diff --git a/stand/efi/loader/main.c b/stand/efi/loader/main.c
index c5d664dce65e..641cc7154f13 100644
--- a/stand/efi/loader/main.c
+++ b/stand/efi/loader/main.c
@@ -703,8 +703,11 @@ parse_uefi_con_out(void)
 	how = 0;
 	sz = sizeof(buf);
 	rv = efi_global_getenv("ConOut", buf, &sz);
-	if (rv != EFI_SUCCESS)
+	if (rv != EFI_SUCCESS) {
+		/* If we don't have any ConOut default to serial */
+		how = RB_SERIAL;
 		goto out;
+	}
 	ep = buf + sz;
 	node = (EFI_DEVICE_PATH *)buf;
 	while ((char *)node < ep) {