diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 5089fce6c5..a5808f9a02 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2890,6 +2890,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     char *dir, **dirs;
     BlockdevOptionsQueue bdo_queue = QSIMPLEQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(bdo_queue);
 
+    os_set_line_buffering();
+
     error_init(argv[0]);
     module_call_init(MODULE_INIT_TRACE);
 
@@ -4246,8 +4248,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         semihosting_arg_fallback(kernel_filename, kernel_cmdline);
     }
 
-    os_set_line_buffering();
-
     /* spice needs the timers to be initialized by this point */
     qemu_spice_init();