diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/README.rst b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/README.rst
index 232a0aa..a79d5d7 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/README.rst
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/README.rst
@@ -16,10 +16,16 @@ Provider
 
 -  ``virtio``: Specifies which virtio kernel modules to install.
    ``optional``
+-  ``console``: Specifies which console should be used for stdout and stderr of init process
+   to show startup messages and act as a console in single-user mode. Regardless of
+   this setting output of kernel messages generated by ``printk()`` and seen by ``dmesg``
+   goes to both virtual and serial console. Valid options: ```virtual``` or ```serial``` (default).
+   ``optional``
 -  ``logicalvolume``: Specifies the logical volume where the disk image will be built.
-   ``volumegroup``: Specifies the volume group where the logical volume will be stored.
+-  ``volumegroup``: Specifies the volume group where the logical volume will be stored.
    These options should only be used if ``lvm`` was given as a disk backend.
 
+
 Example:
 
 .. code-block:: yaml
@@ -30,6 +36,7 @@ Example:
       virtio:
         - virtio_blk
         - virtio_net
+      console: virtual
     volume:
       backing: lvm
       logicalvolume: lvtest
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/__init__.py b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/__init__.py
index e993383..4104af0 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/__init__.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from bootstrapvz.common import task_groups
 import tasks.packages
+import tasks.boot
 from bootstrapvz.common.tasks import image, loopback, initd, ssh, logicalvolume
 
 
@@ -31,6 +32,16 @@ def resolve_tasks(taskset, manifest):
         from tasks import virtio
         taskset.update([virtio.VirtIO])
 
+    if manifest.provider.get('console', False):
+        if manifest.provider['console'] == 'virtual':
+            taskset.update([tasks.boot.SetGrubConsolOutputDeviceToVirtual])
+
+            from bootstrapvz.common.releases import jessie
+            if manifest.release >= jessie:
+                taskset.update([tasks.boot.SetGrubConsolOutputDeviceToVirtual,
+                                tasks.boot.SetSystemdTTYVTDisallocate,
+                                ])
+
 
 def resolve_rollback_tasks(taskset, manifest, completed, counter_task):
     taskset.update(task_groups.get_standard_rollback_tasks(completed))
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/assets/noclear.conf b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/assets/noclear.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59c004f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/assets/noclear.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# https://wiki.debian.org/systemd#Missing_startup_messages_on_console.28tty1.29_after_the_boot
+[Service]
+TTYVTDisallocate=no
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/manifest-schema.yml b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/manifest-schema.yml
index 931c3cf..503c0c5 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/manifest-schema.yml
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/manifest-schema.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ properties:
           - virtio_net
           - virtio_ring
         minItems: 1
+      console:
+        type: string
+        enum:
+        - serial
+        - virtual
   system:
     type: object
     properties:
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/tasks/boot.py b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/tasks/boot.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..123d2e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/kvm/tasks/boot.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+from bootstrapvz.base import Task
+from bootstrapvz.common import phases
+from bootstrapvz.common.tasks import grub
+from bootstrapvz.common.tools import rel_path
+
+assets = rel_path(__file__, '../assets')
+
+
+class SetGrubConsolOutputDeviceToVirtual(Task):
+    description = 'Setting the init process terminal output device to `tty0\''
+    phase = phases.system_modification
+    predecessors = [grub.SetGrubConsolOutputDeviceToSerial]
+    successors = [grub.WriteGrubConfig]
+
+    @classmethod
+    def run(cls, info):
+        info.grub_config['GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX'].append('console=tty0')
+
+
+class SetGrubSystemdShowStatus(Task):
+    description = 'Setting systemd show_status'
+    phase = phases.system_modification
+    successors = [grub.WriteGrubConfig]
+
+    @classmethod
+    def run(cls, info):
+        info.grub_config['GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX'].append('systemd.show_status=1')
+
+
+class SetSystemdTTYVTDisallocate(Task):
+    description = 'Setting systemd TTYVTDisallocate to no\''
+    phase = phases.system_modification
+
+    @classmethod
+    def run(cls, info):
+        import os.path
+        from shutil import copy
+
+        src = os.path.join(assets, 'noclear.conf')
+        dst_dir = os.path.join(info.root, 'etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d')
+        dst = os.path.join(dst_dir, 'noclear.conf')
+        os.mkdir(dst_dir, 0755)
+        copy(src, dst)
diff --git a/manifests/examples/kvm/stretch-console.yml b/manifests/examples/kvm/stretch-console.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9184e00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manifests/examples/kvm/stretch-console.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+---
+name: debian-{system.release}-{system.architecture}-{%Y}{%m}{%d}
+provider:
+  name: kvm
+  virtio_modules:
+    - virtio_blk
+    - virtio_net
+    - virtio_rng
+  console: virtual
+bootstrapper:
+  workspace: /target
+system:
+  release: stretch
+  architecture: amd64
+  bootloader: grub
+  charmap: UTF-8
+  locale: en_US
+  timezone: UTC
+volume:
+  backing: raw
+  partitions:
+    type: msdos
+    root:
+      filesystem: ext4
+      size: 2GiB
+      mountopts:
+        - defaults
+        - noatime
+        - errors=remount-ro