diff --git a/src/include/program_loading.h b/src/include/program_loading.h
index e071db9729..ca61c169d7 100644
--- a/src/include/program_loading.h
+++ b/src/include/program_loading.h
@@ -104,14 +104,11 @@ struct payload {
 	void *entry;
 };
 
-/*
- * Load payload into memory and return pointer to payload structure. Returns
- * NULL on error.
- */
-struct payload *payload_load(void);
+/* Load payload into memory in preparation to run. */
+void payload_load(void);
 
 /* Run the loaded payload. */
-void payload_run(const struct payload *payload);
+void payload_run(void);
 
 /* Mirror the payload to be loaded. */
 void mirror_payload(struct payload *payload);
diff --git a/src/lib/hardwaremain.c b/src/lib/hardwaremain.c
index 1091c00d34..83bc7be522 100644
--- a/src/lib/hardwaremain.c
+++ b/src/lib/hardwaremain.c
@@ -227,26 +227,16 @@ static boot_state_t bs_write_tables(void *arg)
 
 static boot_state_t bs_payload_load(void *arg)
 {
-	struct payload *payload;
-
 	timestamp_add_now(TS_LOAD_PAYLOAD);
 
-	payload = payload_load();
-
-	if (! payload)
-		die("Could not load payload\n");
-
-	/* Pass the payload to the next state. */
-	boot_states[BS_PAYLOAD_BOOT].arg = payload;
+	payload_load();
 
 	return BS_PAYLOAD_BOOT;
 }
 
 static boot_state_t bs_payload_boot(void *arg)
 {
-	struct payload *payload = arg;
-
-	payload_run(payload);
+	payload_run();
 
 	printk(BIOS_EMERG, "Boot failed");
 	/* Returning from this state will fail because the following signals
diff --git a/src/lib/loaders/load_and_run_payload.c b/src/lib/loaders/load_and_run_payload.c
index 4bb29c10e5..89b6da61f3 100644
--- a/src/lib/loaders/load_and_run_payload.c
+++ b/src/lib/loaders/load_and_run_payload.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ void __attribute__((weak)) mirror_payload(struct payload *payload)
 	return;
 }
 
-struct payload *payload_load(void)
+void payload_load(void)
 {
 	int i;
 	void *entry;
@@ -65,24 +65,22 @@ struct payload *payload_load(void)
 	}
 
 	if (i == ARRAY_SIZE(payload_ops))
-		return NULL;
+		goto out;
 
 	mirror_payload(payload);
 
 	entry = selfload(payload);
 
-	if (entry == NULL)
-		return NULL;
-
 	payload->entry = entry;
 
-	return payload;
+out:
+	if (payload->entry == NULL)
+		die("Payload not loaded.\n");
 }
 
-void payload_run(const struct payload *payload)
+void payload_run(void)
 {
-	if (payload == NULL)
-		return;
+	const struct payload *payload = &global_payload;
 
 	/* Reset to booting from this image as late as possible */
 	boot_successful();