diff --git a/payloads/libpayload/include/fmap_serialized.h b/payloads/libpayload/include/fmap_serialized.h
index 1e83760442..53a09af7a8 100644
--- a/payloads/libpayload/include/fmap_serialized.h
+++ b/payloads/libpayload/include/fmap_serialized.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ enum fmap_flags {
 	FMAP_AREA_STATIC	= 1 << 0,
 	FMAP_AREA_COMPRESSED	= 1 << 1,
 	FMAP_AREA_RO		= 1 << 2,
+	FMAP_AREA_PRESERVE	= 1 << 3,
 };
 
 /* Mapping of volatile and static regions in firmware binary */
diff --git a/src/commonlib/include/commonlib/fmap_serialized.h b/src/commonlib/include/commonlib/fmap_serialized.h
index 1e83760442..53a09af7a8 100644
--- a/src/commonlib/include/commonlib/fmap_serialized.h
+++ b/src/commonlib/include/commonlib/fmap_serialized.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ enum fmap_flags {
 	FMAP_AREA_STATIC	= 1 << 0,
 	FMAP_AREA_COMPRESSED	= 1 << 1,
 	FMAP_AREA_RO		= 1 << 2,
+	FMAP_AREA_PRESERVE	= 1 << 3,
 };
 
 /* Mapping of volatile and static regions in firmware binary */
diff --git a/util/cbfstool/flashmap/fmap.c b/util/cbfstool/flashmap/fmap.c
index 733f468390..f1d2fb9e0c 100644
--- a/util/cbfstool/flashmap/fmap.c
+++ b/util/cbfstool/flashmap/fmap.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ const struct valstr flag_lut[] = {
 	{ FMAP_AREA_STATIC, "static" },
 	{ FMAP_AREA_COMPRESSED, "compressed" },
 	{ FMAP_AREA_RO, "ro" },
+	{ FMAP_AREA_PRESERVE, "preserve" },
 };
 
 /* returns size of fmap data structure if successful, <0 to indicate error */
diff --git a/util/cbfstool/flashmap/fmap.h b/util/cbfstool/flashmap/fmap.h
index 6e2091fc4f..e360011328 100644
--- a/util/cbfstool/flashmap/fmap.h
+++ b/util/cbfstool/flashmap/fmap.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ enum fmap_flags {
 	FMAP_AREA_STATIC	= 1 << 0,
 	FMAP_AREA_COMPRESSED	= 1 << 1,
 	FMAP_AREA_RO		= 1 << 2,
+	FMAP_AREA_PRESERVE	= 1 << 3,
 };
 
 /* Mapping of volatile and static regions in firmware binary */