diff --git a/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/eeprom.c b/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/eeprom.c
index 7a92fe3757..54e0e11ec7 100644
--- a/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/eeprom.c
+++ b/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/eeprom.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <device/pci_ops.h>
 #include <device/smbus_host.h>
 #include <soc/intel/common/block/smbus/smbuslib.h>
+#include <string.h>
 #include <types.h>
 
 #include "eeprom.h"
@@ -88,6 +89,17 @@ struct eeprom_bmc_settings *get_bmc_settings(void)
 	return &bmc_cfg;
 }
 
+const char *eeprom_read_serial(const size_t offset, const char *const fallback)
+{
+	static char serial_no[HERMES_SERIAL_NUMBER_LENGTH] = { 0 };
+	memset(serial_no, 0, sizeof(serial_no));
+
+	if (eeprom_read_buffer(serial_no, offset, sizeof(serial_no)) == 0)
+		return serial_no;
+	else
+		return fallback;
+}
+
 uint8_t get_bmc_hsi(void)
 {
 	uint8_t hsi = 0;
diff --git a/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/eeprom.h b/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/eeprom.h
index 2f7eac7253..63e84afb6d 100644
--- a/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/eeprom.h
+++ b/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/eeprom.h
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ bool eeprom_read_buffer(void *blob, size_t read_offset, size_t size);
 int check_signature(const size_t offset, const uint64_t signature);
 struct eeprom_board_settings *get_board_settings(void);
 struct eeprom_bmc_settings *get_bmc_settings(void);
+const char *eeprom_read_serial(size_t offset, const char *fallback);
 uint8_t get_bmc_hsi(void);
 void report_eeprom_error(const size_t off);
 bool write_board_settings(const struct eeprom_board_layout *new_layout);
diff --git a/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/smbios.c b/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/smbios.c
index c1325d4771..923ce8170c 100644
--- a/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/smbios.c
+++ b/src/mainboard/prodrive/hermes/smbios.c
@@ -9,23 +9,13 @@
 const char *smbios_system_serial_number(void)
 {
 	const size_t offset = offsetof(struct eeprom_layout, system_serial_number);
-	static char serial_no[HERMES_SERIAL_NUMBER_LENGTH] = { 0 };
-
-	if (eeprom_read_buffer(serial_no, offset, sizeof(serial_no)) == 0)
-		return serial_no;
-	else
-		return CONFIG_MAINBOARD_SERIAL_NUMBER;
+	return eeprom_read_serial(offset, CONFIG_MAINBOARD_SERIAL_NUMBER);
 }
 
 const char *smbios_mainboard_serial_number(void)
 {
 	const size_t offset = offsetof(struct eeprom_layout, board_serial_number);
-	static char serial_no[HERMES_SERIAL_NUMBER_LENGTH] = { 0 };
-
-	if (eeprom_read_buffer(serial_no, offset, sizeof(serial_no)) == 0)
-		return serial_no;
-	else
-		return CONFIG_MAINBOARD_SERIAL_NUMBER;
+	return eeprom_read_serial(offset, CONFIG_MAINBOARD_SERIAL_NUMBER);
 }
 
 const char *smbios_mainboard_version(void)