diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/emudbg.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/emudbg.p8
index fe26f3e29..c8b55e625 100644
--- a/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/emudbg.p8
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/cx16/emudbg.p8
@@ -24,39 +24,34 @@ emudbg {
 
     sub is_emulator() -> bool {
         ; Test for emulator presence.
-        ; It is recommended to only use the other debug routines if this returns true.
+        ; It is recommended to only use the debug registers if this returns true.
         return EMU_EMU_DETECT1=='1' and EMU_EMU_DETECT2=='6'
     }
 
-    asmsub console_write(str isoString @R0) clobbers(Y) {
+    sub console_write(str isoString) {
         ; note: make sure the text is in Iso encoding.
-        %asm {{
-            ldy  #0
--           lda  (cx16.r0),y
-            beq  +
-            sta  p8_EMU_CPUCLK_U
-            iny
-            bne  -
-+
-        }}
+        if is_emulator() {
+            cx16.r1 = isoString
+            while @(cx16.r1) {
+                EMU_CPUCLK_U = @(cx16.r1)
+                cx16.r1++
+            }
+        }
     }
 
-    asmsub console_chrout(ubyte char @A) {
+    sub console_chrout(ubyte char) {
         ; note: make sure the character is in Iso encoding.
-        %asm {{
-            sta  p8_EMU_CPUCLK_U
-        }}
+        if is_emulator()
+            EMU_CPUCLK_U = char
     }
 
-    asmsub console_value1(ubyte value @A) {
-        %asm {{
-            sta  p8_EMU_CPUCLK_M
-        }}
+    sub console_value1(ubyte value) {
+        if is_emulator()
+            EMU_CPUCLK_M = value
     }
 
-    asmsub console_value2(ubyte value @A) {
-        %asm {{
-            sta  p8_EMU_CPUCLK_H
-        }}
+    sub console_value2(ubyte value) {
+        if is_emulator()
+            EMU_CPUCLK_H = value
     }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/res/prog8lib/virtual/emudbg.p8 b/compiler/res/prog8lib/virtual/emudbg.p8
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e98cc7603
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/res/prog8lib/virtual/emudbg.p8
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+; Emulator debug interface. (reflecting the Commander X16 emudbg library module)
+; Docs: https://github.com/X16Community/x16-emulator#emulator-io-registers
+
+%import textio
+
+emudbg {
+
+    sub is_emulator() -> bool {
+        ; Test for emulator presence.
+        return true  ; VM is always 'emulator'
+    }
+
+    sub console_write(str message) {
+        txt.print("[EMUDBG: ")
+        txt.print(message)
+        txt.chrout(']')
+    }
+
+    sub console_chrout(ubyte char) {
+        txt.chrout(char)
+    }
+
+    sub console_value1(ubyte value) {
+        txt.print("[EMUDBG debug 1: ")
+        txt.print_uwhex(value, true)
+        txt.print("]\n")
+    }
+
+    sub console_value2(ubyte value) {
+        txt.print("[EMUDBG debug 2: ")
+        txt.print_uwhex(value, true)
+        txt.print("]\n")
+    }
+}
diff --git a/examples/test.p8 b/examples/test.p8
index 80a127da5..9803acd92 100644
--- a/examples/test.p8
+++ b/examples/test.p8
@@ -1,12 +1,21 @@
 %zeropage basicsafe
 %import textio
+%import emudbg
 
 main {
     sub start() {
-        str name="irmen"
-        if name=="." {
-            cx16.r0++
-        }
+        txt.print("is emulator? ")
+        txt.print_ub(emudbg.is_emulator())
         txt.nl()
+
+        emudbg.console_write(iso:"Hello from emulator.\n")
+        emudbg.console_chrout(iso:'1')
+        emudbg.console_chrout(iso:'2')
+        emudbg.console_chrout(iso:'3')
+        emudbg.console_chrout(iso:'\n')
+        emudbg.console_value1(123)
+        emudbg.console_chrout(iso:'\n')
+        emudbg.console_value2(42)
+        emudbg.console_chrout(iso:'\n')
     }
 }