diff --git a/drivers/tty/Kconfig b/drivers/tty/Kconfig
index 93fd984eb2f5..ca359bbd62f5 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/tty/Kconfig
@@ -428,20 +428,6 @@ config MIPS_EJTAG_FDC_KGDB_CHAN
 	help
 	  FDC channel number to use for KGDB.
 
-config NULL_TTY
-	tristate "NULL TTY driver"
-	help
-	  Say Y here if you want a NULL TTY which simply discards messages.
-
-	  This is useful to allow userspace applications which expect a console
-	  device to work without modifications even when no console is
-	  available or desired.
-
-	  In order to use this driver, you should redirect the console to this
-	  TTY, or boot the kernel with console=ttynull.
-
-	  If unsure, say N.
-
 config TRACE_ROUTER
 	tristate "Trace data router for MIPI P1149.7 cJTAG standard"
 	depends on TRACE_SINK
diff --git a/drivers/tty/Makefile b/drivers/tty/Makefile
index 020b1cd9294f..f6b6bee0422d 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/tty/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 obj-$(CONFIG_TTY)		+= tty_io.o n_tty.o tty_ioctl.o tty_ldisc.o \
 				   tty_buffer.o tty_port.o tty_mutex.o \
 				   tty_ldsem.o tty_baudrate.o tty_jobctrl.o \
-				   n_null.o
+				   n_null.o ttynull.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_LEGACY_PTYS)	+= pty.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_UNIX98_PTYS)	+= pty.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_AUDIT)		+= tty_audit.o
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_ISI)		+= isicom.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_MOXA_INTELLIO)	+= moxa.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_MOXA_SMARTIO)	+= mxser.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_NOZOMI)		+= nozomi.o
-obj-$(CONFIG_NULL_TTY)	        += ttynull.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_ROCKETPORT)	+= rocket.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SYNCLINK_GT)	+= synclink_gt.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SYNCLINKMP)	+= synclinkmp.o
diff --git a/drivers/tty/ttynull.c b/drivers/tty/ttynull.c
index 17f05b7eb6d3..eced70ec54e1 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/ttynull.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/ttynull.c
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (C) 2019 Axis Communications AB
  *
+ * The console is useful for userspace applications which expect a console
+ * device to work without modifications even when no console is available
+ * or desired.
+ *
+ * In order to use this driver, you should redirect the console to this
+ * TTY, or boot the kernel with console=ttynull.
+ *
  * Based on ttyprintk.c:
  *  Copyright (C) 2010 Samo Pogacnik
  */
@@ -59,6 +66,17 @@ static struct console ttynull_console = {
 	.device = ttynull_device,
 };
 
+void __init register_ttynull_console(void)
+{
+	if (!ttynull_driver)
+		return;
+
+	if (add_preferred_console(ttynull_console.name, 0, NULL))
+		return;
+
+	register_console(&ttynull_console);
+}
+
 static int __init ttynull_init(void)
 {
 	struct tty_driver *driver;
diff --git a/include/linux/console.h b/include/linux/console.h
index 4b1e26c4cb42..9c662e41cde5 100644
--- a/include/linux/console.h
+++ b/include/linux/console.h
@@ -187,9 +187,12 @@ extern int braille_register_console(struct console *, int index,
 extern int braille_unregister_console(struct console *);
 #ifdef CONFIG_TTY
 extern void console_sysfs_notify(void);
+extern void register_ttynull_console(void);
 #else
 static inline void console_sysfs_notify(void)
 { }
+static inline void register_ttynull_console(void)
+{ }
 #endif
 extern bool console_suspend_enabled;
 
diff --git a/init/main.c b/init/main.c
index 20baced721ad..08cd3a52a7e8 100644
--- a/init/main.c
+++ b/init/main.c
@@ -1480,8 +1480,14 @@ void __init console_on_rootfs(void)
 	struct file *file = filp_open("/dev/console", O_RDWR, 0);
 
 	if (IS_ERR(file)) {
-		pr_err("Warning: unable to open an initial console.\n");
-		return;
+		pr_err("Warning: unable to open an initial console. Fallback to ttynull.\n");
+		register_ttynull_console();
+
+		file = filp_open("/dev/console", O_RDWR, 0);
+		if (IS_ERR(file)) {
+			pr_err("Warning: Failed to add ttynull console. No stdin, stdout, and stderr for the init process!\n");
+			return;
+		}
 	}
 	init_dup(file);
 	init_dup(file);
diff --git a/kernel/printk/printk.c b/kernel/printk/printk.c
index c8847ee571f0..ccbdac579bd0 100644
--- a/kernel/printk/printk.c
+++ b/kernel/printk/printk.c
@@ -2236,8 +2236,15 @@ static int __init console_setup(char *str)
 	char *s, *options, *brl_options = NULL;
 	int idx;
 
-	if (str[0] == 0)
+	/*
+	 * console="" or console=null have been suggested as a way to
+	 * disable console output. Use ttynull that has been created
+	 * for exacly this purpose.
+	 */
+	if (str[0] == 0 || strcmp(str, "null") == 0) {
+		__add_preferred_console("ttynull", 0, NULL, NULL, true);
 		return 1;
+	}
 
 	if (_braille_console_setup(&str, &brl_options))
 		return 1;