diff --git a/drivers/serial/Kconfig b/drivers/serial/Kconfig
index 3ffedba..93e602e 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/serial/Kconfig
@@ -79,6 +79,18 @@
 	help
 	  The size of the RX buffer (needs to be power of 2)
 
+config SERIAL_SEARCH_ALL
+	bool "Search for serial devices after default one failed"
+	depends on DM_SERIAL
+	help
+	  The serial subsystem only searches for a single serial device
+	  that was instantiated, but does not check whether it was probed
+	  correctly. With this option set, we make successful probing
+	  mandatory and search for fallback serial devices if the default
+	  device does not work.
+
+	  If unsure, say N.
+
 config SPL_DM_SERIAL
 	bool "Enable Driver Model for serial drivers in SPL"
 	depends on DM_SERIAL
diff --git a/drivers/serial/serial-uclass.c b/drivers/serial/serial-uclass.c
index 68ca2d0..9891c20 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/serial-uclass.c
+++ b/drivers/serial/serial-uclass.c
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@
 {
 	const void *blob = gd->fdt_blob;
 	struct udevice *dev;
+#ifdef CONFIG_SERIAL_SEARCH_ALL
 	int ret;
+#endif
 
 	if (CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_PLATDATA)) {
 		uclass_first_device(UCLASS_SERIAL, &dev);
@@ -113,6 +115,8 @@
 #else
 #define INDEX 0
 #endif
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_SERIAL_SEARCH_ALL
 		if (!uclass_get_device_by_seq(UCLASS_SERIAL, INDEX, &dev) ||
 		    !uclass_get_device(UCLASS_SERIAL, INDEX, &dev)) {
 			if (dev->flags & DM_FLAG_ACTIVATED) {
@@ -131,6 +135,15 @@
 				return;
 			}
 		}
+#else
+		if (!uclass_get_device_by_seq(UCLASS_SERIAL, INDEX, &dev) ||
+		    !uclass_get_device(UCLASS_SERIAL, INDEX, &dev) ||
+		    (!uclass_first_device(UCLASS_SERIAL, &dev) && dev)) {
+			gd->cur_serial_dev = dev;
+			return;
+		}
+#endif
+
 #undef INDEX
 	}