diff --git a/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c b/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c
index fdefa8fd72c4..f8dbe76a1b6f 100644
--- a/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c
+++ b/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ static const char *fbcon_startup(void)
 	}
 
 	/* Setup default font */
-	if (!p->fontdata) {
+	if (!p->fontdata && !vc->vc_font.data) {
 		if (!fontname[0] || !(font = find_font(fontname)))
 			font = get_default_font(info->var.xres,
 						info->var.yres,
@@ -1000,6 +1000,8 @@ static const char *fbcon_startup(void)
 		vc->vc_font.height = font->height;
 		vc->vc_font.data = (void *)(p->fontdata = font->data);
 		vc->vc_font.charcount = 256; /* FIXME  Need to support more fonts */
+	} else {
+		p->fontdata = vc->vc_font.data;
 	}
 
 	cols = FBCON_SWAP(ops->rotate, info->var.xres, info->var.yres);
@@ -1159,9 +1161,9 @@ static void fbcon_init(struct vc_data *vc, int init)
 	ops->p = &fb_display[fg_console];
 }
 
-static void fbcon_free_font(struct display *p)
+static void fbcon_free_font(struct display *p, bool freefont)
 {
-	if (p->userfont && p->fontdata && (--REFCOUNT(p->fontdata) == 0))
+	if (freefont && p->userfont && p->fontdata && (--REFCOUNT(p->fontdata) == 0))
 		kfree(p->fontdata - FONT_EXTRA_WORDS * sizeof(int));
 	p->fontdata = NULL;
 	p->userfont = 0;
@@ -1173,8 +1175,8 @@ static void fbcon_deinit(struct vc_data *vc)
 	struct fb_info *info;
 	struct fbcon_ops *ops;
 	int idx;
+	bool free_font = true;
 
-	fbcon_free_font(p);
 	idx = con2fb_map[vc->vc_num];
 
 	if (idx == -1)
@@ -1185,6 +1187,8 @@ static void fbcon_deinit(struct vc_data *vc)
 	if (!info)
 		goto finished;
 
+	if (info->flags & FBINFO_MISC_FIRMWARE)
+		free_font = false;
 	ops = info->fbcon_par;
 
 	if (!ops)
@@ -1196,6 +1200,8 @@ static void fbcon_deinit(struct vc_data *vc)
 	ops->flags &= ~FBCON_FLAGS_INIT;
 finished:
 
+	fbcon_free_font(p, free_font);
+
 	if (!con_is_bound(&fb_con))
 		fbcon_exit();