diff --git a/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix b/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
index 9a482f242a18..acae7054ddf3 100644
--- a/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
+++ b/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
@@ -120,11 +120,7 @@ let kernel = config.boot.kernelPackages.kernel; in
     system.modulesTree = [ kernel ] ++ config.boot.extraModulePackages;
 
     boot.kernelParams =
-      [ "splash=verbose"
-        # Force the Completely Fair Scheduler to be used by default.
-        #"elevator=cfq"
-      ] ++
-      optional config.boot.vesa "vga=0x317";
+      optionals config.boot.vesa [ "splash=verbose" "vga=0x317" ];
 
     boot.kernelModules = [ "loop" ];
 
diff --git a/modules/system/boot/stage-1.nix b/modules/system/boot/stage-1.nix
index 08cf948fea4f..af3642ac0099 100644
--- a/modules/system/boot/stage-1.nix
+++ b/modules/system/boot/stage-1.nix
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ let
 
 
   enableSplashScreen =
-    config.boot.initrd.enableSplashScreen && kernelPackages.splashutils != null;
+    config.boot.vesa && config.boot.initrd.enableSplashScreen && kernelPackages.splashutils != null;
 
 
   # Some additional utilities needed in stage 1, like mount, lvm, fsck
diff --git a/modules/tasks/tty-backgrounds.nix b/modules/tasks/tty-backgrounds.nix
index aca01b428a5b..26904c78ae91 100644
--- a/modules/tasks/tty-backgrounds.nix
+++ b/modules/tasks/tty-backgrounds.nix
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ in
     services.ttyBackgrounds = {
 
       enable = mkOption {
-        default = splashutils != null;
+        default = true;
         description = ''
           Whether to enable graphical backgrounds for the virtual consoles.
         '';
@@ -82,11 +82,11 @@ in
 
   ###### implementation
 
-  config = mkIf config.services.ttyBackgrounds.enable (
-  mkAssert (splashutils != null) "
-    The kernelPackages does not provide splashutils, as required by ttyBackgrounds.
-    Either provide kernelPackages with splashutils, or disable ttyBackgrounds.
-  " {
+  config = mkIf (config.boot.vesa && config.services.ttyBackgrounds.enable && splashutils != null) (
+    mkAssert (splashutils != null) ''
+      The kernelPackages does not provide splashutils, as required by ttyBackgrounds.
+      Either provide kernelPackages with splashutils, or disable ttyBackgrounds.
+    '' {
 
     services.ttyBackgrounds.specificThemes = singleton
       { tty = config.services.syslogd.tty;