diff --git a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/mx5/lowlevel_init.S b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/mx5/lowlevel_init.S
index 29ec95797..6d9396a97 100644
--- a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/mx5/lowlevel_init.S
+++ b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/mx5/lowlevel_init.S
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ ENTRY(lowlevel_init)
 	mov r10, lr
 	mov r4, #0	/* Fix R4 to 0 */
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_MX51)
+#if defined(CONFIG_SYS_MAIN_PWR_ON)
 	ldr r0, =GPIO1_BASE_ADDR
 	ldr r1, [r0, #0x0]
 	orr r1, r1, #1 << 23
diff --git a/doc/README.imx5 b/doc/README.imx5
index f7eab7d4b..e08941e2a 100644
--- a/doc/README.imx5
+++ b/doc/README.imx5
@@ -15,3 +15,8 @@ i.MX5x SoCs.
     mode), which causes the effect of this failure to be much lower (in terms
     of frequency deviation), avoiding system failure, or at least decreasing
     the likelihood of system failure.
+
+1.2 CONFIG_SYS_MAIN_PWR_ON: Trigger MAIN_PWR_ON upon startup.
+    This option should be enabled for boards having a SYS_ON_OFF_CTL signal
+    connected to GPIO1[23] and triggering the MAIN_PWR_ON signal like in the
+    reference designs.
diff --git a/include/configs/mx51_efikamx.h b/include/configs/mx51_efikamx.h
index ffe771f2d..a056566ef 100644
--- a/include/configs/mx51_efikamx.h
+++ b/include/configs/mx51_efikamx.h
@@ -261,5 +261,6 @@
 
 #define CONFIG_SYS_DDR_CLKSEL		0
 #define CONFIG_SYS_CLKTL_CBCDR		0x59E35145
+#define CONFIG_SYS_MAIN_PWR_ON
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/configs/mx51evk.h b/include/configs/mx51evk.h
index e8c6618ea..4e8235533 100644
--- a/include/configs/mx51evk.h
+++ b/include/configs/mx51evk.h
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@
 
 #define CONFIG_SYS_DDR_CLKSEL	0
 #define CONFIG_SYS_CLKTL_CBCDR	0x59E35100
+#define CONFIG_SYS_MAIN_PWR_ON
 
 /*-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  * FLASH and environment organization
diff --git a/include/configs/vision2.h b/include/configs/vision2.h
index 848df88e7..13c570299 100644
--- a/include/configs/vision2.h
+++ b/include/configs/vision2.h
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@
 /* 166 MHz DDR RAM */
 #define CONFIG_SYS_DDR_CLKSEL		0
 #define CONFIG_SYS_CLKTL_CBCDR		0x19239100
+#define CONFIG_SYS_MAIN_PWR_ON
 
 #define CONFIG_SYS_NO_FLASH