diff --git a/arch/nios2/Kconfig.debug b/arch/nios2/Kconfig.debug
index 2fd08cbfdddb..55105220370c 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/Kconfig.debug
+++ b/arch/nios2/Kconfig.debug
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ config EARLY_PRINTK
 	bool "Activate early kernel debugging"
 	default y
 	select SERIAL_CORE_CONSOLE
-	depends on SERIAL_ALTERA_JTAGUART_CONSOLE || SERIAL_ALTERA_UART_CONSOLE
 	help
 	  Enable early printk on console
 	  This is useful for kernel debugging when your machine crashes very
diff --git a/arch/nios2/boot/dts/10m50_devboard.dts b/arch/nios2/boot/dts/10m50_devboard.dts
index f362b2224ee7..4bb4dc1b52e9 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/boot/dts/10m50_devboard.dts
+++ b/arch/nios2/boot/dts/10m50_devboard.dts
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@
 	};
 
 	chosen {
-		bootargs = "debug console=ttyS0,115200";
+		bootargs = "debug earlycon console=ttyS0,115200";
+		stdout-path = &a_16550_uart_0;
 	};
 };
diff --git a/arch/nios2/kernel/early_printk.c b/arch/nios2/kernel/early_printk.c
index c08e4c1486fc..4a7bb98f744c 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/kernel/early_printk.c
+++ b/arch/nios2/kernel/early_printk.c
@@ -81,8 +81,11 @@ static void early_console_write(struct console *con, const char *s, unsigned n)
 }
 
 #else
-# error Neither SERIAL_ALTERA_JTAGUART_CONSOLE nor SERIAL_ALTERA_UART_CONSOLE \
-selected
+
+static void early_console_write(struct console *con, const char *s, unsigned n)
+{
+}
+
 #endif
 
 static struct console early_console_prom = {
diff --git a/arch/nios2/kernel/setup.c b/arch/nios2/kernel/setup.c
index 6044d9be28b4..8b5146082e3e 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/kernel/setup.c
+++ b/arch/nios2/kernel/setup.c
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ asmlinkage void __init nios2_boot_init(unsigned r4, unsigned r5, unsigned r6,
 		strncpy(boot_command_line, CONFIG_CMDLINE, COMMAND_LINE_SIZE);
 #endif
 #endif
+
+	parse_early_param();
 }
 
 void __init setup_arch(char **cmdline_p)