diff --git a/bsp_q7s/memory/CMakeLists.txt b/bsp_q7s/memory/CMakeLists.txt
index e98971c4..ada948fb 100644
--- a/bsp_q7s/memory/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/bsp_q7s/memory/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@ target_sources(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE
     FileSystemHandler.cpp
     SdCardAccess.cpp
     SdCardManager.cpp
+    scratchApi.cpp
 )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bsp_q7s/memory/SdCardManager.cpp b/bsp_q7s/memory/SdCardManager.cpp
index 1341c132..d23a4331 100644
--- a/bsp_q7s/memory/SdCardManager.cpp
+++ b/bsp_q7s/memory/SdCardManager.cpp
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ ReturnValue_t SdCardManager::sdCardActive(std::pair<bool, bool>& active) {
 }
 
 sd::SdCard SdCardManager::getPreferredSdCard() const {
+    int result = std::system("xsc_scratch read PREFSD > /tmp/pref_sd.txt");
+
     return preferredSdCard;
 }
 
diff --git a/bsp_q7s/memory/scratchApi.cpp b/bsp_q7s/memory/scratchApi.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b159775
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bsp_q7s/memory/scratchApi.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#include "scratchApi.h"
+
+ReturnValue_t scratch::writeString(std::string name, std::string string) {
+    std::ostringstream oss;
+    oss << "xsc_scratch write " << name << " \"" << string << "\"";
+    int result = std::system(oss.str().c_str());
+    if(result != 0) {
+        utility::handleSystemError(result, "scratch::String");
+        return HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_FAILED;
+    }
+    return HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_OK;
+}
diff --git a/bsp_q7s/memory/scratchApi.h b/bsp_q7s/memory/scratchApi.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..32e604a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bsp_q7s/memory/scratchApi.h
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#ifndef BSP_Q7S_MEMORY_SCRATCHAPI_H_
+#define BSP_Q7S_MEMORY_SCRATCHAPI_H_
+
+#include "fsfw/returnvalues/HasReturnvaluesIF.h"
+#include "linux/utility/utility.h"
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <type_traits>
+#include <cstdlib>
+
+/**
+ * @brief   API for the scratch buffer
+ */
+namespace scratch {
+
+namespace {
+static size_t counter = 0;
+}
+
+template<typename T, class = typename std::enable_if<std::is_unsigned<T>::value>::type>
+inline ReturnValue_t writeNumber(std::string name, T num) noexcept {
+    std::ostringstream oss;
+    oss << "xsc_scratch write " << name << " " << num;
+    int result = std::system(oss.str().c_str());
+    if(result != 0) {
+        utility::handleSystemError(result, "scratch::writeNumber");
+        return HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_FAILED;
+    }
+    return HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_OK;
+}
+
+template<typename T, class = typename std::enable_if<std::is_unsigned<T>::value>::type>
+inline ReturnValue_t readNumber(std::string name, T& num) noexcept {
+    std::ostringstream oss;
+    oss << "xsc_scratch read " << name << " > /tmp/scratchro" << counter++;
+    int result = std::system(oss.str().c_str());
+    if(result != 0) {
+        utility::handleSystemError(result, "scratch::writeNumber");
+        return HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_FAILED;
+    }
+    return HasReturnvaluesIF::RETURN_OK;
+}
+
+ReturnValue_t writeString(std::string name, std::string string);
+
+}
+
+#endif /* BSP_Q7S_MEMORY_SCRATCHAPI_H_ */
diff --git a/linux/utility/CMakeLists.txt b/linux/utility/CMakeLists.txt
index 45a7edcc..a3387531 100644
--- a/linux/utility/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/linux/utility/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 target_sources(${TARGET_NAME} PUBLIC
+    utility.cpp
 )
 
 
diff --git a/linux/utility/utility.cpp b/linux/utility/utility.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..69a3d08f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/linux/utility/utility.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#include "OBSWConfig.h"
+#include "FSFWConfig.h"
+#include "utility.h"
+
+#include "fsfw/serviceinterface/ServiceInterface.h"
+
+void utility::handleSystemError(int retcode, std::string function) {
+#if OBSW_VERBOSE_LEVEL >= 1
+    sif::warning << function << ": System call failed with code " << retcode;
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/linux/utility/utility.h b/linux/utility/utility.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3eb17a9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/linux/utility/utility.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef LINUX_UTILITY_UTILITY_H_
+#define LINUX_UTILITY_UTILITY_H_
+
+#include "fsfw/returnvalues/HasReturnvaluesIF.h"
+#include <string>
+
+namespace utility {
+
+void handleSystemError(int retcode, std::string function);
+
+}
+
+#endif /* LINUX_UTILITY_UTILITY_H_ */