diff --git a/sys/ia64/ia64/machdep.c b/sys/ia64/ia64/machdep.c
index bbd643915d07..1f03bf17cdd6 100644
--- a/sys/ia64/ia64/machdep.c
+++ b/sys/ia64/ia64/machdep.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #include <sys/uio.h>
 #include <sys/linker.h>
 #include <sys/random.h>
+#include <sys/cons.h>
 #include <net/netisr.h>
 #include <vm/vm.h>
 #include <vm/vm_kern.h>
@@ -383,12 +384,9 @@ ia64_init()
 	 */
 
 	/*
-	 * Initalize the (temporary) bootstrap console interface, so
-	 * we can use printf until the VM system starts being setup.
-	 * The real console is initialized before then.
-	 * TODO: I guess we start with a serial console here.
+	 * Initialize the console before we print anything out.
 	 */
-	ssccnattach();
+	cninit();
 
 	/* OUTPUT NOW ALLOWED */
 
diff --git a/sys/ia64/ia64/ssc.c b/sys/ia64/ia64/ssc.c
index 52eb48f5cad2..47c62786565a 100644
--- a/sys/ia64/ia64/ssc.c
+++ b/sys/ia64/ia64/ssc.c
@@ -96,6 +96,19 @@ ssc(u_int64_t in0, u_int64_t in1, u_int64_t in2, u_int64_t in3, int which)
 	return ret0;
 }
 
+static void
+ssccnprobe(struct consdev *cp)
+{
+	cp->cn_dev = makedev(CDEV_MAJOR, 0);
+	cp->cn_pri = CN_NORMAL;
+}
+
+static void
+ssccninit(struct consdev *cp)
+{
+	make_dev(&ssc_cdevsw, 0, UID_ROOT, GID_WHEEL, 0600, "ssccons");
+}
+
 static void
 ssccnputc(dev_t dev, int c)
 {
@@ -258,13 +271,4 @@ ssctimeout(void *v)
 	ssctimeouthandle = timeout(ssctimeout, tp, polltime);
 }
 
-CONS_DRIVER(ssc, NULL, NULL, NULL, ssccngetc, ssccncheckc, ssccnputc, NULL);
-
-void
-ssccnattach(void)
-{
-	cn_tab = &ssc_consdev;
-	ssc_consdev.cn_pri = CN_NORMAL;
-	ssc_consdev.cn_dev = makedev(CDEV_MAJOR, 0);
-	make_dev(&ssc_cdevsw, 0, UID_ROOT, GID_WHEEL, 0600, "ssccons");
-}
+CONS_DRIVER(ssc, ssccnprobe, ssccninit, NULL, ssccngetc, ssccncheckc, ssccnputc, NULL);