diff --git a/drivers/net/Kconfig b/drivers/net/Kconfig
index be43cd08027b..44eeb5d61ba9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/net/Kconfig
@@ -332,6 +332,28 @@ config NETCONSOLE_DYNAMIC
 	  at runtime through a userspace interface exported using configfs.
 	  See <file:Documentation/networking/netconsole.rst> for details.
 
+config NETCONSOLE_EXTENDED_LOG
+	bool "Set kernel extended message by default"
+	depends on NETCONSOLE
+	default n
+	help
+	  Set extended log support for netconsole message. If this option is
+	  set, log messages are transmitted with extended metadata header in a
+	  format similar to /dev/kmsg.  See
+	  <file:Documentation/networking/netconsole.rst> for details.
+
+config NETCONSOLE_PREPEND_RELEASE
+	bool "Prepend kernel release version in the message by default"
+	depends on NETCONSOLE_EXTENDED_LOG
+	default n
+	help
+	  Set kernel release to be prepended to each netconsole message by
+	  default. If this option is set, the kernel release is prepended into
+	  the first field of every netconsole message, so, the netconsole
+	  server/peer can easily identify what kernel release is logging each
+	  message.  See <file:Documentation/networking/netconsole.rst> for
+	  details.
+
 config NETPOLL
 	def_bool NETCONSOLE
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/netconsole.c b/drivers/net/netconsole.c
index 87f18aedd3bd..3111e1648592 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netconsole.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netconsole.c
@@ -167,19 +167,21 @@ static void netconsole_target_put(struct netconsole_target *nt)
 
 #endif	/* CONFIG_NETCONSOLE_DYNAMIC */
 
-/* Allocate new target (from boot/module param) and setup netpoll for it */
-static struct netconsole_target *alloc_param_target(char *target_config)
+/* Allocate and initialize with defaults.
+ * Note that these targets get their config_item fields zeroed-out.
+ */
+static struct netconsole_target *alloc_and_init(void)
 {
-	int err = -ENOMEM;
 	struct netconsole_target *nt;
 
-	/*
-	 * Allocate and initialize with defaults.
-	 * Note that these targets get their config_item fields zeroed-out.
-	 */
 	nt = kzalloc(sizeof(*nt), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!nt)
-		goto fail;
+		return nt;
+
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NETCONSOLE_EXTENDED_LOG))
+		nt->extended = true;
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_NETCONSOLE_PREPEND_RELEASE))
+		nt->release = true;
 
 	nt->np.name = "netconsole";
 	strscpy(nt->np.dev_name, "eth0", IFNAMSIZ);
@@ -187,6 +189,21 @@ static struct netconsole_target *alloc_param_target(char *target_config)
 	nt->np.remote_port = 6666;
 	eth_broadcast_addr(nt->np.remote_mac);
 
+	return nt;
+}
+
+/* Allocate new target (from boot/module param) and setup netpoll for it */
+static struct netconsole_target *alloc_param_target(char *target_config)
+{
+	struct netconsole_target *nt;
+	int err;
+
+	nt = alloc_and_init();
+	if (!nt) {
+		err = -ENOMEM;
+		goto fail;
+	}
+
 	if (*target_config == '+') {
 		nt->extended = true;
 		target_config++;
@@ -195,6 +212,7 @@ static struct netconsole_target *alloc_param_target(char *target_config)
 	if (*target_config == 'r') {
 		if (!nt->extended) {
 			pr_err("Netconsole configuration error. Release feature requires extended log message");
+			err = -EINVAL;
 			goto fail;
 		}
 		nt->release = true;
@@ -664,23 +682,13 @@ static const struct config_item_type netconsole_target_type = {
 static struct config_item *make_netconsole_target(struct config_group *group,
 						  const char *name)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
 	struct netconsole_target *nt;
+	unsigned long flags;
 
-	/*
-	 * Allocate and initialize with defaults.
-	 * Target is disabled at creation (!enabled).
-	 */
-	nt = kzalloc(sizeof(*nt), GFP_KERNEL);
+	nt = alloc_and_init();
 	if (!nt)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 
-	nt->np.name = "netconsole";
-	strscpy(nt->np.dev_name, "eth0", IFNAMSIZ);
-	nt->np.local_port = 6665;
-	nt->np.remote_port = 6666;
-	eth_broadcast_addr(nt->np.remote_mac);
-
 	/* Initialize the config_item member */
 	config_item_init_type_name(&nt->item, name, &netconsole_target_type);