diff --git a/bl31/bl31_main.c b/bl31/bl31_main.c
index ff3c53b..68bdd36 100644
--- a/bl31/bl31_main.c
+++ b/bl31/bl31_main.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
  * Variable to indicate whether next image to execute after BL31 is BL33
  * (non-secure & default) or BL32 (secure).
  ******************************************************************************/
-static uint32_t next_image_type;
+static uint32_t next_image_type = NON_SECURE;
 
 /*******************************************************************************
  * Simple function to initialise all BL31 helper libraries.
@@ -89,9 +89,6 @@
 	/* Clean caches before re-entering normal world */
 	dcsw_op_all(DCCSW);
 
-	/* By default run the non-secure BL3-3 image next */
-	next_image_type = NON_SECURE;
-
 	/*
 	 * All the cold boot actions on the primary cpu are done. We now need to
 	 * decide which is the next image (BL32 or BL33) and how to execute it.
diff --git a/bl32/tsp/tsp.mk b/bl32/tsp/tsp.mk
index b9084d5..02cc13d 100644
--- a/bl32/tsp/tsp.mk
+++ b/bl32/tsp/tsp.mk
@@ -39,6 +39,14 @@
 
 BL32_LINKERFILE		:=	bl32/tsp/tsp.ld.S
 
+# This flag determines if the TSPD initializes BL3-2 in tspd_init() (synchronous
+# method) or configures BL3-1 to pass control to BL3-2 instead of BL3-3
+# (asynchronous method).
+TSP_INIT_ASYNC         :=      0
+
+$(eval $(call assert_boolean,TSP_INIT_ASYNC))
+$(eval $(call add_define,TSP_INIT_ASYNC))
+
 # Include the platform-specific TSP Makefile
 # If no platform-specific TSP Makefile exists, it means TSP is not supported
 # on this platform.
diff --git a/docs/firmware-design.md b/docs/firmware-design.md
index 9bdfefb..3203a52 100644
--- a/docs/firmware-design.md
+++ b/docs/firmware-design.md
@@ -811,10 +811,10 @@
 Trusted Firmware supports two approaches for the SPD to pass control to BL3-2
 before returning through EL3 and running the non-trusted firmware (BL3-3):
 
-1.  In the BL3-2 initialization function, set up a secure context (see below
-    for more details of CPU context support) for this CPU and use
-    `bl31_set_next_image_type()` to request that the exit from `bl31_main()` is
-    to the BL3-2 entrypoint in Secure-EL1.
+1.  In the BL3-2 setup function, use `bl31_set_next_image_type()` to
+    request that the exit from `bl31_main()` is to the BL3-2 entrypoint in
+    Secure-EL1. BL3-1 will exit to BL3-2 using the asynchronous method by
+    calling bl31_prepare_next_image_entry() and el3_exit().
 
     When the BL3-2 has completed initialization at Secure-EL1, it returns to
     BL3-1 by issuing an SMC, using a Function ID allocated to the SPD. On
@@ -824,7 +824,8 @@
     the normal world firmware BL3-3. On return from the handler the framework
     will exit to EL2 and run BL3-3.
 
-2.  In the BL3-2 initialization function, use an SPD-defined mechanism to
+2.  The BL3-2 setup function registers a initialization function using
+    `bl31_register_bl32_init()` which provides a SPD-defined mechanism to
     invoke a 'world-switch synchronous call' to Secure-EL1 to run the BL3-2
     entrypoint.
     NOTE: The Test SPD service included with the Trusted Firmware provides one
diff --git a/docs/user-guide.md b/docs/user-guide.md
index 41e7606..ef5de71 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide.md
@@ -186,6 +186,13 @@
     value of `DEBUG` - i.e. by default this is only enabled for a debug
     build of the firmware.
 
+*   `TSP_INIT_ASYNC`: Choose BL3-2 initialization method as asynchronous or
+    synchronous, e.g. "(see "Initializing a BL3-2 Image" section in [Firmware
+    Design])". It can take the value 0 (BL3-2 is initialized using
+    synchronous method) or 1 (BL3-2 is initialized using asynchronous method).
+    Default is 0.
+
+
 ### Creating a Firmware Image Package
 
 FIPs are automatically created as part of the build instructions described in
diff --git a/services/spd/tspd/tspd_main.c b/services/spd/tspd/tspd_main.c
index b2c3615..22f302a 100644
--- a/services/spd/tspd/tspd_main.c
+++ b/services/spd/tspd/tspd_main.c
@@ -181,12 +181,15 @@
 				tsp_ep_info->pc,
 				&tspd_sp_context[linear_id]);
 
