diff --git a/kernel/printk/printk.c b/kernel/printk/printk.c
index fa321b3b821b..89901074f728 100644
--- a/kernel/printk/printk.c
+++ b/kernel/printk/printk.c
@@ -2068,8 +2068,15 @@ static int __init console_setup(char *str)
 	char *s, *options, *brl_options = NULL;
 	int idx;
 
-	if (str[0] == 0)
+	/*
+	 * console="" or console=null have been suggested as a way to
+	 * disable console output. Use ttynull that has been created
+	 * for exacly this purpose.
+	 */
+	if (str[0] == 0 || strcmp(str, "null") == 0) {
+		__add_preferred_console("ttynull", 0, NULL, NULL);
 		return 1;
+	}
 
 	if (_braille_console_setup(&str, &brl_options))
 		return 1;