diff --git a/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c b/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c
index 2e471c22abf5a5e835704e71767017923f747c0c..88e92041d8f02d6136458535c61c3090c304e576 100644
--- a/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c
+++ b/drivers/video/console/fbcon.c
@@ -372,8 +372,15 @@ static void fb_flashcursor(struct work_struct *work)
 	struct vc_data *vc = NULL;
 	int c;
 	int mode;
+	int ret;
+
+	/* FIXME: we should sort out the unbind locking instead */
+	/* instead we just fail to flash the cursor if we can't get
+	 * the lock instead of blocking fbcon deinit */
+	ret = console_trylock();
+	if (ret == 0)
+		return;
 
-	console_lock();
 	if (ops && ops->currcon != -1)
 		vc = vc_cons[ops->currcon].d;