diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/controller.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/controller.js
index b178950ce08..6f01ec534b1 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/controller.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/controller.js
@@ -361,6 +361,10 @@ export async function buildVatController(config, withSES = true, argv = []) {
       return kernel.step();
     },
 
+    getStats() {
+      return kernel.getStats();
+    },
+
     // these are for tests
 
     vatNameToID(vatName) {
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/kernel.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/kernel.js
index 257e29b654b..b3bf57837b3 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/kernel.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/kernel.js
@@ -420,6 +420,7 @@ export default function buildKernel(kernelEndowments) {
         throw Error(`unable to process message.type ${message.type}`);
       }
       kernelKeeper.purgeDeadKernelPromises();
+      kernelKeeper.saveStats();
       commitCrank();
       kernelKeeper.incrementCrankNumber();
     } finally {
@@ -748,9 +749,11 @@ export default function buildKernel(kernelEndowments) {
           `replayTranscript added run-queue entries, wasn't supposed to`,
         );
       }
+      kernelKeeper.loadStats();
     }
 
     kernelKeeper.setInitialized();
+    kernelKeeper.saveStats();
     commitCrank(); // commit "crank 0"
     kernelKeeper.incrementCrankNumber();
   }
@@ -796,6 +799,9 @@ export default function buildKernel(kernelEndowments) {
       ephemeral.log.push(`${str}`);
     },
 
+    getStats() {
+      return kernelKeeper.getStats();
+    },
     dump() {
       // note: dump().log is not deterministic, since log() does not go
       // through the syscall interface (and we replay transcripts one vat at
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/kernelKeeper.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/kernelKeeper.js
index 8885ca8023d..59d58a2e6e2 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/kernelKeeper.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/kernelKeeper.js
@@ -101,6 +101,68 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     return storage.get(key);
   }
 
+  // These are the defined kernel statistics counters.  For any counter 'foo'
+  // that is defined here, if there is also a defined counter named 'fooMax',
+  // the stats collection machinery will automatically track the latter as a
+  // high-water mark for the former.
+  let kernelStats = {
+    kernelObjects: 0,
+    kernelDevices: 0,
+    kernelPromises: 0,
+    kernelPromisesMax: 0,
+    kpUnresolved: 0,
+    kpUnresolvedMax: 0,
+    kpFulfilledToPresence: 0,
+    kpFulfilledToPresenceMax: 0,
+    kpFulfilledToData: 0,
+    kpFulfilledToDataMax: 0,
+    kpRejected: 0,
+    kpRejectedMax: 0,
+    runQueueLength: 0,
+    runQueueLengthMax: 0,
+    syscalls: 0,
+    syscallSend: 0,
+    syscallSubscribe: 0,
+    syscallFulfillToData: 0,
+    syscallFulfillToPresence: 0,
+    syscallReject: 0,
+    syscallCallNow: 0,
+    dispatches: 0,
+    dispatchDeliver: 0,
+    dispatchNotifyFulfillToData: 0,
+    dispatchNotifyFulfillToPresence: 0,
+    dispatchReject: 0,
+    clistEntries: 0,
+    clistEntriesMax: 0,
+  };
+
+  function incStat(stat) {
+    kernelStats[stat] += 1;
+    const maxStat = `${stat}Max`;
+    if (
+      kernelStats[maxStat] !== undefined &&
+      kernelStats[stat] > kernelStats[maxStat]
+    ) {
+      kernelStats[maxStat] = kernelStats[stat];
+    }
+  }
+
+  function decStat(stat) {
+    kernelStats[stat] -= 1;
+  }
+
+  function saveStats() {
+    storage.set('kernelStats', JSON.stringify(kernelStats));
+  }
+
+  function loadStats() {
+    kernelStats = JSON.parse(getRequired('kernelStats'));
+  }
+
+  function getStats() {
+    return { ...kernelStats };
+  }
+
   const ephemeral = harden({
     vatKeepers: new Map(), // vatID -> vatKeeper
     deviceKeepers: new Map(), // deviceID -> deviceKeeper
@@ -142,6 +204,7 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     storage.set('ko.nextID', `${id + 1}`);
     const s = makeKernelSlot('object', id);
     storage.set(`${s}.owner`, ownerID);
+    incStat('kernelObjects');
     return s;
   }
 
