diff --git a/arch/ia64/Kconfig.debug b/arch/ia64/Kconfig.debug
index 40ca23bd228d..2ce008e2d164 100644
--- a/arch/ia64/Kconfig.debug
+++ b/arch/ia64/Kconfig.debug
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ config DISABLE_VHPT
 
 config IA64_DEBUG_CMPXCHG
 	bool "Turn on compare-and-exchange bug checking (slow!)"
-	depends on DEBUG_KERNEL
+	depends on DEBUG_KERNEL && PRINTK
 	help
 	  Selecting this option turns on bug checking for the IA-64
 	  compare-and-exchange instructions.  This is slow!  Itaniums