diff --git a/board/atmel/sama5d2_xplained/sama5d2_xplained.c b/board/atmel/sama5d2_xplained/sama5d2_xplained.c
index cceccd2..c5337af 100644
--- a/board/atmel/sama5d2_xplained/sama5d2_xplained.c
+++ b/board/atmel/sama5d2_xplained/sama5d2_xplained.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include <common.h>
 #include <atmel_hlcdc.h>
+#include <debug_uart.h>
 #include <dm.h>
 #include <i2c.h>
 #include <lcd.h>
@@ -141,12 +142,25 @@ static void board_uart1_hw_init(void)
 	at91_periph_clk_enable(ATMEL_ID_UART1);
 }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_BOARD_INIT
+void board_debug_uart_init(void)
+{
+	board_uart1_hw_init();
+}
+#endif
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_BOARD_EARLY_INIT_F
 int board_early_init_f(void)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_UART
+	debug_uart_init();
+#else
 	board_uart1_hw_init();
+#endif
 
 	return 0;
 }
+#endif
 
 int board_init(void)
 {
diff --git a/configs/sama5d2_xplained_mmc_defconfig b/configs/sama5d2_xplained_mmc_defconfig
index 08ecea6..8a786f1 100644
--- a/configs/sama5d2_xplained_mmc_defconfig
+++ b/configs/sama5d2_xplained_mmc_defconfig
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ CONFIG_SPI_FLASH=y
 CONFIG_SPI_FLASH_ATMEL=y
 CONFIG_PINCTRL=y
 CONFIG_PINCTRL_AT91PIO4=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_ATMEL=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_BASE=0xf8020000
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_CLOCK=0
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_BOARD_INIT=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_ANNOUNCE=y
 CONFIG_ATMEL_USART=y
 CONFIG_DM_SPI=y
 CONFIG_ATMEL_SPI=y
diff --git a/configs/sama5d2_xplained_spiflash_defconfig b/configs/sama5d2_xplained_spiflash_defconfig
index b49d2ad..51594e7 100644
--- a/configs/sama5d2_xplained_spiflash_defconfig
+++ b/configs/sama5d2_xplained_spiflash_defconfig
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ CONFIG_SPI_FLASH=y
 CONFIG_SPI_FLASH_ATMEL=y
 CONFIG_PINCTRL=y
 CONFIG_PINCTRL_AT91PIO4=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_ATMEL=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_BASE=0xf8020000
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_CLOCK=0
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_BOARD_INIT=y
+CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_ANNOUNCE=y
 CONFIG_ATMEL_USART=y
 CONFIG_DM_SPI=y
 CONFIG_ATMEL_SPI=y
diff --git a/include/configs/sama5d2_xplained.h b/include/configs/sama5d2_xplained.h
index 7fb2bdc..f694645 100644
--- a/include/configs/sama5d2_xplained.h
+++ b/include/configs/sama5d2_xplained.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 
 #include "at91-sama5_common.h"
 
+#define CONFIG_BOARD_EARLY_INIT_F
+
 #define CONFIG_MISC_INIT_R
 
 /* SDRAM */