A system and method for enabling a programmable device to execute instructions without interruption. An instruction space for storing instructions from a host application is bifurcated to define a program segment and a hold segment. At startup, instructions are loaded into the hold segment, and the programmable device begins executing those instructions. While the hold segment instructions are executed, the program segment is loaded with instructions. Once the program segment is filled, control is shifted to it and instructions from this segment are executed by the programmable device. When the program segment has been executed, control is shifted back to the hold segment, and instructions are taken from it while the program segment is reloaded with a fresh set of instructions from the host application. Once the program segment is reloaded, control is redirected and execution of instructions from the program segment is continued.