diff --git a/board/sandbox/sandbox.c b/board/sandbox/sandbox.c
index 195f620..0e87674 100644
--- a/board/sandbox/sandbox.c
+++ b/board/sandbox/sandbox.c
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <cros_ec.h>
 #include <dm.h>
+#include <led.h>
 #include <os.h>
 #include <asm/test.h>
 #include <asm/u-boot-sandbox.h>
@@ -47,6 +48,14 @@ int dram_init(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int board_init(void)
+{
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_LED))
+		led_default_state();
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_BOARD_LATE_INIT
 int board_late_init(void)
 {
diff --git a/common/board_r.c b/common/board_r.c
index 64f2574..9402c0e 100644
--- a/common/board_r.c
+++ b/common/board_r.c
@@ -690,7 +690,8 @@ static init_fnc_t init_sequence_r[] = {
 #ifdef CONFIG_DM
 	initr_dm,
 #endif
-#if defined(CONFIG_ARM) || defined(CONFIG_NDS32) || defined(CONFIG_RISCV)
+#if defined(CONFIG_ARM) || defined(CONFIG_NDS32) || defined(CONFIG_RISCV) || \
+	defined(CONFIG_SANDBOX)
 	board_init,	/* Setup chipselects */
 #endif
 	/*
diff --git a/test/dm/led.c b/test/dm/led.c
index 0071f21..00de7b3 100644
--- a/test/dm/led.c
+++ b/test/dm/led.c
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ static int dm_test_led_default_state(struct unit_test_state *uts)
 {
 	struct udevice *dev;
 
+	/* configure the default state (auto-probe) */
+	led_default_state();
+
 	/* Check that we handle the default-state property correctly. */
 	ut_assertok(led_get_by_label("sandbox:default_on", &dev));
 	ut_asserteq(LEDST_ON, led_get_state(dev));