@@ -159,6 +222,7 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     storage.set('kd.nextID', `${id + 1}`);
     const s = makeKernelSlot('device', id);
     storage.set(`${s}.owner`, deviceID);
+    incStat('kernelDevices');
     return s;
   }
 
@@ -181,6 +245,8 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     storage.set(`${s}.queue.nextID`, `0`);
     storage.set(`${s}.refCount`, `0`);
     // queue is empty, so no state[kp$NN.queue.$NN] keys yet
+    incStat('kernelPromises');
+    incStat('kpUnresolved');
     return s;
   }
 
@@ -252,6 +318,8 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
   function fulfillKernelPromiseToPresence(kernelSlot, targetSlot) {
     insistKernelType('promise', kernelSlot);
     deleteKernelPromiseState(kernelSlot);
+    decStat('kpUnresolved');
+    incStat('kpFulfilledToPresence');
     storage.set(`${kernelSlot}.state`, 'fulfilledToPresence');
     storage.set(`${kernelSlot}.slot`, targetSlot);
   }
@@ -260,6 +328,8 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     insistKernelType('promise', kernelSlot);
     insistCapData(capdata);
     deleteKernelPromiseState(kernelSlot);
+    decStat('kpUnresolved');
+    incStat('kpFulfilledToData');
     storage.set(`${kernelSlot}.state`, 'fulfilledToData');
     storage.set(`${kernelSlot}.data.body`, capdata.body);
     storage.set(`${kernelSlot}.data.slots`, capdata.slots.join(','));
@@ -269,6 +339,8 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     insistKernelType('promise', kernelSlot);
     insistCapData(capdata);
     deleteKernelPromiseState(kernelSlot);
+    decStat('kpUnresolved');
+    incStat('kpRejected');
     storage.set(`${kernelSlot}.state`, 'rejected');
     storage.set(`${kernelSlot}.data.body`, capdata.body);
     storage.set(`${kernelSlot}.data.slots`, capdata.slots.join(','));
@@ -320,6 +392,7 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     const queue = JSON.parse(getRequired('runQueue'));
     queue.push(msg);
     storage.set('runQueue', JSON.stringify(queue));
+    incStat('runQueueLength');
   }
 
   function isRunQueueEmpty() {
@@ -336,6 +409,7 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     const queue = JSON.parse(getRequired('runQueue'));
     const msg = queue.shift();
     storage.set('runQueue', JSON.stringify(queue));
+    decStat('runQueueLength');
     return msg;
   }
 
@@ -446,6 +520,8 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
         addKernelPromise,
         incrementRefCount,
         decrementRefCount,
+        incStat,
+        decStat,
       );
       ephemeral.vatKeepers.set(vatID, vk);
     }
@@ -602,6 +678,12 @@ export default function makeKernelKeeper(storage) {
     incrementCrankNumber,
     purgeDeadKernelPromises,
 
+    incStat,
+    decStat,
+    saveStats,
+    loadStats,
+    getStats,
+
     ownerOfKernelObject,
     ownerOfKernelDevice,
 
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/vatKeeper.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/vatKeeper.js
index e641b22b9cc..7e9145b385d 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/vatKeeper.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/state/vatKeeper.js
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ export function makeVatKeeper(
   addKernelPromise,
   incrementRefCount,
   decrementRefCount,
+  incStat,
+  decStat,
 ) {
   insistVatID(vatID);
 
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ export function makeVatKeeper(
         }
         incrementRefCount(kernelSlot, `${vatID}|vk|clist`);
         const kernelKey = `${vatID}.c.${kernelSlot}`;
+        incStat('clistEntries');
         storage.set(kernelKey, vatSlot);
         storage.set(vatKey, kernelSlot);
         kdebug(`Add mapping v->k ${kernelKey}<=>${vatKey}`);
@@ -132,6 +135,7 @@ export function makeVatKeeper(
       const vatSlot = makeVatSlot(type, false, id);
 
