diff --git a/common/console.c b/common/console.c
index bde94122399..e783f309bf0 100644
--- a/common/console.c
+++ b/common/console.c
@@ -600,6 +600,9 @@ static void pre_console_putc(const char c)
 {
 	char *buffer;
 
+	if (gd->precon_buf_idx < 0)
+		return;
+
 	buffer = map_sysmem(CONFIG_VAL(PRE_CON_BUF_ADDR), CONFIG_VAL(PRE_CON_BUF_SZ));
 
 	buffer[CIRC_BUF_IDX(gd->precon_buf_idx++)] = c;
@@ -609,13 +612,16 @@ static void pre_console_putc(const char c)
 
 static void pre_console_puts(const char *s)
 {
+	if (gd->precon_buf_idx < 0)
+		return;
+
 	while (*s)
 		pre_console_putc(*s++);
 }
 
 static void print_pre_console_buffer(int flushpoint)
 {
-	unsigned long in = 0, out = 0;
+	long in = 0, out = 0;
 	char buf_out[CONFIG_VAL(PRE_CON_BUF_SZ) + 1];
 	char *buf_in;
 
@@ -632,6 +638,7 @@ static void print_pre_console_buffer(int flushpoint)
 
 	buf_out[out] = 0;
 
+	gd->precon_buf_idx = -1;
 	switch (flushpoint) {
 	case PRE_CONSOLE_FLUSHPOINT1_SERIAL:
 		puts(buf_out);
@@ -640,6 +647,7 @@ static void print_pre_console_buffer(int flushpoint)
 		console_puts_select(stdout, false, buf_out);
 		break;
 	}
+	gd->precon_buf_idx = in;
 }
 #else
 static inline void pre_console_putc(const char c) {}
diff --git a/include/asm-generic/global_data.h b/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
index 805a6fd6797..2a747d91e16 100644
--- a/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
+++ b/include/asm-generic/global_data.h
@@ -115,10 +115,14 @@ struct global_data {
 	/**
 	 * @precon_buf_idx: pre-console buffer index
 	 *
-	 * @precon_buf_idx indicates the current position of the buffer used to
-	 * collect output before the console becomes available
+	 * @precon_buf_idx indicates the current position of the
+	 * buffer used to collect output before the console becomes
+	 * available. When negative, the pre-console buffer is
+	 * temporarily disabled (used when the pre-console buffer is
+	 * being written out, to prevent adding its contents to
+	 * itself).
 	 */
-	unsigned long precon_buf_idx;
+	long precon_buf_idx;
 #endif
 	/**
 	 * @env_addr: address of environment structure