+#if TSP_INIT_ASYNC
+	bl31_set_next_image_type(SECURE);
+#else
 	/*
 	 * All TSPD initialization done. Now register our init function with
 	 * BL31 for deferred invocation
 	 */
 	bl31_register_bl32_init(&tspd_init);
-
+#endif
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -202,10 +205,10 @@
 int32_t tspd_init(void)
 {
 	uint64_t mpidr = read_mpidr();
-	uint32_t linear_id = platform_get_core_pos(mpidr), flags;
-	uint64_t rc;
+	uint32_t linear_id = platform_get_core_pos(mpidr);
 	tsp_context_t *tsp_ctx = &tspd_sp_context[linear_id];
 	entry_point_info_t *tsp_entry_point;
+	uint64_t rc;
 
 	/*
 	 * Get information about the Secure Payload (BL32) image. Its
@@ -217,32 +220,11 @@
 	cm_init_context(mpidr, tsp_entry_point);
 
 	/*
-	 * Arrange for an entry into the test secure payload. We expect an array
-	 * of vectors in return
+	 * Arrange for an entry into the test secure payload. It will be
+	 * returned via TSP_ENTRY_DONE case
 	 */
 	rc = tspd_synchronous_sp_entry(tsp_ctx);
 	assert(rc != 0);
-	if (rc) {
-		set_tsp_pstate(tsp_ctx->state, TSP_PSTATE_ON);
-
-		/*
-		 * TSP has been successfully initialized. Register power
-		 * managemnt hooks with PSCI
-		 */
-		psci_register_spd_pm_hook(&tspd_pm);
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * Register an interrupt handler for S-EL1 interrupts when generated
-	 * during code executing in the non-secure state.
-	 */
-	flags = 0;
-	set_interrupt_rm_flag(flags, NON_SECURE);
-	rc = register_interrupt_type_handler(INTR_TYPE_S_EL1,
-					     tspd_sel1_interrupt_handler,
-					     flags);
-	if (rc)
-		panic();
 
 	return rc;
 }
@@ -269,6 +251,10 @@
 	unsigned long mpidr = read_mpidr();
 	uint32_t linear_id = platform_get_core_pos(mpidr), ns;
 	tsp_context_t *tsp_ctx = &tspd_sp_context[linear_id];
+	uint64_t rc;
+#if TSP_INIT_ASYNC
+	entry_point_info_t *next_image_info;
+#endif
 
 	/* Determine which security state this SMC originated from */
 	ns = is_caller_non_secure(flags);
@@ -382,6 +368,45 @@
 		assert(tsp_vectors == NULL);
 		tsp_vectors = (tsp_vectors_t *) x1;
 
+		if (tsp_vectors) {
+			set_tsp_pstate(tsp_ctx->state, TSP_PSTATE_ON);
+
+			/*
+			 * TSP has been successfully initialized. Register power
+			 * managemnt hooks with PSCI
+			 */
+			psci_register_spd_pm_hook(&tspd_pm);
+
+			/*
+			 * Register an interrupt handler for S-EL1 interrupts
+			 * when generated during code executing in the
+			 * non-secure state.
+			 */
+			flags = 0;
+			set_interrupt_rm_flag(flags, NON_SECURE);
+			rc = register_interrupt_type_handler(INTR_TYPE_S_EL1,
+						tspd_sel1_interrupt_handler,
+						flags);
+			if (rc)
+				panic();
+		}
+
+
+#if TSP_INIT_ASYNC
+		/* Save the Secure EL1 system register context */
+		assert(cm_get_context(SECURE) == &tsp_ctx->cpu_ctx);
+		cm_el1_sysregs_context_save(SECURE);
+
+		/* Program EL3 registers to enable entry into the next EL */
+		next_image_info = bl31_plat_get_next_image_ep_info(NON_SECURE);
+		assert(next_image_info);
+		assert(NON_SECURE ==
+				GET_SECURITY_STATE(next_image_info->h.attr));
+
+		cm_init_context(read_mpidr_el1(), next_image_info);
+		cm_prepare_el3_exit(NON_SECURE);
+		SMC_RET0(cm_get_context(NON_SECURE));
+#else
 		/*
 		 * SP reports completion. The SPD must have initiated
 		 * the original request through a synchronous entry
@@ -389,6 +414,7 @@
 		 * context.
 		 */
 		tspd_synchronous_sp_exit(tsp_ctx, x1);
+#endif
 
 	/*
 	 * These function IDs is used only by the SP to indicate it has