diff --git a/raspi_master.yaml b/raspi_master.yaml
index e4383a0..5289525 100644
--- a/raspi_master.yaml
+++ b/raspi_master.yaml
@@ -137,14 +137,15 @@ steps:
       rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists
 
   # Modify the kernel commandline we take from the firmware to boot from
-  # the partition labeled raspiroot instead of forcing it to mmcblk0p2
+  # the partition labeled raspiroot instead of forcing it to mmcblk0p2.
+  # Also insert the serial console right before the root= parameter.
   #
   # These changes will be overwritten after the hardware is probed
   # after dpkg reconfigures raspi-firmware (upon first boot), so make
   # sure we don't lose label-based booting.
   - chroot: /
     shell: |
-      sed -i 's/^/console=__SERIAL_CONSOLE__ /' /boot/firmware/cmdline.txt
+      sed -i 's/root=/console=__SERIAL_CONSOLE__ root=/' /boot/firmware/cmdline.txt
       sed -i 's#root=/dev/mmcblk0p2#root=LABEL=RASPIROOT#' /boot/firmware/cmdline.txt
       sed -i 's/^#ROOTPART=.*/ROOTPART=LABEL=RASPIROOT/' /etc/default/raspi-firmware