diff --git a/drivers/video/fbdev/sm712fb.c b/drivers/video/fbdev/sm712fb.c
index 1a3d232c29161daff4a43069088798d983248ee0..e8149f0f47d584a850e34a62d7872a48ac9c66b8 100644
--- a/drivers/video/fbdev/sm712fb.c
+++ b/drivers/video/fbdev/sm712fb.c
@@ -1493,7 +1493,11 @@ static int smtcfb_pci_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 	if (err)
 		goto failed;
 
-	smtcfb_setmode(sfb);
+	/*
+	 * The screen would be temporarily garbled when sm712fb takes over
+	 * vesafb or VGA text mode. Zero the framebuffer.
+	 */
+	memset_io(sfb->lfb, 0, sfb->fb->fix.smem_len);
 
 	err = register_framebuffer(info);
 	if (err < 0)