diff --git a/stand/efi/libefi/efi_console.c b/stand/efi/libefi/efi_console.c
index 7024f9c8b2f2..3cbd121c41da 100644
--- a/stand/efi/libefi/efi_console.c
+++ b/stand/efi/libefi/efi_console.c
@@ -886,6 +886,9 @@ cons_update_mode(bool use_gfx_mode)
 	EFI_STATUS status;
 	char env[10], *ptr;
 
+	if (!efi_started)
+		return (false);
+
 	/*
 	 * Despite the use_gfx_mode, we want to make sure we call
 	 * efi_find_framebuffer(). This will populate the fb data,
diff --git a/stand/i386/libi386/vidconsole.c b/stand/i386/libi386/vidconsole.c
index f94ed2d26712..b933a7807687 100644
--- a/stand/i386/libi386/vidconsole.c
+++ b/stand/i386/libi386/vidconsole.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ static int	vidc_getchar(void);
 static int	vidc_ischar(void);
 static void	cons_draw_frame(teken_attr_t *);
 
-static int	vidc_started;
+static bool	vidc_started;
 static uint16_t	*vgatext;
 
 static tf_bell_t	vidc_cons_bell;
@@ -877,6 +877,10 @@ cons_update_mode(bool use_gfx_mode)
 	char env[10], *ptr;
 	int format, roff, goff, boff;
 
+	/* vidc_init() is not called yet. */
+	if (!vidc_started)
+		return (false);
+
 	gfx_state.tg_tp.tp_row = TEXT_ROWS;
 	gfx_state.tg_tp.tp_col = TEXT_COLS;
 
@@ -996,7 +1000,7 @@ vidc_init(int arg)
 	if (vidc_started && arg == 0)
 		return (0);
 
-	vidc_started = 1;
+	vidc_started = true;
 	vbe_init();
 
 	/*