diff --git a/mbed-drivers/Serial.h b/mbed-drivers/Serial.h
index aa065405..02004db8 100644
--- a/mbed-drivers/Serial.h
+++ b/mbed-drivers/Serial.h
@@ -67,6 +67,12 @@ class Serial : public SerialBase, public Stream {
     virtual int _putc(int c);
 };
 
+/** Get the stdio Serial object, which is lazy instantiated.
+ *
+ *  @returns stdio object 
+ */
+Serial& get_stdio_serial();
+
 } // namespace mbed
 
 #endif
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index a91edd7a..a49e3ef8 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -9,3 +9,14 @@ for more details).
 Because of this, you'll always want to make `mbed-drivers` a dependency of your mbed OS application. Check
 [our "Getting started" guide](https://docs.mbed.com/docs/getting-started-mbed-os/) for more details about `mbed-drivers`
 and mbed OS in general.
+
+### STDIO retartgeting
+
+The mbed-drivers defines retargeting of stdin, stdout and stderr to UART. The default baudrate for STDIO UART peripheral is set via ```YOTTA_CFG_MBED_OS_STDIO_DEFAULT_BAUD```. If this yotta config is not defined, the default value is 115200.
+
+To change STDIO serial settings in the runtime, retrieve the Serial STDIO object ```get_stdio_serial()```.
+
+```
+Serial& pc = get_stdio_serial();
+pc.baud(9600);
+```
diff --git a/source/retarget.cpp b/source/retarget.cpp
index c62efdbc..e6c0e8c9 100644
--- a/source/retarget.cpp
+++ b/source/retarget.cpp
@@ -102,16 +102,29 @@ FileHandle::~FileHandle() {
 }
 
 #if DEVICE_SERIAL
+
+#include "mbed-drivers/Serial.h"
+
 static int stdio_uart_inited;
-static serial_t stdio_uart;
+
+namespace mbed {
+
+Serial& get_stdio_serial() 
+{
+    static Serial stdio_serial(STDIO_UART_TX, STDIO_UART_RX);
+    if (stdio_uart_inited == 0) {
+        stdio_serial.baud(STDIO_DEFAULT_BAUD);
+        stdio_uart_inited = 1;
+    }
+    return stdio_serial;
+}
+
+}
 #endif
 
 static void init_serial() {
 #if DEVICE_SERIAL
-    if (stdio_uart_inited) return;
-    serial_init(&stdio_uart, STDIO_UART_TX, STDIO_UART_RX);
-    serial_baud(&stdio_uart, STDIO_DEFAULT_BAUD);
-    stdio_uart_inited = 1;
+    get_stdio_serial();
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -243,9 +256,8 @@ extern "C" int PREFIX(_write)(FILEHANDLE fh, const unsigned char *buffer, unsign
     int n; // n is the number of bytes written
     if (fh < 3) {
 #if DEVICE_SERIAL
-        if (!stdio_uart_inited) init_serial();
         for (unsigned int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
-            serial_putc(&stdio_uart, buffer[i]);
+            get_stdio_serial().putc(buffer[i]);
         }
 #endif
         n = length;
@@ -281,8 +293,7 @@ extern "C" int PREFIX(_read)(FILEHANDLE fh, unsigned char *buffer, unsigned int
     if (fh < 3) {
         // only read a character at a time from stdin
 #if DEVICE_SERIAL
-        if (!stdio_uart_inited) init_serial();
-        *buffer = serial_getc(&stdio_uart);
+        *buffer = get_stdio_serial().getc();
 #endif
         n = 1;
     } else {
@@ -493,8 +504,6 @@ extern "C" void __iar_argc_argv() {
 // the user should set up their application in app_start
 extern void app_start(int, char**);
 extern "C" int main(void) {
-    // init serial if it has not been invoked prior main
-    init_serial();
     minar::Scheduler::postCallback(
         mbed::util::FunctionPointer2<void, int, char**>(&app_start).bind(0, NULL)
     );
diff --git a/test/serial_interrupt/main.cpp b/test/serial_interrupt/main.cpp
index e512da60..7403279d 100644
--- a/test/serial_interrupt/main.cpp
+++ b/test/serial_interrupt/main.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 DigitalOut led1(LED1);
 DigitalOut led2(LED2);
 
-Serial computer(USBTX, USBRX);
+Serial& computer = get_stdio_serial();
 
 // This function is called when a character goes into the TX buffer.
 void txCallback() {