diff --git a/src/vendorcode/google/chromeos/vboot_common.c b/src/vendorcode/google/chromeos/vboot_common.c
index eef5417..28135a0 100644
--- a/src/vendorcode/google/chromeos/vboot_common.c
+++ b/src/vendorcode/google/chromeos/vboot_common.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <console/console.h>
 #include <fmap.h>
 #include <reset.h>
+#include <rules.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
@@ -41,6 +42,12 @@
 {
 	struct vboot_handoff *vboot_handoff;
 
+	/* No flags are available in a separate verstage or bootblock because
+	 * cbmem only comes online when dram does. */
+	if ((ENV_VERSTAGE && IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_VBOOT_STARTS_IN_BOOTBLOCK)) ||
+		ENV_BOOTBLOCK)
+		return -1;
+
 	vboot_handoff = cbmem_find(CBMEM_ID_VBOOT_HANDOFF);
 
 	if (vboot_handoff == NULL)