diff --git a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/serial.c b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/serial.c
index dc9b3236cb..00888e9062 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/serial.c
+++ b/arch/powerpc/cpu/mpc8xx/serial.c
@@ -681,6 +681,17 @@ __weak struct serial_device *default_serial_console(void)
 #endif
 }
 
+void mpc8xx_serial_initialize(void)
+{
+#if defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SMC1) || defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SMC2)
+	serial_register(&serial_smc_device);
+#endif
+#if	defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SCC1) || defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SCC2) || \
+	defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SCC3) || defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SCC4)
+	serial_register(&serial_scc_device);
+#endif
+}
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_MODEM_SUPPORT
 void disable_putc(void)
 {
diff --git a/common/serial.c b/common/serial.c
index 7423920b93..5cbfb6d595 100644
--- a/common/serial.c
+++ b/common/serial.c
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ static void serial_null(void)
 	void name(void)						\
 		__attribute__((weak, alias("serial_null")));
 
+serial_initfunc(mpc8xx_serial_initialize);
+
 void serial_register(struct serial_device *dev)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_NEEDS_MANUAL_RELOC
@@ -57,14 +59,7 @@ void serial_register(struct serial_device *dev)
 
 void serial_initialize(void)
 {
-#if defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SMC1) || defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SMC2)
-	serial_register(&serial_smc_device);
-#endif
-#if	defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SCC1) || defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SCC2) || \
-	defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SCC3) || defined(CONFIG_8xx_CONS_SCC4)
-	serial_register(&serial_scc_device);
-#endif
-
+	mpc8xx_serial_initialize();
 #if defined(CONFIG_SYS_NS16550_SERIAL)
 #if defined(CONFIG_SYS_NS16550_COM1)
 	serial_register(&eserial1_device);