diff --git a/src/lxc/conf.c b/src/lxc/conf.c
index 7486fdf0a..3242f17b6 100644
--- a/src/lxc/conf.c
+++ b/src/lxc/conf.c
@@ -676,8 +676,10 @@ static int setup_console(const char *rootfs, const struct lxc_console *console)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (console->peer == -1)
+	if (console->peer == -1) {
 		INFO("no console output required");
+		return 0;
+	}
 
 	if (stat(path, &s)) {
 		SYSERROR("failed to stat '%s'", path);
diff --git a/src/lxc/console.c b/src/lxc/console.c
index 16c5b590c..f40fb0be2 100644
--- a/src/lxc/console.c
+++ b/src/lxc/console.c
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ int lxc_create_console(struct lxc_conf *conf)
 	if (!conf->rootfs)
 		return 0;
 
+	if (!console->path)
+		return 0;
+
 	if (openpty(&console->master, &console->slave,
 		    console->name, NULL, NULL)) {
 		SYSERROR("failed to allocate a pty");
@@ -257,6 +260,11 @@ int lxc_console_mainloop_add(struct lxc_epoll_descr *descr,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!console->path) {
+		INFO("no console specified");
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	if (lxc_mainloop_add_handler(descr, console->master,
 				     console_handler, console)) {
 		ERROR("failed to add to mainloop console handler for '%d'",