diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-k3/common.c b/arch/arm/mach-k3/common.c
index 08b7344..2666cd2 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-k3/common.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-k3/common.c
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@
 	typedef void __noreturn (*image_entry_noargs_t)(void);
 	struct ti_sci_handle *ti_sci = get_ti_sci_handle();
 	u32 loadaddr = 0;
-	int ret, size = 0;
+	int ret, size = 0, shut_cpu = 0;
 
 	/* Release all the exclusive devices held by SPL before starting ATF */
 	ti_sci->ops.dev_ops.release_exclusive_devices(ti_sci);
@@ -231,19 +231,10 @@
 	if (ret)
 		panic("%s: ATF failed to load on rproc (%d)\n", __func__, ret);
 
-	/* Add an extra newline to differentiate the ATF logs from SPL */
-	printf("Starting ATF on ARM64 core...\n\n");
-
-	ret = rproc_start(1);
-	if (ret)
-		panic("%s: ATF failed to start on rproc (%d)\n", __func__, ret);
 	if (!fit_image_info[IMAGE_ID_DM_FW].image_len &&
 	    !(size > 0 && valid_elf_image(loadaddr))) {
-		debug("Shutting down...\n");
-		release_resources_for_core_shutdown();
-
-		while (1)
-			asm volatile("wfe");
+		shut_cpu = 1;
+		goto start_arm64;
 	}
 
 	if (!fit_image_info[IMAGE_ID_DM_FW].image_start) {
@@ -256,6 +247,21 @@
 
 	debug("%s: jumping to address %x\n", __func__, loadaddr);
 
+start_arm64:
+	/* Add an extra newline to differentiate the ATF logs from SPL */
+	printf("Starting ATF on ARM64 core...\n\n");
+
+	ret = rproc_start(1);
+	if (ret)
+		panic("%s: ATF failed to start on rproc (%d)\n", __func__, ret);
+
+	if (shut_cpu) {
+		debug("Shutting down...\n");
+		release_resources_for_core_shutdown();
+
+		while (1)
+			asm volatile("wfe");
+	}
 	image_entry_noargs_t image_entry = (image_entry_noargs_t)loadaddr;
 
 	image_entry();