diff --git a/src/basic/terminal-util.c b/src/basic/terminal-util.c
index 6980b239d3..5623458dff 100644
--- a/src/basic/terminal-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/terminal-util.c
@@ -2681,17 +2681,32 @@ int terminal_get_size(
         return r;
 }
 
+static int fd_is_vc(int fd) {
+        _cleanup_free_ char *name = NULL;
+        int r;
+
+        assert(fd >= 0);
+
+        r = getttyname_harder(fd, &name);
+        if (r < 0)
+                return r;
+
+        return tty_is_vc_resolve(name);
+}
+
 int terminal_fix_size(int input_fd, int output_fd) {
         unsigned rows, columns;
         int r;
 
-        /* Tries to update the current terminal dimensions to the ones reported via ANSI sequences.
-         *
-         * Why bother with this? The ioctl() information is often incorrect on serial terminals (since
-         * there's no handshake or protocol to determine the right dimensions in RS232), but since the ANSI
-         * sequences are interpreted by the final terminal instead of an intermediary tty driver they should
-         * be more accurate.
-         */
+        /* Don't ask a virtual console at all. There is no intermediary here that could be wrong about the
+         * dimensions: the kernel renders the screen itself, so its winsize is authoritative. */
+        r = fd_is_vc(input_fd);
+        if (r < 0)
+                log_debug_errno(r, "Failed to determine whether terminal is a virtual console, assuming it is not: %m");
+        else if (r > 0) {
+                log_debug("Not querying dimensions of a virtual console, kernel dimensions are authoritative.");
+                return 0;
+        }
 
         struct winsize ws = {};
         if (ioctl(output_fd, TIOCGWINSZ, &ws) < 0)
diff --git a/src/test/test-terminal-util.c b/src/test/test-terminal-util.c
index 909dda73a9..cea77e88f8 100644
--- a/src/test/test-terminal-util.c
+++ b/src/test/test-terminal-util.c
@@ -217,6 +217,38 @@ TEST(terminal_get_size_dsr) {
                 log_notice("terminal size via ioctl: rows=%u columns=%u", ws.ws_row, ws.ws_col);
 }
 
+TEST(terminal_fix_size_vc) {
+        struct winsize before = {}, after = {};
+        int r;
+
+        /* On a virtual console terminal_fix_size() must not query the terminal at all: it should report
+         * success without touching the dimensions the kernel gave us. */
+
+        _cleanup_close_ int fd = open("/dev/tty1", O_RDWR|O_NOCTTY|O_CLOEXEC);
+        if (fd < 0)
+                return (void) log_notice_errno(errno, "Can't open /dev/tty1, skipping: %m");
+
+        _cleanup_free_ char *name = NULL;
+        r = getttyname_harder(fd, &name);
+        if (r < 0)
+                return (void) log_notice_errno(r, "Can't get name of /dev/tty1, skipping: %m");
+        if (!tty_is_vc_resolve(name))
+                return (void) log_notice("/dev/tty1 is not a virtual console, skipping.");
+
+        if (ioctl(fd, TIOCGWINSZ, &before) < 0)
+                return (void) log_notice_errno(errno, "Can't get terminal size via ioctl, skipping: %m");
+
+        usec_t n = now(CLOCK_MONOTONIC);
+        r = terminal_fix_size(fd, fd);
+        log_info("%s took %s", __func__+5,
+                 FORMAT_TIMESPAN(usec_sub_unsigned(now(CLOCK_MONOTONIC), n), USEC_PER_MSEC));
+
+        ASSERT_OK_ZERO(r);
+        ASSERT_OK_ERRNO(ioctl(fd, TIOCGWINSZ, &after));
+        ASSERT_EQ(before.ws_row, after.ws_row);
+        ASSERT_EQ(before.ws_col, after.ws_col);
+}
+
 TEST(terminal_fix_size) {
         int r;