diff --git a/board/aries/ma5d4evk/ma5d4evk.c b/board/aries/ma5d4evk/ma5d4evk.c
index 6393948c496315bfd3adb520057a131add3a2ebd..b9294fc881bec328e6fd2ecacbc40ef9001bdf85 100644
--- a/board/aries/ma5d4evk/ma5d4evk.c
+++ b/board/aries/ma5d4evk/ma5d4evk.c
@@ -22,11 +22,14 @@
 #include <net.h>
 #include <netdev.h>
 #include <spi.h>
+#include <spi_flash.h>
 #include <spl.h>
 #include <version.h>
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
+static u8 boot_mode_sf;
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_ATMEL_SPI
 int spi_cs_is_valid(unsigned int bus, unsigned int cs)
 {
@@ -201,18 +204,20 @@ void ma5d4evk_mci1_hw_init(void)
 int board_mmc_init(bd_t *bis)
 {
 	int ret;
+	void *mci0 = (void *)ATMEL_BASE_MCI0;
+	void *mci1 = (void *)ATMEL_BASE_MCI1;
 
 	/* De-assert reset on On-SoM eMMC */
 	at91_set_pio_output(AT91_PIO_PORTE, 15, 1);
 	at91_pio3_set_pio_pulldown(AT91_PIO_PORTE, 15, 0);
 
-	ret = atmel_mci_init((void *)ATMEL_BASE_MCI1);
+	ret = atmel_mci_init(boot_mode_sf ? mci0 : mci1);
 	if (ret)	/* eMMC init failed, skip it. */
 		at91_set_pio_output(AT91_PIO_PORTE, 15, 0);
 
 	/* Enable the power supply to On-board MicroSD */
 	at91_set_pio_output(AT91_PIO_PORTE, 17, 0);
-	ret = atmel_mci_init((void *)ATMEL_BASE_MCI0);
+	ret = atmel_mci_init(boot_mode_sf ? mci1 : mci0);
 	if (ret)	/* uSD init failed, power it down. */
 		at91_set_pio_output(AT91_PIO_PORTE, 17, 1);
 
@@ -274,6 +279,14 @@ int board_early_init_f(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void board_identify(void)
+{
+	struct spi_flash *sf;
+	sf = spi_flash_probe(CONFIG_SF_DEFAULT_BUS, CONFIG_SF_DEFAULT_CS,
+			     CONFIG_SF_DEFAULT_SPEED, CONFIG_SF_DEFAULT_MODE);
+	boot_mode_sf = (sf != NULL);
+}
+
 int board_init(void)
 {
 	/* adress of boot parameters */
@@ -299,6 +312,8 @@ int board_init(void)
 	at91_udp_hw_init();
 #endif
 
+	board_identify();
+
 	/* Reset CAN controllers */
 	at91_set_pio_output(AT91_PIO_PORTB, 21, 0);
 	udelay(100);
@@ -308,6 +323,12 @@ int board_init(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int board_late_init(void)
+{
+	setenv("bootmode", boot_mode_sf ? "sf" : "emmc");
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int dram_init(void)
 {
 	gd->ram_size = get_ram_size((void *)CONFIG_SYS_SDRAM_BASE,
@@ -344,6 +365,7 @@ void spl_board_init(void)
 	ma5d4evk_mci0_hw_init();
 	ma5d4evk_mci1_hw_init();
 #endif
+	board_identify();
 }
 
 void board_boot_order(u32 *spl_boot_list)
diff --git a/include/configs/ma5d4evk.h b/include/configs/ma5d4evk.h
index c2f918214d1c8250c0c1ada60206848a8632f576..82aee1513218245106b3dca6f443c72bdcfe2ea4 100644
--- a/include/configs/ma5d4evk.h
+++ b/include/configs/ma5d4evk.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "at91-sama5_common.h"
 #undef CONFIG_BOOTARGS
 #define CONFIG_SYS_USE_SERIALFLASH	1
+#define CONFIG_BOARD_LATE_INIT
 
 /*
  * Memory configurations
@@ -174,18 +175,23 @@
 	"nfsargs="							\
 		"setenv bootargs root=/dev/nfs rw "			\
 			"nfsroot=${serverip}:${rootpath},v3,tcp\0"	\
+	"fdtimg=if test ${bootmode} = \"sf\" ; then "			\
+			"setenv kernel_fdt 1 ; "			\
+		"else ; "						\
+			"setenv kernel_fdt 2 ; "			\
+		"fi\0"							\
 	"mmc_mmc="							\
-		"run mmcload mmcargs addargs ; "			\
-		"bootm ${kernel_addr_r}\0"				\
+		"run fdtimg mmcload mmcargs addargs ; "			\
+		"bootm ${kernel_addr_r}:kernel@1 - ${kernel_addr_r}:fdt@${kernel_fdt}\0" \
 	"mmc_nfs="							\
-		"run mmcload nfsargs addip addargs ; "			\
-		"bootm ${kernel_addr_r}\0"				\
+		"run fdtimg mmcload nfsargs addip addargs ; "			\
+		"bootm ${kernel_addr_r}:kernel@1 - ${kernel_addr_r}:fdt@${kernel_fdt}\0" \
 	"net_mmc="							\
-		"run netload mmcargs addargs ; "			\
-		"bootm ${kernel_addr_r}\0"				\
+		"run fdtimg netload mmcargs addargs ; "			\
+		"bootm ${kernel_addr_r}:kernel@1 - ${kernel_addr_r}:fdt@${kernel_fdt}\0" \
 	"net_nfs="							\
-		"run netload nfsargs addip addargs ; "			\
-		"bootm ${kernel_addr_r}\0"				\
+		"run fdtimg netload nfsargs addip addargs ; "			\
+		"bootm ${kernel_addr_r}:kernel@1 - ${kernel_addr_r}:fdt@${kernel_fdt}\0" \
 	"try_bootscript="						\
 		"mmc rescan;"						\
 		"if test -e mmc 1:1 ${bootscript} ; then "		\