diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c b/drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c
index 778f83ea2249..e61fd04a0d8d 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/vc_screen.c
@@ -265,10 +265,6 @@ vcs_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf, size_t count, loff_t *ppos)
 
 	uni_mode = use_unicode(inode);
 	attr = use_attributes(inode);
-	ret = -ENXIO;
-	vc = vcs_vc(inode, &viewed);
-	if (!vc)
-		goto unlock_out;
 
 	ret = -EINVAL;
 	if (pos < 0)
@@ -288,6 +284,11 @@ vcs_read(struct file *file, char __user *buf, size_t count, loff_t *ppos)
 		ssize_t orig_count;
 		long p = pos;
 
+		ret = -ENXIO;
+		vc = vcs_vc(inode, &viewed);
+		if (!vc)
+			goto unlock_out;
+
 		/* Check whether we are above size each round,
 		 * as copy_to_user at the end of this loop
 		 * could sleep.