diff --git a/payloads/libpayload/drivers/serial.c b/payloads/libpayload/drivers/serial.c
index c0867e9739..3daf46082c 100644
--- a/payloads/libpayload/drivers/serial.c
+++ b/payloads/libpayload/drivers/serial.c
@@ -119,6 +119,15 @@ void serial_init(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_LP_SERIAL_SET_SPEED
 	serial_hardware_init(CONFIG_LP_SERIAL_BAUD_RATE, 8, 0, 1);
 #endif
+}
+
+void serial_console_init(void)
+{
+	if (!lib_sysinfo.serial)
+		return;
+
+	serial_init();
+
 	console_add_input_driver(&consin);
 	console_add_output_driver(&consout);
 }
diff --git a/payloads/libpayload/include/libpayload.h b/payloads/libpayload/include/libpayload.h
index 8f1173371c..c63d91b1bc 100644
--- a/payloads/libpayload/include/libpayload.h
+++ b/payloads/libpayload/include/libpayload.h
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ int keyboard_set_layout(char *country);
  * @{
  */
 void serial_init(void);
+void serial_console_init(void);
 void serial_putchar(unsigned int c);
 int serial_havechar(void);
 int serial_getchar(void);
diff --git a/payloads/libpayload/libc/console.c b/payloads/libpayload/libc/console.c
index cfaac58130..e4957bdb6f 100644
--- a/payloads/libpayload/libc/console.c
+++ b/payloads/libpayload/libc/console.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ void console_init(void)
 	video_console_init();
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_LP_SERIAL_CONSOLE
-	serial_init();
+	serial_console_init();
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_LP_PC_KEYBOARD
 	keyboard_init();