diff --git a/bl2/bl2_main.c b/bl2/bl2_main.c
index 4c19002..71940a6 100644
--- a/bl2/bl2_main.c
+++ b/bl2/bl2_main.c
@@ -238,8 +238,14 @@
 	}
 
 	e = load_bl32(bl2_to_bl31_params);
-	if (e)
-		WARN("Failed to load BL3-2 (%i)\n", e);
+	if (e) {
+		if (e == LOAD_AUTH_ERR) {
+			ERROR("Failed to authenticate BL3-2\n");
+			panic();
+		} else {
+			WARN("Failed to load BL3-2 (%i)\n", e);
+		}
+	}
 
 	e = load_bl33(bl2_to_bl31_params);
 	if (e) {
diff --git a/common/bl_common.c b/common/bl_common.c
index b8558a6..3088cb0 100644
--- a/common/bl_common.c
+++ b/common/bl_common.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <io_storage.h>
 #include <platform.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 unsigned long page_align(unsigned long value, unsigned dir)
 {
@@ -331,7 +332,7 @@
 	if (rc == 0) {
 		rc = load_auth_image(mem_layout, parent_id, image_base,
 				     image_data, NULL);
-		if (rc != IO_SUCCESS) {
+		if (rc != LOAD_SUCCESS) {
 			return rc;
 		}
 	}
@@ -341,7 +342,7 @@
 	rc = load_image(mem_layout, image_id, image_base, image_data,
 			entry_point_info);
 	if (rc != IO_SUCCESS) {
-		return rc;
+		return LOAD_ERR;
 	}
 
 #if TRUSTED_BOARD_BOOT
@@ -350,7 +351,11 @@
 				 (void *)image_data->image_base,
 				 image_data->image_size);
 	if (rc != 0) {
-		return IO_FAIL;
+		memset((void *)image_data->image_base, 0x00,
+		       image_data->image_size);
+		flush_dcache_range(image_data->image_base,
+				   image_data->image_size);
+		return LOAD_AUTH_ERR;
 	}
 
 	/* After working with data, invalidate the data cache */
@@ -358,5 +363,5 @@
 			(size_t)image_data->image_size);
 #endif /* TRUSTED_BOARD_BOOT */
 
-	return IO_SUCCESS;
+	return LOAD_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/include/common/bl_common.h b/include/common/bl_common.h
index b1a9c8f..66244ca 100644
--- a/include/common/bl_common.h
+++ b/include/common/bl_common.h
@@ -202,6 +202,15 @@
 	image_info_t *bl33_image_info;
 } bl31_params_t;
 
+/*
+ * load_auth_image() return values
+ */
+enum {
+	LOAD_SUCCESS,		/* Load + authentication success */
+	LOAD_ERR,		/* Load error */
+	LOAD_AUTH_ERR		/* Authentication error */
+};
+
 
 /*
  * Compile time assertions related to the 'entry_point_info' structure to