diff --git a/board/qemu/x86/post-build.sh b/board/qemu/x86/post-build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..bf83a002c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/qemu/x86/post-build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -u
+set -e
+
+# Add a console on tty1
+if [ -e ${TARGET_DIR}/etc/inittab ]; then
+    grep -qE '^tty1::' ${TARGET_DIR}/etc/inittab || \
+	sed -i '/GENERIC_SERIAL/a\
+tty1::respawn:/sbin/getty -L  tty1 0 vt100 # QEMU graphical window' ${TARGET_DIR}/etc/inittab
+fi
diff --git a/board/qemu/x86/readme.txt b/board/qemu/x86/readme.txt
index 42fc2439da..3bbafecf91 100644
--- a/board/qemu/x86/readme.txt
+++ b/board/qemu/x86/readme.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Run the emulation with:
 
-  qemu-system-i386 -M pc -kernel output/images/bzImage -drive file=output/images/rootfs.ext2,if=virtio,format=raw -append "rootwait root=/dev/vda" -net nic,model=virtio -net user
+  qemu-system-i386 -M pc -kernel output/images/bzImage -drive file=output/images/rootfs.ext2,if=virtio,format=raw -append "rootwait root=/dev/vda console=tty1 console=ttyS0" -serial stdio -net nic,model=virtio -net user
 
 Optionally add -smp N to emulate a SMP system with N CPUs.
 
diff --git a/board/qemu/x86_64/post-build.sh b/board/qemu/x86_64/post-build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..bf83a002c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/qemu/x86_64/post-build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -u
+set -e
+
+# Add a console on tty1
+if [ -e ${TARGET_DIR}/etc/inittab ]; then
+    grep -qE '^tty1::' ${TARGET_DIR}/etc/inittab || \
+	sed -i '/GENERIC_SERIAL/a\
+tty1::respawn:/sbin/getty -L  tty1 0 vt100 # QEMU graphical window' ${TARGET_DIR}/etc/inittab
+fi
diff --git a/board/qemu/x86_64/readme.txt b/board/qemu/x86_64/readme.txt
index 4a1c0c0ff5..93ac22a947 100644
--- a/board/qemu/x86_64/readme.txt
+++ b/board/qemu/x86_64/readme.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Run the emulation with:
 
-  qemu-system-x86_64 -M pc -kernel output/images/bzImage -drive file=output/images/rootfs.ext2,if=virtio,format=raw -append "rootwait root=/dev/vda" -net nic,model=virtio -net user
+  qemu-system-x86_64 -M pc -kernel output/images/bzImage -drive file=output/images/rootfs.ext2,if=virtio,format=raw -append "rootwait root=/dev/vda console=tty1 console=ttyS0" -serial stdio -net nic,model=virtio -net user
 
 Optionally add -smp N to emulate a SMP system with N CPUs.
 
diff --git a/configs/qemu_x86_64_defconfig b/configs/qemu_x86_64_defconfig
index cbd0413a90..b561e42e51 100644
--- a/configs/qemu_x86_64_defconfig
+++ b/configs/qemu_x86_64_defconfig
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ BR2_x86_64=y
 
 # System
 BR2_SYSTEM_DHCP="eth0"
-BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_PORT="tty1"
 
 # Filesystem
 BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_EXT2=y
 # BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_TAR is not set
 
+# Image
+BR2_ROOTFS_POST_BUILD_SCRIPT="board/qemu/x86_64/post-build.sh"
+
 # Linux headers same as kernel, a 4.19 series
 BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_4_19=y
 
diff --git a/configs/qemu_x86_defconfig b/configs/qemu_x86_defconfig
index 6ca3ab9627..52f1744344 100644
--- a/configs/qemu_x86_defconfig
+++ b/configs/qemu_x86_defconfig
@@ -4,12 +4,14 @@ BR2_x86_pentiumpro=y
 
 # System
 BR2_SYSTEM_DHCP="eth0"
-BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_PORT="tty1"
 
 # Filesystem
 BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_EXT2=y
 # BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_TAR is not set
 
+# Image
+BR2_ROOTFS_POST_BUILD_SCRIPT="board/qemu/x86/post-build.sh"
+
 # Linux headers same as kernel, a 4.19 series
 BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_4_19=y