diff --git a/src/arch/aarch64/include/arch/early_variables.h b/src/arch/aarch64/include/arch/early_variables.h
index fc472e0882..3d9fa26397 100644
--- a/src/arch/aarch64/include/arch/early_variables.h
+++ b/src/arch/aarch64/include/arch/early_variables.h
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #endif
 
 #define CAR_GLOBAL
-#define CAR_CBMEM
 
 #define CAR_MIGRATE(migrate_fn_)
 static inline void *car_get_var_ptr(void *var) { return var; }
diff --git a/src/arch/arm/include/arch/early_variables.h b/src/arch/arm/include/arch/early_variables.h
index fc472e0882..3d9fa26397 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm/include/arch/early_variables.h
+++ b/src/arch/arm/include/arch/early_variables.h
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #endif
 
 #define CAR_GLOBAL
-#define CAR_CBMEM
 
 #define CAR_MIGRATE(migrate_fn_)
 static inline void *car_get_var_ptr(void *var) { return var; }
diff --git a/src/arch/x86/include/arch/early_variables.h b/src/arch/x86/include/arch/early_variables.h
index 0ecbe8596c..9ee13124ef 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/include/arch/early_variables.h
+++ b/src/arch/x86/include/arch/early_variables.h
@@ -22,10 +22,8 @@
 
 #ifdef __PRE_RAM__
 #define CAR_GLOBAL __attribute__((section(".car.global_data,\"w\",@nobits#")))
-#define CAR_CBMEM __attribute__((section(".car.cbmem_console,\"w\",@nobits#")))
 #else
 #define CAR_GLOBAL
-#define CAR_CBMEM
 #endif
 
 #if CONFIG_CAR_MIGRATION && defined(__PRE_RAM__)
diff --git a/src/arch/x86/init/romstage.ld b/src/arch/x86/init/romstage.ld
index f44185f24e..ca769a225d 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/init/romstage.ld
+++ b/src/arch/x86/init/romstage.ld
@@ -54,15 +54,15 @@ SECTIONS
 	.car.data . (NOLOAD) : {
 		_car_data_start = .;
 		*(.car.global_data);
-		/* The cbmem_console section comes last to take advantage of
-		 * a zero-sized array to hold the memconsole contents that
-		 * grows to a bound of CONFIG_CONSOLE_CAR_BUFFER_SIZE. However,
-		 * collisions within the cache-as-ram region cannot be
+		_car_data_end = .;
+		/* The preram cbmem console area comes last to take advantage
+		 * of a zero-sized array to hold the memconsole contents that
+		 * grows to a bound of CONFIG_CONSOLE_PRERAM_BUFFER_SIZE.
+		 * However, collisions within the cache-as-ram region cannot be
 		 * statically checked because the cache-as-ram region usage is
 		 * cpu/chipset dependent. */
-		*(.car.cbmem_console);
-		_car_data_end = .;
+		preram_cbmem_console = .;
 	}
 
-	_bogus = ASSERT((SIZEOF(.car.data) <= CONFIG_DCACHE_RAM_SIZE), "Cache as RAM area is too full");
+	_bogus = ASSERT((SIZEOF(.car.data) + CONFIG_CONSOLE_PRERAM_BUFFER_SIZE <= CONFIG_DCACHE_RAM_SIZE), "Cache as RAM area is too full");
 }
diff --git a/src/console/Kconfig b/src/console/Kconfig
index 0338045ffe..25110042b0 100644
--- a/src/console/Kconfig
+++ b/src/console/Kconfig
@@ -238,15 +238,15 @@ config CONSOLE_CBMEM_BUFFER_SIZE
 	  value (64K or 0x10000 bytes) is large enough to accommodate
 	  even the BIOS_SPEW level.
 
-config CONSOLE_CAR_BUFFER_SIZE
+config CONSOLE_PRERAM_BUFFER_SIZE
 	depends on CONSOLE_CBMEM
-	hex "Room allocated for console output in Cache as RAM"
+	hex "Room allocated for console output before RAM is initialized"
 	default 0xc00
 	help
 	  Console is used before RAM is initialized. This is the room reserved
-	  in the DCACHE based RAM to keep console output before it can be
-	  saved in a CBMEM buffer. 3K bytes should be enough even for the
-	  BIOS_SPEW level.
+	  in the DCACHE based RAM, SRAM, etc. to keep console output before it
+	  can be saved in a CBMEM buffer. 3K bytes should be enough even for
+	  the BIOS_SPEW level.
 
 
 choice
diff --git a/src/lib/cbmem_console.c b/src/lib/cbmem_console.c
index 8076425088..8d6520640e 100644
--- a/src/lib/cbmem_console.c
+++ b/src/lib/cbmem_console.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ static struct cbmem_console *cbmem_console_p CAR_GLOBAL;
  * the area are defined in the config.
  */
 
-static struct cbmem_console car_cbmem_console CAR_CBMEM;
+extern struct cbmem_console preram_cbmem_console;
 
 /*
  * Once DRAM is initialized and the cache as ram mode is disabled, while still
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ static inline void init_console_ptr(void *storage, u32 total_space)
 void cbmemc_init(void)
 {
 #ifdef __PRE_RAM__
-	init_console_ptr(&car_cbmem_console, CONFIG_CONSOLE_CAR_BUFFER_SIZE);
+	init_console_ptr(&preram_cbmem_console,
+			 CONFIG_CONSOLE_PRERAM_BUFFER_SIZE);
 #else
 	/*
 	 * Initializing before CBMEM is available, use static buffer to store