diff --git a/vmm/src/device_manager.rs b/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
index 1c09042fd..df54e45e5 100644
--- a/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ use crate::interrupt::LegacyUserspaceInterruptManager;
 #[cfg(feature = "acpi")]
 use crate::memory_manager::MEMORY_MANAGER_ACPI_SIZE;
 use crate::memory_manager::{Error as MemoryManagerError, MemoryManager};
+use crate::serial_buffer::SerialBuffer;
 use crate::GuestRegionMmap;
 use crate::PciDeviceInfo;
 use crate::{device_node, DEVICE_MANAGER_SNAPSHOT_ID};
@@ -1707,8 +1708,9 @@ impl DeviceManager {
                 if let Some(pty) = serial_pty {
                     self.config.lock().unwrap().serial.file = Some(pty.path.clone());
                     let writer = pty.main.try_clone().unwrap();
+                    let buffer = SerialBuffer::new(Box::new(writer));
                     self.serial_pty = Some(Arc::new(Mutex::new(pty)));
-                    Some(Box::new(writer))
+                    Some(Box::new(buffer))
                 } else {
                     let (main, mut sub, path) =
                         create_pty().map_err(DeviceManagerError::SerialPtyOpen)?;
@@ -1716,8 +1718,9 @@ impl DeviceManager {
                         .map_err(DeviceManagerError::SetPtyRaw)?;
                     self.config.lock().unwrap().serial.file = Some(path.clone());
                     let writer = main.try_clone().unwrap();
+                    let buffer = SerialBuffer::new(Box::new(writer));
                     self.serial_pty = Some(Arc::new(Mutex::new(PtyPair { main, sub, path })));
-                    Some(Box::new(writer))
+                    Some(Box::new(buffer))
                 }
             }
             ConsoleOutputMode::Tty => Some(Box::new(stdout())),
diff --git a/vmm/src/lib.rs b/vmm/src/lib.rs
index 9b12c5b9c..aecc399b2 100644
--- a/vmm/src/lib.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/lib.rs
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ pub mod vm;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "acpi")]
 mod acpi;
+mod serial_buffer;
 
 type GuestMemoryMmap = vm_memory::GuestMemoryMmap<AtomicBitmap>;
 type GuestRegionMmap = vm_memory::GuestRegionMmap<AtomicBitmap>;
diff --git a/vmm/src/serial_buffer.rs b/vmm/src/serial_buffer.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c9b4b13be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vmm/src/serial_buffer.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+// Copyright © 2021 Intel Corporation
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+//
+
+use std::io::Write;
+
+// Circular buffer implementation for serial output.
+// Read from head; push to tail
+pub(crate) struct SerialBuffer {
+    buffer: Vec<u8>,
+    head: usize,
+    tail: usize,
+    out: Box<dyn Write + Send>,
+}
+
+const MAX_BUFFER_SIZE: usize = 16 << 10;
+
+impl SerialBuffer {
+    pub(crate) fn new(out: Box<dyn Write + Send>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            buffer: vec![],
+            head: 0,
+            tail: 0,
+            out,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn flush_buffer(&mut self) -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
+        if self.tail <= self.head {
+            // The buffer to be written is in two parts
+            let buf = &self.buffer[self.head..];
+            match self.out.write(buf) {
+                Ok(bytes_written) => {
+                    if bytes_written == buf.len() {
+                        self.head = 0;
+                        // Can now proceed to write the other part of the buffer
+                    } else {
+                        self.head += bytes_written;
+                        self.out.flush()?;
+                        return Ok(());
+                    }
+                }
+                Err(e) => {
+                    if !matches!(e.kind(), std::io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock) {
+                        return Err(e);
+                    }
+                    return Ok(());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        let buf = &self.buffer[self.head..self.tail];
+        match self.out.write(buf) {
+            Ok(bytes_written) => {
+                if bytes_written == buf.len() {
+                    self.buffer.clear();
+                    self.buffer.shrink_to_fit();
+                    self.head = 0;
+                    self.tail = 0;
+                } else {
+                    self.head += bytes_written;
+                }
+                self.out.flush()?;
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                if !matches!(e.kind(), std::io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock) {
+                    return Err(e);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+impl Write for SerialBuffer {
+    fn write(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> Result<usize, std::io::Error> {
+        // The serial output only writes one byte at a time
+        for v in buf {
+            if self.buffer.is_empty() {
+                // This case exists to avoid allocating the buffer if it's not needed
+                if let Err(e) = self.out.write(&[*v]) {
+                    if !matches!(e.kind(), std::io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock) {
+                        return Err(e);
+                    }
+                    self.buffer.push(*v);
+                    self.tail += 1;
+                } else {
+                    self.out.flush()?;
+                }
+            } else {
+                // Buffer is completely full, lose the oldest byte by moving head forward
+                if self.head == self.tail {
+                    self.head = self.tail + 1;
+                    if self.head == MAX_BUFFER_SIZE {
+                        self.head = 0;
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if self.buffer.len() < MAX_BUFFER_SIZE {
+                    self.buffer.push(*v);
+                } else {
+                    self.buffer[self.tail] = *v;
+                }
+
+                self.tail += 1;
+                if self.tail == MAX_BUFFER_SIZE {
+                    self.tail = 0;
+                }
+
+                self.flush_buffer()?;
+            }
+        }
+
+        Ok(buf.len())
+    }
+
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}