diff --git a/drivers/char/vt.c b/drivers/char/vt.c
index e5ef1dfc54826a33b4b86e9347b8584087bda831..d7aa7a29f67e888c5f2b1946245ef84f60c47783 100644
--- a/drivers/char/vt.c
+++ b/drivers/char/vt.c
@@ -2867,6 +2867,10 @@ void unblank_screen(void)
  */
 static void blank_screen_t(unsigned long dummy)
 {
+	if (unlikely(!keventd_up())) {
+		mod_timer(&console_timer, jiffies + blankinterval);
+		return;
+	}
 	blank_timer_expired = 1;
 	schedule_work(&console_work);
 }