diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-imx/esdctl.c b/arch/arm/mach-imx/esdctl.c
index cb57d45..e2025b3 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-imx/esdctl.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-imx/esdctl.c
@@ -39,6 +39,17 @@
 	void (*add_mem)(void *esdctlbase, struct imx_esdctl_data *);
 };
 
+static int imx_esdctl_disabled;
+
+/*
+ * Boards can disable SDRAM detection if it doesn't work for them. In
+ * this case arm_add_mem_device has to be called by board code.
+ */
+void imx_esdctl_disable(void)
+{
+	imx_esdctl_disabled = 1;
+}
+
 /*
  * v1 - found on i.MX1
  */
@@ -239,6 +250,9 @@
 	if (!base)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
+	if (imx_esdctl_disabled)
+		return 0;
+
 	data->add_mem(base, data);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-imx/include/mach/esdctl.h b/arch/arm/mach-imx/include/mach/esdctl.h
index 26436d9..b7219d9 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-imx/include/mach/esdctl.h
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-imx/include/mach/esdctl.h
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@
 void __naked __noreturn imx51_barebox_entry(uint32_t boarddata);
 void __naked __noreturn imx53_barebox_entry(uint32_t boarddata);
 void __naked __noreturn imx6_barebox_entry(uint32_t boarddata);
+void imx_esdctl_disable(void);
 #endif
 
 #endif /* __MACH_ESDCTL_V2_H */