diff --git a/plat/rpi3/platform.mk b/plat/rpi3/platform.mk
index 36c1ee2..07d2bf1 100644
--- a/plat/rpi3/platform.mk
+++ b/plat/rpi3/platform.mk
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@
 # Assume that BL33 isn't the Linux kernel by default
 RPI3_DIRECT_LINUX_BOOT		:= 0
 
+# UART to use at runtime. -1 means the runtime UART is disabled.
+# Any other value means the default UART will be used.
+RPI3_RUNTIME_UART               := -1
+
 # BL32 location
 RPI3_BL32_RAM_LOCATION	:= tdram
 ifeq (${RPI3_BL32_RAM_LOCATION}, tsram)
@@ -126,6 +130,7 @@
 $(eval $(call add_define,RPI3_BL33_IN_AARCH32))
 $(eval $(call add_define,RPI3_DIRECT_LINUX_BOOT))
 $(eval $(call add_define,RPI3_PRELOADED_DTB_BASE))
+$(eval $(call add_define,RPI3_RUNTIME_UART))
 
 # Verify build config
 # -------------------
diff --git a/plat/rpi3/rpi3_common.c b/plat/rpi3/rpi3_common.c
index 18ff1c8..c7e8b3a 100644
--- a/plat/rpi3/rpi3_common.c
+++ b/plat/rpi3/rpi3_common.c
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@
 
 void rpi3_console_init(void)
 {
+	int console_scope = CONSOLE_FLAG_BOOT;
+#if RPI3_RUNTIME_UART != -1
+	console_scope |= CONSOLE_FLAG_RUNTIME;
+#endif
 	int rc = console_16550_register(PLAT_RPI3_UART_BASE,
 					PLAT_RPI3_UART_CLK_IN_HZ,
 					PLAT_RPI3_UART_BAUDRATE,
@@ -109,8 +113,7 @@
 		panic();
 	}
 
-	console_set_scope(&rpi3_console.console,
-			  CONSOLE_FLAG_BOOT | CONSOLE_FLAG_RUNTIME);
+	console_set_scope(&rpi3_console.console, console_scope);
 }
 
 /*******************************************************************************