diff --git a/src/lib/cbfs.c b/src/lib/cbfs.c
index d27550576a..5e6fce49a8 100644
--- a/src/lib/cbfs.c
+++ b/src/lib/cbfs.c
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ cb_err_t cbfs_boot_lookup(const char *name, bool force_ro,
 
 	size_t data_offset;
 	cb_err_t err = CB_CBFS_CACHE_FULL;
-	if (!CONFIG(NO_CBFS_MCACHE) && !ENV_SMM)
+	if (!CONFIG(NO_CBFS_MCACHE) && !ENV_SMM &&
+	    (ENV_ROMSTAGE_OR_BEFORE || cbmem_online()))
 		err = cbfs_mcache_lookup(cbd->mcache, cbd->mcache_size,
 					  name, mdata, &data_offset);
 	if (err == CB_CBFS_CACHE_FULL) {