diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index 7cdeffd61e..1332863ed3 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@
 /***********************************************************/
 /* character device */
 
+static TAILQ_HEAD(CharDriverStateHead, CharDriverState) chardevs =
+    TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(chardevs);
+static int initial_reset_issued;
+
 static void qemu_chr_event(CharDriverState *s, int event)
 {
     if (!s->chr_event)
@@ -118,12 +122,23 @@ static void qemu_chr_reset_bh(void *opaque)
 
 void qemu_chr_reset(CharDriverState *s)
 {
-    if (s->bh == NULL) {
+    if (s->bh == NULL && initial_reset_issued) {
 	s->bh = qemu_bh_new(qemu_chr_reset_bh, s);
 	qemu_bh_schedule(s->bh);
     }
 }
 
+void qemu_chr_initial_reset(void)
+{
+    CharDriverState *chr;
+
+    initial_reset_issued = 1;
+
+    TAILQ_FOREACH(chr, &chardevs, next) {
+        qemu_chr_reset(chr);
+    }
+}
+
 int qemu_chr_write(CharDriverState *s, const uint8_t *buf, int len)
 {
     return s->chr_write(s, buf, len);
@@ -2076,9 +2091,6 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_tcp(const char *host_str,
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static TAILQ_HEAD(CharDriverStateHead, CharDriverState) chardevs
-= TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(chardevs);
-
 CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open(const char *label, const char *filename, void (*init)(struct CharDriverState *s))
 {
     const char *p;
diff --git a/qemu-char.h b/qemu-char.h
index bc0fcf3259..9ff6b99c45 100644
--- a/qemu-char.h
+++ b/qemu-char.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ void qemu_chr_add_handlers(CharDriverState *s,
                            void *opaque);
 int qemu_chr_ioctl(CharDriverState *s, int cmd, void *arg);
 void qemu_chr_reset(CharDriverState *s);
+void qemu_chr_initial_reset(void);
 int qemu_chr_can_read(CharDriverState *s);
 void qemu_chr_read(CharDriverState *s, uint8_t *buf, int len);
 void qemu_chr_accept_input(CharDriverState *s);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index d3863c493b..9ba6bc451a 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -5693,6 +5693,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     }
 
     text_consoles_set_display(display_state);
+    qemu_chr_initial_reset();
 
     if (monitor_device && monitor_hd)
         monitor_init(monitor_hd, !nographic);