diff --git a/src/core/core.cpp b/src/core/core.cpp
index 4f7a5e908..d5445b438 100644
--- a/src/core/core.cpp
+++ b/src/core/core.cpp
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ System::ResultStatus System::Init(EmuWindow& emu_window, u32 system_mode) {
     archive_manager = std::make_unique<Service::FS::ArchiveManager>();
 
     HW::Init();
-    Kernel::Init(system_mode);
+    kernel = std::make_unique<Kernel::KernelSystem>(system_mode);
     Service::Init(*this, service_manager);
     GDBStub::Init();
 
@@ -230,6 +230,14 @@ const Service::FS::ArchiveManager& System::ArchiveManager() const {
     return *archive_manager;
 }
 
+Kernel::KernelSystem& System::Kernel() {
+    return *kernel;
+}
+
+const Kernel::KernelSystem& System::Kernel() const {
+    return *kernel;
+}
+
 void System::RegisterSoftwareKeyboard(std::shared_ptr<Frontend::SoftwareKeyboard> swkbd) {
     registered_swkbd = std::move(swkbd);
 }
@@ -248,7 +256,7 @@ void System::Shutdown() {
     GDBStub::Shutdown();
     VideoCore::Shutdown();
     Service::Shutdown();
-    Kernel::Shutdown();
+    kernel.reset();
     HW::Shutdown();
     telemetry_session.reset();
 #ifdef ENABLE_SCRIPTING
diff --git a/src/core/core.h b/src/core/core.h
index cecd29896..9341f79a4 100644
--- a/src/core/core.h
+++ b/src/core/core.h
@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ class ArchiveManager;
 }
 } // namespace Service
 
+namespace Kernel {
+class KernelSystem;
+}
+
 namespace Core {
 
 class System {
@@ -167,6 +171,12 @@ public:
     /// Gets a const reference to the archive manager
     const Service::FS::ArchiveManager& ArchiveManager() const;
 
+    /// Gets a reference to the kernel
+    Kernel::KernelSystem& Kernel();
+
+    /// Gets a const reference to the kernel
+    const Kernel::KernelSystem& Kernel() const;
+
     PerfStats perf_stats;
     FrameLimiter frame_limiter;
 
@@ -241,6 +251,8 @@ private:
 
     std::unique_ptr<Service::FS::ArchiveManager> archive_manager;
 
+    std::unique_ptr<Kernel::KernelSystem> kernel;
+
     static System s_instance;
 
     ResultStatus status = ResultStatus::Success;
diff --git a/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.cpp b/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.cpp
index d494914e3..7991f77cf 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.cpp
+++ b/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ namespace Kernel {
 std::atomic<u32> Object::next_object_id{0};
 
 /// Initialize the kernel
-void Init(u32 system_mode) {
+KernelSystem::KernelSystem(u32 system_mode) {
     ConfigMem::Init();
 
     Kernel::MemoryInit(system_mode);
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ void Init(u32 system_mode) {
 }
 
 /// Shutdown the kernel
-void Shutdown() {
+KernelSystem::~KernelSystem() {
     g_handle_table.Clear(); // Free all kernel objects
 
     Kernel::ThreadingShutdown();
diff --git a/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.h b/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.h
index 2bc45d7db..c19cdc92d 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.h
+++ b/src/core/hle/kernel/kernel.h
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 
 namespace Kernel {
 
-/// Initialize the kernel with the specified system mode.
-void Init(u32 system_mode);
-
-/// Shutdown the kernel
-void Shutdown();
+class KernelSystem {
+public:
+    explicit KernelSystem(u32 system_mode);
+    ~KernelSystem();
+};
 
 } // namespace Kernel