diff --git a/common/board_r.c b/common/board_r.c
index 64beae5..6ac2b7e 100644
--- a/common/board_r.c
+++ b/common/board_r.c
@@ -715,6 +715,15 @@ init_fnc_t init_sequence_r[] = {
 	/* TODO: could x86/PPC have this also perhaps? */
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARM
 	initr_caches,
+#endif
+	initr_reloc_global_data,
+	initr_barrier,
+	initr_malloc,
+	bootstage_relocate,
+#ifdef CONFIG_DM
+	initr_dm,
+#endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_ARM
 	board_init,	/* Setup chipselects */
 #endif
 	/*
@@ -726,16 +735,7 @@ init_fnc_t init_sequence_r[] = {
 #ifdef CONFIG_CLOCKS
 	set_cpu_clk_info, /* Setup clock information */
 #endif
-	initr_reloc_global_data,
-	initr_barrier,
-	initr_malloc,
-	bootstage_relocate,
-#ifdef CONFIG_DM_SERIAL
-	stdio_init,
-#endif
-#ifdef CONFIG_DM
-	initr_dm,
-#endif
+	stdio_init_tables,
 	initr_serial,
 	initr_announce,
 	INIT_FUNC_WATCHDOG_RESET
@@ -821,9 +821,7 @@ init_fnc_t init_sequence_r[] = {
 	 */
 	initr_pci,
 #endif
-#ifndef CONFIG_DM_SERIAL
-	stdio_init,
-#endif
+	stdio_add_devices,
 	initr_jumptable,
 #ifdef CONFIG_API
 	initr_api,
diff --git a/common/stdio.c b/common/stdio.c
index 692ca7f..c878103 100644
--- a/common/stdio.c
+++ b/common/stdio.c
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ int stdio_deregister(const char *devname)
 }
 #endif	/* CONFIG_SYS_STDIO_DEREGISTER */
 
-int stdio_init (void)
+int stdio_init_tables(void)
 {
 #if defined(CONFIG_NEEDS_MANUAL_RELOC)
 	/* already relocated for current ARM implementation */
@@ -232,6 +232,11 @@ int stdio_init (void)
 	/* Initialize the list */
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&(devs.list));
 
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int stdio_add_devices(void)
+{
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYS_I2C
 	i2c_init_all();
 #else
@@ -265,5 +270,14 @@ int stdio_init (void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_CBMEM_CONSOLE
 	cbmemc_init();
 #endif
-	return (0);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int stdio_init(void)
+{
+	stdio_init_tables();
+	stdio_add_devices();
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/include/stdio_dev.h b/include/stdio_dev.h
index a7d0825..268de8e 100644
--- a/include/stdio_dev.h
+++ b/include/stdio_dev.h
@@ -78,7 +78,29 @@ extern char *stdio_names[MAX_FILES];
  */
 int	stdio_register (struct stdio_dev * dev);
 int stdio_register_dev(struct stdio_dev *dev, struct stdio_dev **devp);
-int	stdio_init (void);
+
+/**
+ * stdio_init_tables() - set up stdio tables ready for devices
+ *
+ * This does not add any devices, but just prepares stdio for use.
+ */
+int stdio_init_tables(void);
+
+/**
+ * stdio_add_devices() - Add stdio devices to the table
+ *
+ * This makes calls to all the various subsystems that use stdio, to make
+ * them register with stdio.
+ */
+int stdio_add_devices(void);
+
+/**
+ * stdio_init() - Sets up stdio ready for use
+ *
+ * This calls stdio_init_tables() and stdio_add_devices()
+ */
+int stdio_init(void);
+
 void	stdio_print_current_devices(void);
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYS_STDIO_DEREGISTER
 int	stdio_deregister(const char *devname);