diff --git a/boards/x86_64/intel64/qemu-intel64/src/qemu_boot.c b/boards/x86_64/intel64/qemu-intel64/src/qemu_boot.c
index 32cdcb33ec..2ec202247c 100644
--- a/boards/x86_64/intel64/qemu-intel64/src/qemu_boot.c
+++ b/boards/x86_64/intel64/qemu-intel64/src/qemu_boot.c
@@ -58,14 +58,6 @@
 
 void x86_64_boardinitialize(void)
 {
-#if defined(CONFIG_16550_UART0) && (CONFIG_16550_UART0_BASE == 0x3f8)
-  uart_putreg(CONFIG_16550_UART0_BASE, UART_MCR_OFFSET, UART_MCR_OUT2);
-#endif
-
-#if defined(CONFIG_16550_UART1) && (CONFIG_16550_UART1_BASE == 0x3f8)
-  uart_putreg(CONFIG_16550_UART1_BASE, UART_MCR_OFFSET, UART_MCR_OUT2);
-#endif
-
   /* Configure on-board LEDs if LED support has been selected. */
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_LEDS
diff --git a/drivers/serial/Kconfig-16550 b/drivers/serial/Kconfig-16550
index a5510beb2c..aeb19cd6c5 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/Kconfig-16550
+++ b/drivers/serial/Kconfig-16550
@@ -548,4 +548,10 @@ config 16550_WAIT_LCR
 		will trigger spurious interrupts when setting the LCR without
 		waiting.  Default: n
 
+config 16550_SET_MCR_OUT2
+	bool "Set MCR OUT2 bit high"
+	default n
+	---help---
+		Some platforms require OUT2 of MCR being set for interrupt to be triggered
+
 endif # 16550_UART
diff --git a/drivers/serial/uart_16550.c b/drivers/serial/uart_16550.c
index 89822e06eb..b0d1c2223c 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/uart_16550.c
+++ b/drivers/serial/uart_16550.c
@@ -754,7 +754,8 @@ static int u16550_setup(FAR struct uart_dev_s *dev)
   FAR struct u16550_s *priv = (FAR struct u16550_s *)dev->priv;
   uint16_t div;
   uint32_t lcr;
-#if defined(CONFIG_SERIAL_IFLOWCONTROL) || defined(CONFIG_SERIAL_OFLOWCONTROL)
+#if defined(CONFIG_SERIAL_IFLOWCONTROL) || defined(CONFIG_SERIAL_OFLOWCONTROL) || \
+    defined(CONFIG_16550_SET_MCR_OUT2)
   uint32_t mcr;
 #endif
 
@@ -845,6 +846,13 @@ static int u16550_setup(FAR struct uart_dev_s *dev)
                     UART_FCR_TXRST | UART_FCR_RXRST |
                     UART_FCR_FIFOEN));
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_16550_SET_MCR_OUT2
+  /* Set OUT2 bit in MCR register */
+
+  mcr = u16550_serialin(priv, UART_MCR_OFFSET);
+  u16550_serialout(priv, UART_MCR_OFFSET, mcr | UART_MCR_OUT2);
+#endif
+
   /* Set up the auto flow control */
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_SERIAL_IFLOWCONTROL) || defined(CONFIG_SERIAL_OFLOWCONTROL)