diff --git a/arch/mips/Kconfig b/arch/mips/Kconfig
index 0cff92315ac4..e70cf31c6ba3 100644
--- a/arch/mips/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/mips/Kconfig
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ config MIPS_COBALT
 	select CSRC_R4K
 	select CEVT_GT641XX
 	select DMA_NONCOHERENT
+	select EARLY_PRINTK_8250 if EARLY_PRINTK
 	select HW_HAS_PCI
 	select I8253
 	select I8259
diff --git a/arch/mips/cobalt/Makefile b/arch/mips/cobalt/Makefile
index 61a334ac43ac..558e94977942 100644
--- a/arch/mips/cobalt/Makefile
+++ b/arch/mips/cobalt/Makefile
@@ -5,5 +5,4 @@
 obj-y := buttons.o irq.o lcd.o led.o reset.o rtc.o serial.o setup.o time.o
 
 obj-$(CONFIG_PCI)		+= pci.o
-obj-$(CONFIG_EARLY_PRINTK)	+= console.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_MTD_PHYSMAP)	+= mtd.o
diff --git a/arch/mips/cobalt/console.c b/arch/mips/cobalt/console.c
deleted file mode 100644
index d1ba701c9dd1..000000000000
--- a/arch/mips/cobalt/console.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * (C) P. Horton 2006
- */
-#include <linux/io.h>
-#include <linux/serial_reg.h>
-
-#include <cobalt.h>
-
-#define UART_BASE	((void __iomem *)CKSEG1ADDR(0x1c800000))
-
-void prom_putchar(char c)
-{
-	if (cobalt_board_id <= COBALT_BRD_ID_QUBE1)
-		return;
-
-	while (!(readb(UART_BASE + UART_LSR) & UART_LSR_THRE))
-		;
-
-	writeb(c, UART_BASE + UART_TX);
-}
diff --git a/arch/mips/cobalt/setup.c b/arch/mips/cobalt/setup.c
index ec3b2c417f7c..9a8c2fe8d334 100644
--- a/arch/mips/cobalt/setup.c
+++ b/arch/mips/cobalt/setup.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 #include <asm/bootinfo.h>
 #include <asm/reboot.h>
+#include <asm/setup.h>
 #include <asm/gt64120.h>
 
 #include <cobalt.h>
@@ -112,6 +113,8 @@ void __init prom_init(void)
 	}
 
 	add_memory_region(0x0, memsz, BOOT_MEM_RAM);
+
+	setup_8250_early_printk_port(CKSEG1ADDR(0x1c800000), 0, 0);
 }
 
 void __init prom_free_prom_memory(void)