diff --git a/arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.c b/arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.c
index de1d54d8bddc..8c29f82b15e4 100644
--- a/arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.c
+++ b/arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.c
@@ -169,15 +169,11 @@ static void serial_putchar(int ch)
 	outb(ch, early_serial_base + TXR);
 }
 
-void __putstr(int error, const char *s)
+void __putstr(const char *s)
 {
 	int x, y, pos;
 	char c;
 
-#ifndef CONFIG_X86_VERBOSE_BOOTUP
-	if (!error)
-		return;
-#endif
 	if (early_serial_base) {
 		const char *str = s;
 		while (*str) {
@@ -223,12 +219,6 @@ void __putstr(int error, const char *s)
 	outb(0xff & (pos >> 1), vidport+1);
 }
 
-static void debug_putstr(const char *s)
-{
-	if (debug)
-		putstr(s);
-}
-
 void *memset(void *s, int c, size_t n)
 {
 	int i;
diff --git a/arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.h b/arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.h
index 4c1bfb69e0d8..618e5c830f15 100644
--- a/arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.h
+++ b/arch/x86/boot/compressed/misc.h
@@ -24,10 +24,19 @@
 
 /* misc.c */
 extern struct boot_params *real_mode;		/* Pointer to real-mode data */
-void __putstr(int error, const char *s);
-#define putstr(__x)  __putstr(0, __x)
-#define error_putstr(__x)  __putstr(1, __x)
-#define puts(__x)  __putstr(0, __x)
+void __putstr(const char *s);
+#define error_putstr(__x)  __putstr(__x)
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_X86_VERBOSE_BOOTUP
+
+#define debug_putstr(__x)  __putstr(__x)
+
+#else
+
+static inline void debug_putstr(const char *s)
+{ }
+
+#endif
 
 /* cmdline.c */
 int cmdline_find_option(const char *option, char *buffer, int bufsize);