diff --git a/arch/nios2/Kconfig.debug b/arch/nios2/Kconfig.debug
index a8bc06e96ef5..ca1beb87f987 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/Kconfig.debug
+++ b/arch/nios2/Kconfig.debug
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
 config EARLY_PRINTK
 	bool "Activate early kernel debugging"
 	default y
+	depends on TTY
 	select SERIAL_CORE_CONSOLE
 	help
-	  Enable early printk on console
+	  Enable early printk on console.
 	  This is useful for kernel debugging when your machine crashes very
 	  early before the console code is initialized.
 	  You should normally say N here, unless you want to debug such a crash.