diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ab61d1c94..ec6f88585 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -805,10 +805,16 @@ endif
 # Process platform overrideable behaviour
 ################################################################################
 
-# Using BL2 implies that a BL33 image also needs to be supplied for the FIP and
-# Certificate generation tools. This flag can be overridden by the platform.
+ifdef BL1_SOURCES
+NEED_BL1 := yes
+endif
+
 ifdef BL2_SOURCES
-        ifdef EL3_PAYLOAD_BASE
+	NEED_BL2 := yes
+
+	# Using BL2 implies that a BL33 image also needs to be supplied for the FIP and
+	# Certificate generation tools. This flag can be overridden by the platform.
+	ifdef EL3_PAYLOAD_BASE
                 # If booting an EL3 payload there is no need for a BL33 image
                 # in the FIP file.
                 NEED_BL33		:=	no
@@ -823,6 +829,10 @@ ifdef BL2_SOURCES
         endif
 endif
 
+ifdef BL2U_SOURCES
+NEED_BL2U := yes
+endif
+
 # If SCP_BL2 is given, we always want FIP to include it.
 ifdef SCP_BL2
         NEED_SCP_BL2		:=	yes
@@ -860,6 +870,10 @@ ifneq (${FIP_ALIGN},0)
 FIP_ARGS += --align ${FIP_ALIGN}
 endif
 
+ifdef FDT_SOURCES
+NEED_FDT := yes
+endif
+
 ################################################################################
 # Include libraries' Makefile that are used in all BL
 ################################################################################
@@ -903,30 +917,22 @@ DOCS_PATH		?=	docs
 ################################################################################
 # Include BL specific makefiles
 ################################################################################
-ifdef BL1_SOURCES
-NEED_BL1 := yes
+
+ifeq (${NEED_BL1},yes)
 include bl1/bl1.mk
 endif
 
-ifdef BL2_SOURCES
-NEED_BL2 := yes
+ifeq (${NEED_BL2},yes)
 include bl2/bl2.mk
 endif
 
-ifdef BL2U_SOURCES
-NEED_BL2U := yes
+ifeq (${NEED_BL2U},yes)
 include bl2u/bl2u.mk
 endif
 
 ifeq (${NEED_BL31},yes)
-ifdef BL31_SOURCES
 include bl31/bl31.mk
 endif
-endif
-
-ifdef FDT_SOURCES
-NEED_FDT := yes
-endif
 
 ################################################################################
 # Build options checks
diff --git a/make_helpers/tbbr/tbbr_tools.mk b/make_helpers/tbbr/tbbr_tools.mk
index 293e85487..0a280b4ed 100644
--- a/make_helpers/tbbr/tbbr_tools.mk
+++ b/make_helpers/tbbr/tbbr_tools.mk
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 # Expected environment:
 #
 #   BUILD_PLAT: output directory
+#   NEED_BL2: indicates whether BL2 is needed by the platform
 #   NEED_BL32: indicates whether BL32 is needed by the platform
 #   BL2: image filename (optional). Default is IMG_BIN(2) (see macro IMG_BIN)
 #   SCP_BL2: image filename (optional). Default is IMG_BIN(30)
@@ -67,8 +68,8 @@ $(if ${NON_TRUSTED_WORLD_KEY},$(eval $(call CERT_ADD_CMD_OPT,${NON_TRUSTED_WORLD
 
 
 # Add the BL2 CoT (image cert)
+ifeq (${NEED_BL2},yes)
 ifeq (${BL2_AT_EL3}, 0)
-ifneq (${PLAT},fvp_r)
 $(eval $(call TOOL_ADD_PAYLOAD,${BUILD_PLAT}/tb_fw.crt,--tb-fw-cert))
 endif
 endif