diff --git a/include/vty/vty.h b/include/vty/vty.h
index 6df6b6715..4bb785b9f 100644
--- a/include/vty/vty.h
+++ b/include/vty/vty.h
@@ -21,9 +21,25 @@
 #define VTY_BUFSIZ 512
 #define VTY_MAXHIST 20
 
+/* Vty events */
+enum event {
+	VTY_SERV,
+	VTY_READ,
+	VTY_WRITE,
+	VTY_TIMEOUT_RESET,
+#ifdef VTYSH
+	VTYSH_SERV,
+	VTYSH_READ,
+	VTYSH_WRITE
+#endif				/* VTYSH */
+};
+
 struct vty {
 	FILE *file;
 
+	/* private data, specified by creator */
+	void *priv;
+
 	/* File descripter of this vty. */
 	int fd;
 
@@ -115,7 +131,7 @@ void vty_init (void);
 void vty_init_vtysh (void);
 void vty_reset (void);
 struct vty *vty_new (void);
-struct vty *vty_create (int vty_sock);
+struct vty *vty_create (int vty_sock, void *priv);
 int vty_out (struct vty *, const char *, ...) PRINTF_ATTRIBUTE(2, 3);
 int vty_out_newline(struct vty *);
 int vty_read(struct vty *vty);
diff --git a/src/telnet_interface.c b/src/telnet_interface.c
index 422af3b22..5ed9a0e26 100644
--- a/src/telnet_interface.c
+++ b/src/telnet_interface.c
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@
 #include <openbsc/paging.h>
 #include <openbsc/signal.h>
 
+#include <vty/buffer.h>
+
 #define WRITE_CONNECTION(fd, msg...) \
 	int ret; \
 	char buf[4096]; \
@@ -129,7 +131,20 @@ int telnet_close_client(struct bsc_fd *fd) {
 static int client_data(struct bsc_fd *fd, unsigned int what)
 {
 	struct telnet_connection *conn = fd->data;
-	return vty_read(conn->vty);
+	int rc;
+
+	if (what & BSC_FD_READ) {
+		conn->fd.when &= ~BSC_FD_READ;
+		rc = vty_read(conn->vty);
+	}
+
+	if (what & BSC_FD_WRITE) {
+		rc = buffer_flush_all(conn->vty->obuf, fd->fd);
+		if (rc == BUFFER_EMPTY)
+			conn->fd.when &= ~BSC_FD_WRITE;
+	}
+
+	return rc;
 }
 
 static int telnet_new_connection(struct bsc_fd *fd, unsigned int what) {
@@ -157,13 +172,31 @@ static int telnet_new_connection(struct bsc_fd *fd, unsigned int what) {
 
 	print_welcome(new_connection);
 
-	connection->vty = vty_create(new_connection);
+	connection->vty = vty_create(new_connection, connection);
 	if (!connection->vty)
 		return -1;
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/* callback from VTY code */
+void vty_event(enum event event, int sock, struct vty *vty)
+{
+	struct telnet_connection *connection = vty->priv;
+	struct bsc_fd *bfd = &connection->fd;
+
+	switch (event) {
+	case VTY_READ:
+		bfd->when |= BSC_FD_READ;
+		break;
+	case VTY_WRITE:
+		bfd->when |= BSC_FD_WRITE;
+		break;
+	default:
+		break;
+	}
+}
+
 #if 0
 static int telnet_paging_callback(unsigned int subsys, unsigned int singal,
 				  void *handler_data, void *signal_data)
diff --git a/src/vty/vty.c b/src/vty/vty.c
index 66cc13b48..370d1f7a9 100644
--- a/src/vty/vty.c
+++ b/src/vty/vty.c
@@ -18,19 +18,6 @@
 #include <vty/command.h>
 #include <vty/buffer.h>
 
-/* Vty events */
-enum event {
-	VTY_SERV,
-	VTY_READ,
-	VTY_WRITE,
-	VTY_TIMEOUT_RESET,
-#ifdef VTYSH
-	VTYSH_SERV,
-	VTYSH_READ,
-	VTYSH_WRITE
-#endif				/* VTYSH */
-};
-
 extern struct host host;
 
 /* Vector which store each vty structure. */
@@ -235,6 +222,7 @@ int vty_out_newline(struct vty *vty)
 {
 	char *p = vty_newline(vty);
 	buffer_put(vty->obuf, p, strlen(p));
+	return 0;
 }
 
 int vty_config_lock(struct vty *vty)
@@ -255,12 +243,6 @@ int vty_config_unlock(struct vty *vty)
 	return vty->config;
 }
 
-static void vty_event(enum event event, int sock, struct vty *vty)
-{
-	fprintf(stdout, "vty_event(%d, %d, %p)\n", event, sock, vty);
-	buffer_flush_all(vty->obuf, sock);
-}
-
 /* Say hello to vty interface. */
 void vty_hello(struct vty *vty)
 {
@@ -1375,7 +1357,7 @@ int vty_read(struct vty *vty)
 
 /* Create new vty structure. */
 struct vty *
-vty_create (int vty_sock)
+vty_create (int vty_sock, void *priv)
 {
   struct vty *vty;
 
@@ -1388,6 +1370,7 @@ vty_create (int vty_sock)
   /* Allocate new vty structure and set up default values. */
   vty = vty_new ();
   vty->fd = vty_sock;
+  vty->priv = priv;
   vty->type = VTY_TERM;
   if (no_password_check)
     {