diff --git a/arch/x86/xen/enlighten.c b/arch/x86/xen/enlighten.c
index 1b4b5fa498b3..6cfb708408e9 100644
--- a/arch/x86/xen/enlighten.c
+++ b/arch/x86/xen/enlighten.c
@@ -1256,8 +1256,10 @@ asmlinkage void __init xen_start_kernel(void)
 		? __pa(xen_start_info->mod_start) : 0;
 	boot_params.hdr.ramdisk_size = xen_start_info->mod_len;
 
-	if (!is_initial_xendomain())
+	if (!is_initial_xendomain()) {
+		add_preferred_console("tty", 0, NULL);
 		add_preferred_console("hvc", 0, NULL);
+	}
 
 	/* Start the world */
 	start_kernel();
diff --git a/drivers/video/xen-fbfront.c b/drivers/video/xen-fbfront.c
index 619a6f8d65a2..4e10876e62fc 100644
--- a/drivers/video/xen-fbfront.c
+++ b/drivers/video/xen-fbfront.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  * frame buffer.
  */
 
+#include <linux/console.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/fb.h>
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ struct xenfb_info {
 
 static u32 xenfb_mem_len = XENFB_WIDTH * XENFB_HEIGHT * XENFB_DEPTH / 8;
 
+static void xenfb_make_preferred_console(void);
 static int xenfb_remove(struct xenbus_device *);
 static void xenfb_init_shared_page(struct xenfb_info *);
 static int xenfb_connect_backend(struct xenbus_device *, struct xenfb_info *);
@@ -348,6 +350,7 @@ static int __devinit xenfb_probe(struct xenbus_device *dev,
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto error;
 
+	xenfb_make_preferred_console();
 	return 0;
 
  error_nomem:
@@ -358,6 +361,28 @@ static int __devinit xenfb_probe(struct xenbus_device *dev,
 	return ret;
 }
 
+static __devinit void
+xenfb_make_preferred_console(void)
+{
+	struct console *c;
+
+	if (console_set_on_cmdline)
+		return;
+
+	acquire_console_sem();
+	for (c = console_drivers; c; c = c->next) {
+		if (!strcmp(c->name, "tty") && c->index == 0)
+			break;
+	}
+	release_console_sem();
+	if (c) {
+		unregister_console(c);
+		c->flags |= CON_CONSDEV;
+		c->flags &= ~CON_PRINTBUFFER; /* don't print again */
+		register_console(c);
+	}
+}
+
 static int xenfb_resume(struct xenbus_device *dev)
 {
 	struct xenfb_info *info = dev->dev.driver_data;
diff --git a/include/linux/console.h b/include/linux/console.h
index a4f27fbdf549..248e6e3b9b73 100644
--- a/include/linux/console.h
+++ b/include/linux/console.h
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ struct console {
 	struct	 console *next;
 };
 
+extern int console_set_on_cmdline;
+
 extern int add_preferred_console(char *name, int idx, char *options);
 extern int update_console_cmdline(char *name, int idx, char *name_new, int idx_new, char *options);
 extern void register_console(struct console *);
diff --git a/kernel/printk.c b/kernel/printk.c
index 8fb01c32aa3b..028ed75d4864 100644
--- a/kernel/printk.c
+++ b/kernel/printk.c
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ struct console_cmdline
 static struct console_cmdline console_cmdline[MAX_CMDLINECONSOLES];
 static int selected_console = -1;
 static int preferred_console = -1;
+int console_set_on_cmdline;
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(console_set_on_cmdline);
 
 /* Flag: console code may call schedule() */
 static int console_may_schedule;
@@ -890,6 +892,7 @@ static int __init console_setup(char *str)
 	*s = 0;
 
 	__add_preferred_console(buf, idx, options, brl_options);
+	console_set_on_cmdline = 1;
 	return 1;
 }
 __setup("console=", console_setup);