diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-stm32mp/Kconfig b/arch/arm/mach-stm32mp/Kconfig
index 6c995ed8d8..ea7d57477b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-stm32mp/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-stm32mp/Kconfig
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 if ARCH_STM32MP
 
 config SPL
-	select SPL_BOARD_INIT
 	select SPL_CLK
 	select SPL_DM
 	select SPL_DM_SEQ_ALIAS
diff --git a/board/dhelectronics/dh_stm32mp1/Makefile b/board/dhelectronics/dh_stm32mp1/Makefile
index 5758d9816b..b368b396a4 100644
--- a/board/dhelectronics/dh_stm32mp1/Makefile
+++ b/board/dhelectronics/dh_stm32mp1/Makefile
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
 # Copyright (C) 2018, STMicroelectronics - All Rights Reserved
 #
 
-ifdef CONFIG_SPL_BUILD
-obj-y += ../../st/stm32mp1/spl.o
-endif
-
 obj-y += ../../st/common/stpmic1.o board.o
 
 obj-$(CONFIG_SYS_MTDPARTS_RUNTIME) += ../../st/common/stm32mp_mtdparts.o
diff --git a/board/dhelectronics/dh_stm32mp1/board.c b/board/dhelectronics/dh_stm32mp1/board.c
index 85d56f6082..df0810dbda 100644
--- a/board/dhelectronics/dh_stm32mp1/board.c
+++ b/board/dhelectronics/dh_stm32mp1/board.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <usb.h>
 #include <usb/dwc2_udc.h>
 #include <watchdog.h>
+#include "../../st/common/stpmic1.h"
 
 /* SYSCFG registers */
 #define SYSCFG_BOOTR		0x00
@@ -194,6 +195,8 @@ int board_stm32mp1_ddr_config_name_match(struct udevice *dev,
 
 int board_early_init_f(void)
 {
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD))
+		stpmic1_init();
 	board_get_coding_straps();
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/board/st/common/stpmic1.c b/board/st/common/stpmic1.c
index ca10a2246b..64f24f1f6f 100644
--- a/board/st/common/stpmic1.c
+++ b/board/st/common/stpmic1.c
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <common.h>
 #include <dm.h>
+#include <asm/io.h>
 #include <asm/arch/ddr.h>
 #include <power/pmic.h>
 #include <power/stpmic1.h>
@@ -160,3 +161,33 @@ int board_ddr_power_init(enum ddr_type ddr_type)
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+/* early init of PMIC */
+void stpmic1_init(void)
+{
+	struct udevice *dev;
+
+	if (uclass_get_device_by_driver(UCLASS_PMIC,
+					DM_GET_DRIVER(pmic_stpmic1), &dev))
+		return;
+
+	/* Keep vdd on during the reset cycle */
+	pmic_clrsetbits(dev,
+			STPMIC1_BUCKS_MRST_CR,
+			STPMIC1_MRST_BUCK(STPMIC1_BUCK3),
+			STPMIC1_MRST_BUCK(STPMIC1_BUCK3));
+
+	/* Check if debug is enabled to program PMIC according to the bit */
+	if (readl(TAMP_BOOT_CONTEXT) & TAMP_BOOT_DEBUG_ON) {
+		printf("Keep debug unit ON\n");
+
+		pmic_clrsetbits(dev, STPMIC1_BUCKS_MRST_CR,
+				STPMIC1_MRST_BUCK_DEBUG,
+				STPMIC1_MRST_BUCK_DEBUG);
+
+		if (STPMIC1_MRST_LDO_DEBUG)
+			pmic_clrsetbits(dev, STPMIC1_LDOS_MRST_CR,
+					STPMIC1_MRST_LDO_DEBUG,
+					STPMIC1_MRST_LDO_DEBUG);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/board/st/common/stpmic1.h b/board/st/common/stpmic1.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ecc3276697
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/st/common/stpmic1.h
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+ OR BSD-3-Clause */
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2020, STMicroelectronics - All Rights Reserved
+ */
+
+void stpmic1_init(void);
diff --git a/board/st/stm32mp1/spl.c b/board/st/stm32mp1/spl.c
index e65ff288ea..28efc5c0ae 100644
--- a/board/st/stm32mp1/spl.c
+++ b/board/st/stm32mp1/spl.c
@@ -5,41 +5,12 @@
 
 #include <config.h>
 #include <common.h>
-#include <spl.h>
-#include <dm.h>
-#include <ram.h>
-#include <asm/io.h>
-#include <power/pmic.h>
-#include <power/stpmic1.h>
-#include <asm/arch/ddr.h>
+#include "../common/stpmic1.h"
 
-void spl_board_init(void)
+int board_early_init_f(void)
 {
-	/* Keep vdd on during the reset cycle */
-#if defined(CONFIG_PMIC_STPMIC1) && defined(CONFIG_SPL_POWER_SUPPORT)
-	struct udevice *dev;
-	int ret;
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_PMIC_STPMIC1) && CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(POWER_SUPPORT))
+		stpmic1_init();
 
-	ret = uclass_get_device_by_driver(UCLASS_PMIC,
-					  DM_GET_DRIVER(pmic_stpmic1), &dev);
-	if (!ret)
-		pmic_clrsetbits(dev,
-				STPMIC1_BUCKS_MRST_CR,
-				STPMIC1_MRST_BUCK(STPMIC1_BUCK3),
-				STPMIC1_MRST_BUCK(STPMIC1_BUCK3));
-
-	/* Check if debug is enabled to program PMIC according to the bit */
-	if ((readl(TAMP_BOOT_CONTEXT) & TAMP_BOOT_DEBUG_ON) && !ret) {
-		printf("Keep debug unit ON\n");
-
-		pmic_clrsetbits(dev, STPMIC1_BUCKS_MRST_CR,
-				STPMIC1_MRST_BUCK_DEBUG,
-				STPMIC1_MRST_BUCK_DEBUG);
-
-		if (STPMIC1_MRST_LDO_DEBUG)
-			pmic_clrsetbits(dev, STPMIC1_LDOS_MRST_CR,
-					STPMIC1_MRST_LDO_DEBUG,
-					STPMIC1_MRST_LDO_DEBUG);
-	}
-#endif
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/board/st/stm32mp1/stm32mp1.c b/board/st/stm32mp1/stm32mp1.c
index 33cb7f6c4d..22ad2dba9a 100644
--- a/board/st/stm32mp1/stm32mp1.c
+++ b/board/st/stm32mp1/stm32mp1.c
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@ DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 #define USB_START_LOW_THRESHOLD_UV	1230000
 #define USB_START_HIGH_THRESHOLD_UV	2150000
 
+int board_early_init_f(void)
+{
+	/* nothing to do, only used in SPL */
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int checkboard(void)
 {
 	int ret;
diff --git a/configs/stm32mp15_basic_defconfig b/configs/stm32mp15_basic_defconfig
index c7dd2926c9..628cde6cda 100644
--- a/configs/stm32mp15_basic_defconfig
+++ b/configs/stm32mp15_basic_defconfig
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ CONFIG_SPL_TEXT_BASE=0x2FFC2500
 CONFIG_DISTRO_DEFAULTS=y
 CONFIG_FIT=y
 CONFIG_BOOTCOMMAND="run bootcmd_stm32mp"
+CONFIG_BOARD_EARLY_INIT_F=y
 CONFIG_SYS_MMCSD_RAW_MODE_U_BOOT_USE_PARTITION=y
 CONFIG_SYS_MMCSD_RAW_MODE_U_BOOT_PARTITION=3
 CONFIG_SPL_I2C_SUPPORT=y
