * const dfsr_name[] = {
+	"Halt request",
+	"Breakpoint",
+	"Data watchpoint/trace",
+	"Vector catch",
+	"External debug request",
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * Helper function to display a separator after the previous item
+ *
+ * If items have been displayed already, we display a comma separator.
+ * In any case, the count of items displayed is incremeneted.
+ *
+ * @param count		Number of items displayed so far (0 for none)
+ */
+static void do_separate(int *count)
+{
+	if (*count)
+		panic_puts(", ");
+	(*count)++;
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Show a textual representaton of the fault registers
+ *
+ * A list of detected faults is shown, with no trailing newline.
+ *
+ * @param mmfs		Value of Memory Manage Fault Status
+ * @param hfsr		Value of Hard Fault Status
+ * @param dfsr		Value of Debug Fault Status
+ */
+static void show_fault(uint32_t mmfs, uint32_t hfsr, uint32_t dfsr)
+{
+	unsigned int upto;
+	int count = 0;
+
+	for (upto = 0; upto < 32; upto++) {
+		if ((mmfs & (1 << upto)) && mmfs_name[upto]) {
+			do_separate(&count);
+			panic_puts(mmfs_name[upto]);
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (hfsr & CPU_NVIC_HFSR_DEBUGEVT) {
+		do_separate(&count);
+		panic_puts("Debug event");
+	}
+	if (hfsr & CPU_NVIC_HFSR_FORCED) {
+		do_separate(&count);
+		panic_puts("Forced hard fault");
+	}
+	if (hfsr & CPU_NVIC_HFSR_VECTTBL) {
+		do_separate(&count);
+		panic_puts("Vector table bus fault");
+	}
+
+	for (upto = 0; upto < 5; upto++) {
+		if ((dfsr & (1 << upto))) {
+			do_separate(&count);
+			panic_puts(dfsr_name[upto]);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Show extra information that might be useful to understand a panic()
+ *
+ * We show fault register information, including the fault address registers
+ * if valid.
+ */
+static void panic_show_extra(void)
+{
+	uint32_t mmfs;
+
+	mmfs = CPU_NVIC_MMFS;
+	show_fault(mmfs, CPU_NVIC_HFSR, CPU_NVIC_DFSR);
+	if (mmfs & CPU_NVIC_MMFS_BFARVALID)
+		panic_printf(", bfar = %x", CPU_NVIC_BFAR);
+	if (mmfs & CPU_NVIC_MMFS_MFARVALID)
+		panic_printf(", mfar = %x", CPU_NVIC_MFAR);
+	panic_putc('\n');
+	panic_printf("mmfs = %x, ", mmfs);
+	panic_printf("shcsr = %x, ", CPU_NVIC_SHCSR);
+	panic_printf("hfsr = %x, ", CPU_NVIC_HFSR);
+	panic_printf("dfsr = %x", CPU_NVIC_DFSR);
+}
+#endif /* CONFIG_PANIC_HELP */
+
 
 /**
  * Display a message and reboot
@@ -186,6 +321,9 @@ void report_panic(const char *msg, uint32_t *lregs)
 		print_reg(13, &psp, 0);
 		print_reg(14, sregs, 5);
 		print_reg(15, sregs, 6);
+#ifdef CONFIG_PANIC_HELP
+		panic_show_extra();
+#endif
 	}
 
 	panic_reboot();