diff --git a/src/soc/amd/common/psp_verstage/include/psp_verstage.h b/src/soc/amd/common/psp_verstage/include/psp_verstage.h
index 7687ac6da0..f5890d4286 100644
--- a/src/soc/amd/common/psp_verstage/include/psp_verstage.h
+++ b/src/soc/amd/common/psp_verstage/include/psp_verstage.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #define POSTCODE_FMAP_REGION_MISSING		0xC8
 #define POSTCODE_AMD_FW_MISSING			0xC9
 #define POSTCODE_CMOS_RECOVERY			0xCA
+#define POSTCODE_EARLY_INIT_ERROR		0xCB
 
 #define POSTCODE_UNMAP_SPI_ROM			0xF0
 #define POSTCODE_UNMAP_FCH_DEVICES		0xF1
diff --git a/src/soc/amd/common/psp_verstage/psp_verstage.c b/src/soc/amd/common/psp_verstage/psp_verstage.c
index 9f27159d69..3bfa3e9984 100644
--- a/src/soc/amd/common/psp_verstage/psp_verstage.c
+++ b/src/soc/amd/common/psp_verstage/psp_verstage.c
@@ -224,8 +224,14 @@ void Main(void)
 	svc_write_postcode(POSTCODE_EARLY_INIT);
 	retval = verstage_soc_early_init();
 	if (retval) {
-		svc_debug_print("verstage_soc_early_init failed\n");
-		reboot_into_recovery(NULL, retval);
+		/*
+		 * If verstage_soc_early_init fails, cmos is probably not
+		 * accessible, so rebooting into recovery is not an option.
+		 * Just reboot and hope for the best.
+		 */
+		svc_write_postcode(POSTCODE_EARLY_INIT_ERROR);
+		svc_debug_print("verstage_soc_early_init failed! -- rebooting\n");
+		vboot_reboot();
 	}
 	svc_debug_print("calling verstage_mainboard_early_init\n");