diff --git a/arch/arm/Kconfig.debug b/arch/arm/Kconfig.debug
index 5f334e3f8a82..ccb1bd298d48 100644
--- a/arch/arm/Kconfig.debug
+++ b/arch/arm/Kconfig.debug
@@ -499,6 +499,7 @@ choice
 	config DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0
 		bool "Kernel low-level debugging messages via MVEBU UART0 (old bootloaders)"
 		depends on ARCH_MVEBU
+		depends on ARCH_MVEBU && CPU_V7
 		select DEBUG_UART_8250
 		help
 		  Say Y here if you want kernel low-level debugging support
@@ -511,17 +512,23 @@ choice
 		  Plathome OpenBlocks AX3, when using the original
 		  bootloader.
 
+		  This option will not work on older Marvell platforms
+		  (Kirkwood, Dove, MV78xx0, Orion5x), which should pick
+		  the "new bootloader" variant.
+
 		  If the wrong DEBUG_MVEBU_UART* option is selected,
 		  when u-boot hands over to the kernel, the system
 		  silently crashes, with no serial output at all.
 
 	config DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0_ALTERNATE
 		bool "Kernel low-level debugging messages via MVEBU UART0 (new bootloaders)"
-		depends on ARCH_MVEBU
+		depends on ARCH_MVEBU || ARCH_DOVE || ARCH_MV78XX0 || ARCH_ORION5X
 		select DEBUG_UART_8250
 		help
 		  Say Y here if you want kernel low-level debugging support
-		  on MVEBU based platforms on UART0.
+		  on MVEBU based platforms on UART0. (Armada XP, Armada 3xx,
+		  Kirkwood, Dove, MV78xx0, Orion5x).
+
 
 		  This option should be used with the new bootloaders
 		  that remap the internal registers at 0xf1000000.
@@ -536,10 +543,13 @@ choice
 		select DEBUG_UART_8250
 		help
 		  Say Y here if you want kernel low-level debugging support
-		  on MVEBU based platforms on UART1.
+		  on MVEBU based platforms on UART1. (Armada XP, Armada 3xx,
+		  Kirkwood, Dove, MV78xx0, Orion5x).
 
 		  This option should be used with the new bootloaders
 		  that remap the internal registers at 0xf1000000.
+		  All of the older (pre Armada XP/370) platforms also use
+		  this address, regardless of the boot loader version.
 
 		  If the wrong DEBUG_MVEBU_UART* option is selected,
 		  when u-boot hands over to the kernel, the system
@@ -1358,11 +1368,9 @@ config DEBUG_UART_PL01X
 
 # Compatibility options for 8250
 config DEBUG_UART_8250
-	def_bool ARCH_DOVE || ARCH_EBSA110 || \
-		(FOOTBRIDGE && !DEBUG_DC21285_PORT) || \
+	def_bool ARCH_EBSA110 || (FOOTBRIDGE && !DEBUG_DC21285_PORT) || \
 		ARCH_GEMINI || ARCH_IOP13XX || ARCH_IOP32X || \
-		ARCH_IOP33X || ARCH_IXP4XX || \
-		ARCH_LPC32XX || ARCH_MV78XX0 || ARCH_ORION5X || ARCH_RPC
+		ARCH_IOP33X || ARCH_IXP4XX || ARCH_LPC32XX || ARCH_RPC
 
 # Compatibility options for BCM63xx
 config DEBUG_UART_BCM63XX
@@ -1444,8 +1452,6 @@ config DEBUG_UART_PHYS
 	default 0xf040ab00 if DEBUG_BRCMSTB_UART
 	default 0xf1012000 if DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0_ALTERNATE
 	default 0xf1012100 if DEBUG_MVEBU_UART1_ALTERNATE
-	default 0xf1012000 if ARCH_DOVE || ARCH_MV78XX0 || \
-				ARCH_ORION5X
 	default 0xf7fc9000 if DEBUG_BERLIN_UART
 	default 0xf8b00000 if DEBUG_HIX5HD2_UART
 	default 0xf991e000 if DEBUG_QCOM_UARTDM
@@ -1518,10 +1524,10 @@ config DEBUG_UART_VIRT
 	default 0xfcfe8600 if DEBUG_UART_BCM63XX
 	default 0xfd000000 if ARCH_SPEAR3XX || ARCH_SPEAR6XX
 	default 0xfd000000 if ARCH_SPEAR13XX
-	default 0xfd012000 if ARCH_MV78XX0
+	default 0xfd012000 if DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0_ALTERNATE && ARCH_MV78XX0
 	default 0xfd883000 if DEBUG_ALPINE_UART0
-	default 0xfde12000 if ARCH_DOVE
-	default 0xfe012000 if ARCH_ORION5X
+	default 0xfde12000 if DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0_ALTERNATE && ARCH_DOVE
+	default 0xfe012000 if DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0_ALTERNATE && ARCH_ORION5X
 	default 0xf31004c0 if DEBUG_MESON_UARTAO
 	default 0xfe017000 if DEBUG_MMP_UART2
 	default 0xfe018000 if DEBUG_MMP_UART3
@@ -1536,7 +1542,7 @@ config DEBUG_UART_VIRT
 	default 0xfeb31000 if DEBUG_KEYSTONE_UART1
 	default 0xfec02000 if DEBUG_SOCFPGA_UART0
 	default 0xfec02100 if DEBUG_SOCFPGA_UART1
-	default 0xfec12000 if DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0 || DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0_ALTERNATE
+	default 0xfec12000 if (DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0 || DEBUG_MVEBU_UART0_ALTERNATE) && ARCH_MVEBU
 	default 0xfec12100 if DEBUG_MVEBU_UART1_ALTERNATE
 	default 0xfec10000 if DEBUG_SIRFATLAS7_UART0
 	default 0xfec20000 if DEBUG_DAVINCI_DMx_UART0