diff --git a/tools/dtoc/dtb_platdata.py b/tools/dtoc/dtb_platdata.py
index 040b724..befe7c1 100644
--- a/tools/dtoc/dtb_platdata.py
+++ b/tools/dtoc/dtb_platdata.py
@@ -786,19 +786,46 @@
             uclass.node_refs[-1] = ref
             uclass.node_refs[len(uclass.devs)] = ref
 
-    def output_node(self, node):
+    def output_node_plat(self, node):
         """Output the C code for a node
 
         Args:
             node (fdt.Node): node to output
         """
-        self.buf('/* Node %s index %d */\n' % (node.path, node.idx))
+        driver = node.driver
+        parent_driver = node.parent_driver
+
+        line1 = 'Node %s index %d' % (node.path, node.idx)
+        if driver:
+            self.buf('/*\n')
+            self.buf(' * %s\n' % line1)
+            self.buf(' * driver %s parent %s\n' % (driver.name,
+                parent_driver.name if parent_driver else 'None'))
+            self.buf(' */\n')
+        else:
+            self.buf('/* %s */\n' % line1)
 
         self._output_values(node)
         self._declare_device(node)
 
         self.out(''.join(self.get_buf()))
 
+    def check_instantiate(self, require):
+        """Check if self._instantiate is set to the required value
+
+        If not, this outputs a message into the current file
+
+        Args:
+            require: True to require --instantiate, False to require that it not
+                be enabled
+        """
+        if require != self._instantiate:
+            self.out(
+                '/* This file is not used: --instantiate was %senabled */\n' %
+                ('not ' if require else ''))
+            return False
+        return True
+
     def generate_plat(self):
         """Generate device defintions for the platform data
 
@@ -809,6 +836,8 @@
         See the documentation in doc/driver-model/of-plat.rst for more
         information.
         """
+        if not self.check_instantiate(False):
+            return
         self.out('/* Allow use of U_BOOT_DRVINFO() in this file */\n')
         self.out('#define DT_PLAT_C\n')
         self.out('\n')
@@ -818,7 +847,7 @@
         self.out('\n')
 
         for node in self._valid_nodes:
-            self.output_node(node)
+            self.output_node_plat(node)
 
         self.out(''.join(self.get_buf()))
 
diff --git a/tools/dtoc/test_dtoc.py b/tools/dtoc/test_dtoc.py
index a51a7f3..c6e33d3 100755
--- a/tools/dtoc/test_dtoc.py
+++ b/tools/dtoc/test_dtoc.py
@@ -48,13 +48,15 @@
  */
 '''
 
-C_HEADER = '''/*
+C_HEADER_PRE = '''/*
  * DO NOT MODIFY
  *
  * Declares the U_BOOT_DRIVER() records and platform data.
  * This was generated by dtoc from a .dtb (device tree binary) file.
  */
+'''
 
+C_HEADER = C_HEADER_PRE + '''
 /* Allow use of U_BOOT_DRVINFO() in this file */
 #define DT_PLAT_C
 
@@ -289,9 +291,11 @@
 \tconst char *\tstringval;
 };
 '''
-
     platdata_text = C_HEADER + '''
-/* Node /i2c@0 index 0 */
+/*
+ * Node /i2c@0 index 0
+ * driver sandbox_i2c parent None
+ */
 static struct dtd_sandbox_i2c dtv_i2c_at_0 = {
 };
 U_BOOT_DRVINFO(i2c_at_0) = {
@@ -301,7 +305,10 @@
 \t.parent_idx\t= -1,
 };
 
-/* Node /i2c@0/pmic@9 index 1 */
+/*
+ * Node /i2c@0/pmic@9 index 1
+ * driver sandbox_pmic parent sandbox_i2c
+ */
 static struct dtd_sandbox_pmic dtv_pmic_at_9 = {
 \t.low_power\t\t= true,
 \t.reg\t\t\t= {0x9, 0x0},
@@ -313,7 +320,10 @@
 \t.parent_idx\t= 0,
 };
 
-/* Node /spl-test index 2 */
+/*
+ * Node /spl-test index 2
+ * driver sandbox_spl_test parent None
+ */
 static struct dtd_sandbox_spl_test dtv_spl_test = {
 \t.boolval\t\t= true,
 \t.bytearray\t\t= {0x6, 0x0, 0x0},
@@ -333,7 +343,10 @@
 \t.parent_idx\t= -1,
 };
 
-/* Node /spl-test2 index 3 */
+/*
+ * Node /spl-test2 index 3
+ * driver sandbox_spl_test parent None
+ */
 static struct dtd_sandbox_spl_test dtv_spl_test2 = {
 \t.acpi_name\t\t= "\\\\_SB.GPO0",
 \t.bytearray\t\t= {0x1, 0x23, 0x34},
@@ -352,7 +365,10 @@
 \t.parent_idx\t= -1,
 };
 
-/* Node /spl-test3 index 4 */
+/*
+ * Node /spl-test3 index 4
+ * driver sandbox_spl_test parent None
+ */
 static struct dtd_sandbox_spl_test dtv_spl_test3 = {
 \t.longbytearray\t\t= {0x9, 0xa, 0xb, 0xc, 0xd, 0xe, 0xf, 0x10,
 \t\t0x0},
@@ -414,7 +430,10 @@
         with open(output) as infile:
             data = infile.read()
         self._check_strings(C_HEADER + '''
-/* Node /gpios@0 index 0 */
+/*
+ * Node /gpios@0 index 0
+ * driver sandbox_gpio parent None
+ */
 static struct dtd_sandbox_gpio dtv_gpios_at_0 = {
 \t.gpio_bank_name\t\t= "a",
 \t.gpio_controller\t= true,
@@ -942,7 +961,10 @@
         with open(output) as infile:
             data = infile.read()
         self._check_strings(C_HEADER + '''
-/* Node /spl-test index 0 */
+/*
+ * Node /spl-test index 0
+ * driver sandbox_spl_test parent None
+ */
 static struct dtd_sandbox_spl_test dtv_spl_test = {
 \t.intval\t\t\t= 0x1,
 };
@@ -953,7 +975,10 @@
 \t.parent_idx\t= -1,
 };
 
-/* Node /spl-test2 index 1 */
+/*
+ * Node /spl-test2 index 1
+ * driver sandbox_spl_test parent None
+ */
 static struct dtd_sandbox_spl_test dtv_spl_test2 = {
 \t.intarray\t\t= 0x5,
 };
@@ -1226,3 +1251,11 @@
             data = infile.read()
 
         self._check_strings(self.decl_text_inst, data)
+
+        self.run_test(['platdata'], dtb_file, output, True)
+        with open(output) as infile:
+            data = infile.read()
+
+        self._check_strings(C_HEADER_PRE + '''
+/* This file is not used: --instantiate was enabled */
+''', data)