diff --git a/src/include/rules.h b/src/include/rules.h
index 614f37ad52..1ab603bdbc 100644
--- a/src/include/rules.h
+++ b/src/include/rules.h
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@
 
 #define ENV_ROMSTAGE_OR_BEFORE \
 	(ENV_DECOMPRESSOR || ENV_BOOTBLOCK || ENV_ROMSTAGE || \
-	(ENV_SEPARATE_VERSTAGE && CONFIG(VBOOT_STARTS_IN_BOOTBLOCK)))
+	(ENV_SEPARATE_VERSTAGE && !CONFIG(VBOOT_STARTS_IN_ROMSTAGE)))
 
 #if CONFIG(ARCH_X86)
 /* Indicates memory layout is determined with arch/x86/car.ld. */