diff --git a/plat/intel/soc/agilex/bl2_plat_setup.c b/plat/intel/soc/agilex/bl2_plat_setup.c
index b6b3e1662..30fbe0d72 100644
--- a/plat/intel/soc/agilex/bl2_plat_setup.c
+++ b/plat/intel/soc/agilex/bl2_plat_setup.c
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ void bl2_el3_plat_arch_setup(void)
 	mmc_info.mmc_dev_type = MMC_IS_SD;
 	mmc_info.ocr_voltage = OCR_3_3_3_4 | OCR_3_2_3_3;
 
+	/* Request ownership and direct access to QSPI */
+	mailbox_hps_qspi_enable();
+
 	switch (boot_source) {
 	case BOOT_SOURCE_SDMMC:
 		dw_mmc_init(&params, &mmc_info);
@@ -120,8 +123,6 @@ void bl2_el3_plat_arch_setup(void)
 		break;
 
 	case BOOT_SOURCE_QSPI:
-		mailbox_set_qspi_open();
-		mailbox_set_qspi_direct();
 		cad_qspi_init(0, QSPI_CONFIG_CPHA, QSPI_CONFIG_CPOL,
 			QSPI_CONFIG_CSDA, QSPI_CONFIG_CSDADS,
 			QSPI_CONFIG_CSEOT, QSPI_CONFIG_CSSOT, 0);
diff --git a/plat/intel/soc/common/include/socfpga_mailbox.h b/plat/intel/soc/common/include/socfpga_mailbox.h
index 923c4f154..39662e21f 100644
--- a/plat/intel/soc/common/include/socfpga_mailbox.h
+++ b/plat/intel/soc/common/include/socfpga_mailbox.h
@@ -139,8 +139,7 @@
 void mailbox_set_int(uint32_t interrupt_input);
 int mailbox_init(void);
 void mailbox_set_qspi_close(void);
-void mailbox_set_qspi_open(void);
-void mailbox_set_qspi_direct(void);
+void mailbox_hps_qspi_enable(void);
 
 int mailbox_send_cmd(uint32_t job_id, uint32_t cmd, uint32_t *args,
 			unsigned int len, uint32_t urgent, uint32_t *response,
diff --git a/plat/intel/soc/common/soc/socfpga_mailbox.c b/plat/intel/soc/common/soc/socfpga_mailbox.c
index aec94af94..34508a876 100644
--- a/plat/intel/soc/common/soc/socfpga_mailbox.c
+++ b/plat/intel/soc/common/soc/socfpga_mailbox.c
@@ -393,6 +393,12 @@ void mailbox_qspi_set_cs(uint32_t device_select)
 				1U, CMD_CASUAL, NULL, 0U);
 }
 
+void mailbox_hps_qspi_enable(void)
+{
+	mailbox_set_qspi_open();
+	mailbox_set_qspi_direct();
+}
+
 void mailbox_reset_cold(void)
 {
 	mailbox_set_int(MBOX_INT_FLAG_COE | MBOX_INT_FLAG_RIE);
diff --git a/plat/intel/soc/stratix10/bl2_plat_setup.c b/plat/intel/soc/stratix10/bl2_plat_setup.c
index ecf1f01e4..77b04934a 100644
--- a/plat/intel/soc/stratix10/bl2_plat_setup.c
+++ b/plat/intel/soc/stratix10/bl2_plat_setup.c
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ void bl2_el3_plat_arch_setup(void)
 	mmc_info.mmc_dev_type = MMC_IS_SD;
 	mmc_info.ocr_voltage = OCR_3_3_3_4 | OCR_3_2_3_3;
 
+	/* Request ownership and direct access to QSPI */
+	mailbox_hps_qspi_enable();
+
 	switch (boot_source) {
 	case BOOT_SOURCE_SDMMC:
 		dw_mmc_init(&params, &mmc_info);
@@ -116,8 +119,6 @@ void bl2_el3_plat_arch_setup(void)
 		break;
 
 	case BOOT_SOURCE_QSPI:
-		mailbox_set_qspi_open();
-		mailbox_set_qspi_direct();
 		cad_qspi_init(0, QSPI_CONFIG_CPHA, QSPI_CONFIG_CPOL,
 			QSPI_CONFIG_CSDA, QSPI_CONFIG_CSDADS,
 			QSPI_CONFIG_CSEOT, QSPI_CONFIG_CSSOT, 0);