diff --git a/init/first_stage_init.cpp b/init/first_stage_init.cpp
index fd2d766..ac44796 100644
--- a/init/first_stage_init.cpp
+++ b/init/first_stage_init.cpp
@@ -239,11 +239,16 @@
     }
 
     Modprobe m({"/lib/modules"});
-    if (!m.LoadListedModules()) {
-        LOG(FATAL) << "Failed to load kernel modules";
+    auto want_console = ALLOW_FIRST_STAGE_CONSOLE && FirstStageConsole(cmdline);
+    if (!m.LoadListedModules(!want_console)) {
+        if (want_console) {
+            LOG(ERROR) << "Failed to load kernel modules, starting console";
+        } else {
+            LOG(FATAL) << "Failed to load kernel modules";
+        }
     }
 
-    if (ALLOW_FIRST_STAGE_CONSOLE && FirstStageConsole(cmdline)) {
+    if (want_console) {
         StartConsole();
     }
 
diff --git a/libmodprobe/include/modprobe/modprobe.h b/libmodprobe/include/modprobe/modprobe.h
index 421d826..333fc55 100644
--- a/libmodprobe/include/modprobe/modprobe.h
+++ b/libmodprobe/include/modprobe/modprobe.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
   public:
     Modprobe(const std::vector<std::string>&);
 
-    bool LoadListedModules();
+    bool LoadListedModules(bool strict = true);
     bool LoadWithAliases(const std::string& module_name, bool strict,
                          const std::string& parameters = "");
     bool Remove(const std::string& module_name);
diff --git a/libmodprobe/libmodprobe.cpp b/libmodprobe/libmodprobe.cpp
index 3c78ec9..6b9107f 100644
--- a/libmodprobe/libmodprobe.cpp
+++ b/libmodprobe/libmodprobe.cpp
@@ -360,13 +360,15 @@
     return true;
 }
 
-bool Modprobe::LoadListedModules() {
+bool Modprobe::LoadListedModules(bool strict) {
+    auto ret = true;
     for (const auto& module : module_load_) {
         if (!LoadWithAliases(module, true)) {
-            return false;
+            ret = false;
+            if (strict) break;
         }
     }
-    return true;
+    return ret;
 }
 
 bool Modprobe::Remove(const std::string& module_name) {