diff --git a/board/ge/bx50v3/bx50v3.c b/board/ge/bx50v3/bx50v3.c
index 59ec9a0d24..df2d22b61f 100644
--- a/board/ge/bx50v3/bx50v3.c
+++ b/board/ge/bx50v3/bx50v3.c
@@ -219,13 +219,6 @@ static void do_enable_hdmi(struct display_info_t const *dev)
 	imx_enable_hdmi_phy();
 }
 
-int board_cfb_skip(void)
-{
-	gpio_direction_output(LVDS_POWER_GP, 1);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int is_b850v3(void)
 {
 	return confidx == 3;
@@ -713,8 +706,14 @@ int ft_board_setup(void *blob, bd_t *bd)
 
 static int do_backlight_enable(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char * const argv[])
 {
+#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(DM_VIDEO)
+	int ret;
+	struct udevice *dev;
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_VIDEO_IPUV3
 	if (!is_b850v3()) {
+		gpio_direction_output(LVDS_POWER_GP, 1);
+
 		/* We need at least 200ms between power on and backlight on
 		 * as per specifications from CHI MEI
 		 */
@@ -733,6 +732,14 @@ static int do_backlight_enable(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char * cons
 	}
 #endif
 
+	/* Probe, to find a video device to be used to show a message on
+	 * the vidconsole.
+	 */
+	ret = uclass_get_device(UCLASS_VIDEO, 0, &dev);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+#endif
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/configs/ge_bx50v3_defconfig b/configs/ge_bx50v3_defconfig
index f5f471e0a8..7d811f5f9b 100644
--- a/configs/ge_bx50v3_defconfig
+++ b/configs/ge_bx50v3_defconfig
@@ -74,3 +74,4 @@ CONFIG_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_MSECS=6000
 CONFIG_IMX_WATCHDOG=y
 # CONFIG_EFI_LOADER is not set
 CONFIG_SYS_MALLOC_F_LEN=0x4000
+CONFIG_SYS_WHITE_ON_BLACK=y
diff --git a/include/configs/ge_bx50v3.h b/include/configs/ge_bx50v3.h
index 73cdc5b489..9f8d388f52 100644
--- a/include/configs/ge_bx50v3.h
+++ b/include/configs/ge_bx50v3.h
@@ -114,12 +114,11 @@
 	"swappartitions=" \
 		"setexpr partnum 3 - ${partnum}\0" \
 	"failbootcmd=" \
+		"echo reached failbootcmd; " \
 		"bx50_backlight_enable; " \
-		"msg=\"Monitor failed to start.  Try again, or contact GE Service for support.\"; " \
-		"echo $msg; " \
-		"setenv stdout vga; " \
-		"echo \"\n\n\n\n    \" $msg; " \
-		"setenv stdout serial; " \
+		"setcurs 5 4; " \
+		"lcdputs \"Monitor failed to start. " \
+		"Try again, or contact GE Service for support.\"; " \
 		"mw.b 0x7000A000 0xbc; " \
 		"mw.b 0x7000A001 0x00; " \
 		"ext4write ${dev} ${devnum}:5 0x7000A000 /boot/failures 2\0" \