diff --git a/drivers/char/vt.c b/drivers/char/vt.c
index b49f03375439..fb75da940b59 100644
--- a/drivers/char/vt.c
+++ b/drivers/char/vt.c
@@ -737,7 +737,8 @@ int vc_allocate(unsigned int currcons)	/* return 0 on success */
 	    visual_init(vc, currcons, 1);
 	    if (!*vc->vc_uni_pagedir_loc)
 		con_set_default_unimap(vc);
-	    vc->vc_screenbuf = kmalloc(vc->vc_screenbuf_size, GFP_KERNEL);
+	    if (!vc->vc_kmalloced)
+		vc->vc_screenbuf = kmalloc(vc->vc_screenbuf_size, GFP_KERNEL);
 	    if (!vc->vc_screenbuf) {
 		kfree(vc);
 		vc_cons[currcons].d = NULL;