diff --git a/sys/kern/subr_prf.c b/sys/kern/subr_prf.c
--- a/sys/kern/subr_prf.c
+++ b/sys/kern/subr_prf.c
@@ -153,6 +153,10 @@
 SYSCTL_INT(_kern, OID_AUTO, always_console_output, CTLFLAG_RWTUN,
     &always_console_output, 0, "Always output to console despite TIOCCONS");
 
+static int console_log_level = LOG_ERR;
+SYSCTL_INT(_kern, OID_AUTO, console_log_level, CTLFLAG_RWTUN,
+    &console_log_level, 0, "Console event log level");
+
 /*
  * Warn that a system table is full.
  */
@@ -292,6 +296,12 @@
 	pca.p_bufr = NULL;
 #endif
 
+	if (!log_open && pca.pri > console_log_level &&
+	    constty == NULL) {
+		/* Drop this message, console writes are expensive */
+		return (0);
+	}
+
 	retval = kvprintf(fmt, putchar, &pca, 10, ap);
 
 #ifdef PRINTF_BUFR_SIZE