diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/lava/utils/lava_job_definition.py b/.gitlab-ci/lava/utils/lava_job_definition.py
index 55dbb902dac..8ac30d891c5 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/lava/utils/lava_job_definition.py
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/lava/utils/lava_job_definition.py
@@ -19,6 +19,22 @@ NUMBER_OF_ATTEMPTS_LAVA_BOOT = int(getenv("LAVA_NUMBER_OF_ATTEMPTS_LAVA_BOOT", 3
 JOB_PRIORITY = int(getenv("LAVA_JOB_PRIORITY", 75))
 
 
+def has_ssh_support(job_submitter: "LAVAJobSubmitter") -> bool:
+    force_uart = bool(getenv("LAVA_FORCE_UART", False))
+
+    if force_uart:
+        return False
+
+    # Only Collabora's farm supports to run docker container as a LAVA actions,
+    # which is required to follow the job in a SSH section
+    current_farm = get_lava_farm()
+
+    # SSH job definition still needs to add support for fastboot.
+    job_uses_fastboot: bool = job_submitter.boot_method == "fastboot"
+
+    return current_farm == LavaFarm.COLLABORA and not job_uses_fastboot
+
+
 def generate_lava_yaml_payload(job_submitter: "LAVAJobSubmitter") -> dict[str, Any]:
     """
     Bridge function to use the supported job definition depending on some Mesa
@@ -35,14 +51,7 @@ def generate_lava_yaml_payload(job_submitter: "LAVAJobSubmitter") -> dict[str, A
         generate_lava_yaml_payload as uart_lava_yaml,
     )
 
-    # Only Collabora's farm supports to run docker container as a LAVA actions,
-    # which is required to follow the job in a SSH section
-    current_farm = get_lava_farm()
-
-    # SSH job definition still needs to add support for fastboot.
-    job_uses_fastboot: bool = job_submitter.boot_method == "fastboot"
-
-    if current_farm == LavaFarm.COLLABORA and not job_uses_fastboot:
+    if has_ssh_support(job_submitter):
         return ssh_lava_yaml(job_submitter)
 
     return uart_lava_yaml(job_submitter)
diff --git a/src/panfrost/ci/gitlab-ci.yml b/src/panfrost/ci/gitlab-ci.yml
index 4b3815b20ef..85a848a85d7 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/ci/gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/src/panfrost/ci/gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ panfrost-t720-gles2:arm64:
     DEQP_SUITE: panfrost-t720
     FDO_CI_CONCURRENT: 6
     RUNNER_TAG: mesa-ci-x86-64-lava-sun50i-h6-pine-h64
+    # This device network setup is incomplete, so we can't use it for the LAVA
+    # SSH session. Need to fallback to the serial console.
+    LAVA_FORCE_UART: 1
 
 # We only have two machines, which we share with KernelCI.
 # Keep the second t760 job manual.
@@ -102,6 +105,9 @@ panfrost-t860-egl:arm64:
     DTB: $DEVICE_TYPE
     GPU_VERSION: panfrost-g52
     RUNNER_TAG: mesa-ci-x86-64-lava-meson-g12b-a311d-khadas-vim3
+    # This device network setup is incomplete, so we can't use it for the LAVA
+    # SSH session. Need to fallback to the serial console.
+    LAVA_FORCE_UART: 1
 
 panfrost-g52-gl:arm64:
   parallel: 3