release_console_sem();
 }
 
-void set_console(int nr)
+int set_console(int nr)
 {
+       struct vc_data *vc = vc_cons[fg_console].d;
+
+       if (!vc_cons_allocated(nr) || vt_dont_switch ||
+               (vc->vt_mode.mode == VT_AUTO && vc->vc_mode == KD_GRAPHICS)) {
+
+               /*
+                * Console switch will fail in console_callback() or
+                * change_console() so there is no point scheduling
+                * the callback
+                *
+                * Existing set_console() users don't check the return
+                * value so this shouldn't break anything
+                */
+               return -EINVAL;
+       }
+
        want_console = nr;
        schedule_console_callback();
+
+       return 0;
 }
 
 struct tty_driver *console_driver;
 
 #include <linux/kbd_diacr.h>
 #include <linux/selection.h>
 
-static char vt_dont_switch;
+char vt_dont_switch;
 extern struct tty_driver *console_driver;
 
 #define VT_IS_IN_USE(i)        (console_driver->ttys[i] && console_driver->ttys[i]->count)
 
 
 extern void (*kbd_ledfunc)(unsigned int led);
 
-extern void set_console(int nr);
+extern int set_console(int nr);
 extern void schedule_console_callback(void);
 
 static inline void set_leds(void)
 
 #define CON_BUF_SIZE (CONFIG_BASE_SMALL ? 256 : PAGE_SIZE)
 extern char con_buf[CON_BUF_SIZE];
 extern struct semaphore con_buf_sem;
+extern char vt_dont_switch;
 
 struct vt_spawn_console {
        spinlock_t lock;
 
                return 1;
        }
 
-       set_console(SUSPEND_CONSOLE);
+       if (set_console(SUSPEND_CONSOLE)) {
+               /*
+                * We're unable to switch to the SUSPEND_CONSOLE.
+                * Let the calling function know so it can decide
+                * what to do.
+                */
+               release_console_sem();
+               return 1;
+       }
        release_console_sem();
 
        if (vt_waitactive(SUSPEND_CONSOLE)) {