diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a11e55f9f..59d14ba02 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -529,6 +529,10 @@ ifneq (${SPD},none)
         ifneq ($(ARM_BL2_SP_LIST_DTS),)
             DTC_CPPFLAGS += -DARM_BL2_SP_LIST_DTS=$(ARM_BL2_SP_LIST_DTS)
         endif
+
+        ifneq ($(SP_LAYOUT_FILE),)
+            BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD := 1
+        endif
     else
         # All other SPDs in spd directory
         SPD_DIR := spd
@@ -902,6 +906,7 @@ endif
 $(eval $(call assert_booleans,\
     $(sort \
         ALLOW_RO_XLAT_TABLES \
+        BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD \
         COLD_BOOT_SINGLE_CPU \
         CREATE_KEYS \
         CTX_INCLUDE_AARCH32_REGS \
@@ -1003,6 +1008,7 @@ $(eval $(call add_defines,\
         ALLOW_RO_XLAT_TABLES \
         ARM_ARCH_MAJOR \
         ARM_ARCH_MINOR \
+        BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD \
         COLD_BOOT_SINGLE_CPU \
         CTX_INCLUDE_AARCH32_REGS \
         CTX_INCLUDE_FPREGS \
@@ -1105,9 +1111,6 @@ endif
 # Generate and include sp_gen.mk if SPD is spmd and SP_LAYOUT_FILE is defined
 ifeq (${SPD},spmd)
 ifdef SP_LAYOUT_FILE
-        ifeq (${SPMD_SPM_AT_SEL2},0)
-            $(error "SPMD with SPM at S-EL1 does not require SP_LAYOUT_FILE")
-        endif
         -include $(BUILD_PLAT)/sp_gen.mk
         FIP_DEPS += sp
         CRT_DEPS += sp
diff --git a/docs/getting_started/build-options.rst b/docs/getting_started/build-options.rst
index 0ec10f5db..7fe6ccd8a 100644
--- a/docs/getting_started/build-options.rst
+++ b/docs/getting_started/build-options.rst
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ Common build options
 -  ``BL2_AT_EL3``: This is an optional build option that enables the use of
    BL2 at EL3 execution level.
 
+-  ``BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD``: Boolean option to enable loading SP packages from the
+   FIP. Automatically enabled if ``SP_LAYOUT_FILE`` is provided.
+
 -  ``BL2_IN_XIP_MEM``: In some use-cases BL2 will be stored in eXecute In Place
    (XIP) memory, like BL1. In these use-cases, it is necessary to initialize
    the RW sections in RAM, while leaving the RO sections in place. This option
diff --git a/make_helpers/defaults.mk b/make_helpers/defaults.mk
index 18092e7fa..8b350db7b 100644
--- a/make_helpers/defaults.mk
+++ b/make_helpers/defaults.mk
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ BASE_COMMIT			:= origin/master
 # Execute BL2 at EL3
 BL2_AT_EL3			:= 0
 
+# Only use SP packages if SP layout JSON is defined
+BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD		:= 0
+
 # BL2 image is stored in XIP memory, for now, this option is only supported
 # when BL2_AT_EL3 is 1.
 BL2_IN_XIP_MEM			:= 0
diff --git a/plat/arm/common/arm_bl2_setup.c b/plat/arm/common/arm_bl2_setup.c
index 26af38344..5b26a1d3b 100644
--- a/plat/arm/common/arm_bl2_setup.c
+++ b/plat/arm/common/arm_bl2_setup.c
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ int arm_bl2_handle_post_image_load(unsigned int image_id)
  ******************************************************************************/
 int arm_bl2_plat_handle_post_image_load(unsigned int image_id)
 {
-#if defined(SPD_spmd) && SPMD_SPM_AT_SEL2
+#if defined(SPD_spmd) && BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD
 	/* For Secure Partitions we don't need post processing */
 	if ((image_id >= (MAX_NUMBER_IDS - MAX_SP_IDS)) &&
 		(image_id < MAX_NUMBER_IDS)) {
diff --git a/plat/arm/common/arm_common.mk b/plat/arm/common/arm_common.mk
index 4d5e8b4b1..58060dbcf 100644
--- a/plat/arm/common/arm_common.mk
+++ b/plat/arm/common/arm_common.mk
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ endif
 ARM_IO_SOURCES		+=	plat/arm/common/arm_io_storage.c		\
 				plat/arm/common/fconf/arm_fconf_io.c
 ifeq (${SPD},spmd)
-    ifeq (${SPMD_SPM_AT_SEL2},1)
+    ifeq (${BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD},1)
          ARM_IO_SOURCES		+=	plat/arm/common/fconf/arm_fconf_sp.c
     endif
 endif
diff --git a/plat/arm/common/arm_image_load.c b/plat/arm/common/arm_image_load.c
index ebf6dfff8..c411c6cbb 100644
--- a/plat/arm/common/arm_image_load.c
+++ b/plat/arm/common/arm_image_load.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2016-2020, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2016-2021, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void plat_flush_next_bl_params(void)
 		next_bl_params_cpy_ptr);
 }
 
-#if defined(SPD_spmd) && SPMD_SPM_AT_SEL2
+#if defined(SPD_spmd) && BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD
 /*******************************************************************************
  * This function appends Secure Partitions to list of loadable images.
  ******************************************************************************/
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ static void plat_add_sp_images_load_info(struct bl_load_info *load_info)
  ******************************************************************************/
 struct bl_load_info *plat_get_bl_image_load_info(void)
 {
-#if defined(SPD_spmd) && SPMD_SPM_AT_SEL2
+#if defined(SPD_spmd) && BL2_ENABLE_SP_LOAD
 	bl_load_info_t *bl_load_info;
 
 	bl_load_info = get_bl_load_info_from_mem_params_desc();