diff --git a/src/mainboard/sifive/hifive-unleashed/romstage.c b/src/mainboard/sifive/hifive-unleashed/romstage.c
index df4cf894b2..3767491a5e 100644
--- a/src/mainboard/sifive/hifive-unleashed/romstage.c
+++ b/src/mainboard/sifive/hifive-unleashed/romstage.c
@@ -42,5 +42,7 @@ void main(void)
 
 	sdram_init();
 
+	cbmem_initialize_empty();
+
 	run_ramstage();
 }
diff --git a/src/soc/sifive/fu540/Makefile.inc b/src/soc/sifive/fu540/Makefile.inc
index ed1836ed67..e2bdd03a00 100644
--- a/src/soc/sifive/fu540/Makefile.inc
+++ b/src/soc/sifive/fu540/Makefile.inc
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ bootblock-y += bootblock.c
 romstage-y += uart.c
 romstage-y += media.c
 romstage-y += sdram.c
+romstage-y += cbmem.c
 romstage-y += otp.c
 romstage-y += clock.c