diff --git a/hw/mips_malta.c b/hw/mips_malta.c
index 03db2f8a6cb157c285b1a5f8c503c8e56ff88254..eeb351387656c3dcd184be4335e8ee4e5ac9dd44 100644
--- a/hw/mips_malta.c
+++ b/hw/mips_malta.c
@@ -569,9 +569,12 @@ void mips_malta_init (int ram_size, int vga_ram_size, int boot_device,
     /* Super I/O */
     kbd_init();
     rtc_state = rtc_init(0x70, 8);
-    serial_init(&pic_set_irq_new, isa_pic, 0x3f8, 4, serial_hds[0]);
-    serial_init(&pic_set_irq_new, isa_pic, 0x2f8, 4, serial_hds[0]);
-    parallel_init(0x378, 7, parallel_hds[0]);
+    if (serial_hds[0])
+        serial_init(&pic_set_irq_new, isa_pic, 0x3f8, 4, serial_hds[0]);
+    if (serial_hds[1])
+        serial_init(&pic_set_irq_new, isa_pic, 0x2f8, 4, serial_hds[1]);
+    if (parallel_hds[0])
+        parallel_init(0x378, 7, parallel_hds[0]);
     /* XXX: The floppy controller does not work correctly, something is
        probably wrong.
     floppy_controller = fdctrl_init(6, 2, 0, 0x3f0, fd_table); */