diff --git a/src/cpu/intel/car/romstage.c b/src/cpu/intel/car/romstage.c
index 28801458cd..e24225e71e 100644
--- a/src/cpu/intel/car/romstage.c
+++ b/src/cpu/intel/car/romstage.c
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 #include <program_loading.h>
 #include <timestamp.h>
 
+/* If we do not have a constrained _car_stack region size, use the
+   following as a guideline for acceptable stack usage. */
 #define DCACHE_RAM_ROMSTAGE_STACK_SIZE 0x2000
 
 static struct postcar_frame early_mtrrs;
@@ -43,16 +45,18 @@ static void prepare_and_run_postcar(struct postcar_frame *pcf)
 static void romstage_main(unsigned long bist)
 {
 	int i;
-	const int num_guards = 4;
+	const int num_guards = 64;
 	const u32 stack_guard = 0xdeadbeef;
 	u32 *stack_base;
 	u32 size;
+	const size_t stack_size = MAX(CONFIG_DCACHE_BSP_STACK_SIZE,
+				      DCACHE_RAM_ROMSTAGE_STACK_SIZE);
 
 	/* Size of unallocated CAR. */
 	size = ALIGN_DOWN(_car_stack_size, 16);
 
-	size = MIN(size, DCACHE_RAM_ROMSTAGE_STACK_SIZE);
-	if (size < DCACHE_RAM_ROMSTAGE_STACK_SIZE)
+	size = MIN(size, stack_size);
+	if (size < stack_size)
 		printk(BIOS_DEBUG, "Romstage stack size limited to 0x%x!\n",
 			size);