diff --git a/sys/dev/uart/uart_subr.c b/sys/dev/uart/uart_subr.c
--- a/sys/dev/uart/uart_subr.c
+++ b/sys/dev/uart/uart_subr.c
@@ -200,13 +200,6 @@
 	bus_addr_t addr = ~0U;
 	int error;
 
-	/*
-	 * All uart_class references are weak. Make sure the default
-	 * device class has been compiled-in.
-	 */
-	if (class == NULL)
-		return (ENXIO);
-
 	/*
 	 * Check the environment variables "hw.uart.console" and
 	 * "hw.uart.dbgport". These variables, when present, specify
@@ -292,6 +285,13 @@
 		spec++;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * All uart_class references are weak. Make sure the default
+	 * device class has been compiled-in.
+	 */
+	if (class == NULL)
+		return (ENXIO);
+
 	/*
 	 * If we still have an invalid address, the specification must be
 	 * missing an I/O port or memory address. We don't like that.