diff --git a/collects/racket/kernel.rkt b/collects/racket/kernel.rkt
index 824fa3d578..1fdd4f2d6c 100644
--- a/collects/racket/kernel.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/kernel.rkt
@@ -1,2 +1,5 @@
 (module kernel '#%kernel
-  (#%provide (all-from '#%kernel)))
+  (#%provide (all-from '#%kernel))
+
+  (module reader syntax/module-reader
+    #:language 'racket/kernel))
diff --git a/collects/racket/kernel/init.rkt b/collects/racket/kernel/init.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d81f185a02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/racket/kernel/init.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#lang racket/kernel
+(#%require "../private/top-int.rkt")
+
+(#%provide (all-from racket/kernel) 
+           #%top-interaction)
diff --git a/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt b/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
index 980b1633eb..c2573d5bb8 100644
--- a/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/private/pre-base.rkt
@@ -14,22 +14,11 @@
              "map.rkt" ; shadows #%kernel bindings
              "kernstruct.rkt"
              "norm-arity.rkt"
+             "top-int.rkt"
              '#%builtin  ; so it's attached
              (for-syntax "kw.rkt"
                          "norm-define.rkt"))
 
-  (define-syntaxes (#%top-interaction)
-    (lambda (stx)
-      (if (eq? 'top-level (syntax-local-context))
-          'ok
-          (raise-syntax-error
-           #f
-           "not at top level"
-           stx))
-      (if (symbol? (syntax-e stx))
-          (raise-syntax-error #f "bad syntax" stx)
-          (datum->syntax stx (cdr (syntax-e stx)) stx stx))))
-
   (define-values (new-apply-proc)
     (make-keyword-procedure
      (lambda (kws kw-args proc args . rest)
diff --git a/collects/racket/private/top-int.rkt b/collects/racket/private/top-int.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9ff170f5be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/racket/private/top-int.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+(module pre-base '#%kernel
+  (#%require (for-syntax '#%kernel))
+
+  (#%provide #%top-interaction)
+
+  (define-syntaxes (#%top-interaction)
+    (lambda (stx)
+      (if (eq? 'top-level (syntax-local-context))
+          'ok
+          (raise-syntax-error
+           #f
+           "not at top level"
+           stx))
+      (if (symbol? (syntax-e stx))
+          (raise-syntax-error #f "bad syntax" stx)
+          (datum->syntax stx (cdr (syntax-e stx)) stx stx)))))
+
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/reference/kernel.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/reference/kernel.scrbl
index 669c26ebd6..e1beb4fef6 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/reference/kernel.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/reference/kernel.scrbl
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 @title{Kernel Forms and Functions}
 
-@defmodule*[(racket/kernel)]{The @racketmodname[racket/kernel] library
+@defmodulelang[racket/kernel]{The @racketmodname[racket/kernel] library
 is a @tech{phase-collapsing} module that provides a minimal set of syntactic
 forms and functions.}
 
@@ -35,3 +35,12 @@ functions that are not exported by @racketmodname[racket/base] because
 @racketmodname[racket/base] exports improved variants. The exact set
 of function bindings exported by @racket[racket/kernel] is unspecified
 and subject to change across versions.
+
+
+@section[#:style '(hidden toc-hidden)]{}
+
+@defmodule[racket/kernel/init]{The @racketmodname[racket/kernel/init]
+library re-provides all of @racketmodname[racket/kernel]. It also
+provides @racket[#%top-interaction], which makes
+@racketmodname[racket/kernel/init] useful with the @Flag{I}
+command-line flag for @exec{racket}.}
diff --git a/doc/release-notes/racket/HISTORY.txt b/doc/release-notes/racket/HISTORY.txt
index e9c4264719..15f9daac0e 100644
--- a/doc/release-notes/racket/HISTORY.txt
+++ b/doc/release-notes/racket/HISTORY.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 Version 5.3.3.6
 Added "phase-collapse" module inference and instantiation
 compiler/zo-structs: added flags field to mod
+racket/kernel: removed #%top-interaction
+racket/kernel/init: added
 
 Version 5.3.3.4
 Added impersonator-ephemeron