diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
index 34aa39d1aed9..3b4ccc2a30c1 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
@@ -936,10 +936,21 @@ static void flush_scrollback(struct vc_data *vc)
 	WARN_CONSOLE_UNLOCKED();
 
 	set_origin(vc);
-	if (vc->vc_sw->con_flush_scrollback)
+	if (vc->vc_sw->con_flush_scrollback) {
 		vc->vc_sw->con_flush_scrollback(vc);
-	else
+	} else if (con_is_visible(vc)) {
+		/*
+		 * When no con_flush_scrollback method is provided then the
+		 * legacy way for flushing the scrollback buffer is to use
+		 * a side effect of the con_switch method. We do it only on
+		 * the foreground console as background consoles have no
+		 * scrollback buffers in that case and we obviously don't
+		 * want to switch to them.
+		 */
+		hide_cursor(vc);
 		vc->vc_sw->con_switch(vc);
+		set_cursor(vc);
+	}
 }
 
 /*