       const vatKey = `${vatID}.c.${vatSlot}`;
+      incStat('clistEntries');
       storage.set(vatKey, kernelSlot);
       storage.set(kernelKey, vatSlot);
       kdebug(`Add mapping k->v ${kernelKey}<=>${vatKey}`);
@@ -154,6 +158,7 @@ export function makeVatKeeper(
     kdebug(`Delete mapping ${kernelKey}<=>${vatKey}`);
     if (storage.has(kernelKey)) {
       decrementRefCount(kernelSlot, `${vatID}|del|clist`);
+      decStat('clistEntries');
       storage.delete(kernelKey);
       storage.delete(vatKey);
     }
diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vatManager.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vatManager.js
index bfe9718d9c9..7fd31333b07 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vatManager.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/vatManager.js
@@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
   function doSend(targetSlot, method, args, resultSlot) {
     assert(`${targetSlot}` === targetSlot, 'non-string targetSlot');
     insistCapData(args);
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscalls');
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscallSend');
     // TODO: disable send-to-self for now, qv issue #43
     const target = mapVatSlotToKernelSlot(targetSlot);
     const argList = legibilizeMessageArgs(args).join(', ');
@@ -172,11 +174,15 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
     if (!kernelKeeper.hasKernelPromise(id)) {
       throw new Error(`unknown kernelPromise id '${id}'`);
     }
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscalls');
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscallSubscribe');
     syscallManager.subscribe(vatID, id);
   }
 
   function doFulfillToPresence(promiseID, slot) {
     insistVatType('promise', promiseID);
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscalls');
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscallFulfillToPresence');
     const kpid = mapVatSlotToKernelSlot(promiseID);
     const targetSlot = mapVatSlotToKernelSlot(slot);
     kdebug(
@@ -189,6 +195,8 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
   function doFulfillToData(promiseID, data) {
     insistVatType('promise', promiseID);
     insistCapData(data);
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscalls');
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscallFulfillToData');
     const kpid = mapVatSlotToKernelSlot(promiseID);
     const kernelSlots = data.slots.map(slot => mapVatSlotToKernelSlot(slot));
     const kernelData = harden({ ...data, slots: kernelSlots });
@@ -204,6 +212,8 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
   function doReject(promiseID, data) {
     insistVatType('promise', promiseID);
     insistCapData(data);
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscalls');
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscallReject');
     const kpid = mapVatSlotToKernelSlot(promiseID);
     const kernelSlots = data.slots.map(slot => mapVatSlotToKernelSlot(slot));
     const kernelData = harden({ ...data, slots: kernelSlots });
@@ -223,6 +233,8 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
     if (type !== 'device') {
       throw new Error(`doCallNow must target a device, not ${dev}`);
     }
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscalls');
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('syscallCallNow');
     const kernelSlots = args.slots.map(slot => mapVatSlotToKernelSlot(slot));
     const kernelData = harden({ ...args, slots: kernelSlots });
     // prettier-ignore
@@ -371,6 +383,8 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
       insistVatType('promise', resultSlot);
       kernelKeeper.setDecider(msg.result, vatID);
     }
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('dispatches');
+    kernelKeeper.incStat('dispatchDeliver');
     await doProcess(
       [
         'deliver',
@@ -389,6 +403,8 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
       const vpid = mapKernelSlotToVatSlot(kpid);
       const slot = mapKernelSlotToVatSlot(kp.slot);
       vatKeeper.deleteCListEntry(kpid, vpid);
+      kernelKeeper.incStat('dispatches');
+      kernelKeeper.incStat('dispatchNotifyFulfillToPresence');
       await doProcess(
         ['notifyFulfillToPresence', vpid, slot],
         `vat[${vatID}].promise[${vpid}] fulfillToPresence failed`,
@@ -402,6 +418,8 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
         slots: kp.data.slots.map(slot => mapKernelSlotToVatSlot(slot)),
       });
       deleteCListEntryIfEasy(kpid, vpid, kp.data);
+      kernelKeeper.incStat('dispatches');
+      kernelKeeper.incStat('dispatchNotifyFulfillToData');
       await doProcess(
         ['notifyFulfillToData', vpid, vatData],
         `vat[${vatID}].promise[${vpid}] fulfillToData failed`,
@@ -413,6 +431,8 @@ export default function makeVatManager(
         slots: kp.data.slots.map(slot => mapKernelSlotToVatSlot(slot)),
       });
       deleteCListEntryIfEasy(kpid, vpid, kp.data);
+      kernelKeeper.incStat('dispatches');
+      kernelKeeper.incStat('dispatchReject');
       await doProcess(
         ['notifyReject', vpid, vatData],
         `vat[${vatID}].promise[${vpid}] reject failed`,