diff --git a/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c b/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
index 0920ed5..9ad5d46 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
+++ b/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
@@ -431,6 +431,14 @@
 }
 SANDBOX_CMDLINE_OPT(autoboot_keyed, 0, "Allow keyed autoboot");
 
+static int sandbox_cmdline_cb_upl(struct sandbox_state *state, const char *arg)
+{
+	state->upl = true;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+SANDBOX_CMDLINE_OPT(upl, 0, "Enable Universal Payload (UPL)");
+
 static void setup_ram_buf(struct sandbox_state *state)
 {
 	/* Zero the RAM buffer if we didn't read it, to keep valgrind happy */
@@ -540,6 +548,9 @@
 			goto err;
 	}
 
+	if (state->upl)
+		gd->flags |= GD_FLG_UPL;
+
 #if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(SYS_MALLOC_F)
 	gd->malloc_base = CFG_MALLOC_F_ADDR;
 #endif
@@ -558,7 +569,7 @@
 	log_debug("debug: %s\n", __func__);
 
 	/* Do pre- and post-relocation init */
-	board_init_f(0);
+	board_init_f(gd->flags);
 
 	board_init_r(gd->new_gd, 0);
 
diff --git a/arch/sandbox/include/asm/state.h b/arch/sandbox/include/asm/state.h
index c84a1f7..6b50473 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/include/asm/state.h
+++ b/arch/sandbox/include/asm/state.h
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@
 	bool autoboot_keyed;		/* Use keyed-autoboot feature */
 	bool disable_eth;		/* Disable Ethernet devices */
 	bool disable_sf_bootdevs;	/* Don't bind SPI flash bootdevs */
+	bool upl;			/* Enable Universal Payload (UPL) */
 
 	/* Pointer to information for each SPI bus/cs */
 	struct sandbox_spi_info spi[CONFIG_SANDBOX_SPI_MAX_BUS]