diff --git a/include/lib/psci/psci.h b/include/lib/psci/psci.h
index c40f955f0..f12a4d62c 100644
--- a/include/lib/psci/psci.h
+++ b/include/lib/psci/psci.h
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ typedef struct psci_cpu_data {
 
 	/*
 	 * Highest power level which takes part in a power management
-	 * operation.
+	 * operation. May be lower while the core is in suspend state.
 	 */
 	unsigned int target_pwrlvl;
 
diff --git a/lib/psci/psci_common.c b/lib/psci/psci_common.c
index 3f6b89f2b..5c7993bf2 100644
--- a/lib/psci/psci_common.c
+++ b/lib/psci/psci_common.c
@@ -260,13 +260,9 @@ static unsigned int get_power_on_target_pwrlvl(void)
 
 	/*
 	 * Assume that this cpu was suspended and retrieve its target power
-	 * level. If it is invalid then it could only have been turned off
-	 * earlier. PLAT_MAX_PWR_LVL will be the highest power level a
-	 * cpu can be turned off to.
+	 * level. If it wasn't, the cpu is off so this will be PLAT_MAX_PWR_LVL.
 	 */
 	pwrlvl = psci_get_suspend_pwrlvl();
-	if (pwrlvl == PSCI_INVALID_PWR_LVL)
-		pwrlvl = PLAT_MAX_PWR_LVL;
 	assert(pwrlvl < PSCI_INVALID_PWR_LVL);
 	return pwrlvl;
 }
diff --git a/lib/psci/psci_setup.c b/lib/psci/psci_setup.c
index 6bf1ff456..1afc91808 100644
--- a/lib/psci/psci_setup.c
+++ b/lib/psci/psci_setup.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2020, Arm Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2024, Arm Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ static void __init psci_init_pwr_domain_node(uint16_t node_idx,
 		/* Set the Affinity Info for the cores as OFF */
 		svc_cpu_data->aff_info_state = AFF_STATE_OFF;
 
-		/* Invalidate the suspend level for the cpu */
-		svc_cpu_data->target_pwrlvl = PSCI_INVALID_PWR_LVL;
+		/* Default to the highest power level when the cpu is not suspending */
+		svc_cpu_data->target_pwrlvl = PLAT_MAX_PWR_LVL;
 
 		/* Set the power state to OFF state */
 		svc_cpu_data->local_state = PLAT_MAX_OFF_STATE;
diff --git a/lib/psci/psci_suspend.c b/lib/psci/psci_suspend.c
index cb12b8351..300466672 100644
--- a/lib/psci/psci_suspend.c
+++ b/lib/psci/psci_suspend.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2022, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2024, Arm Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ static void psci_suspend_to_standby_finisher(unsigned int cpu_idx,
 	 */
 	psci_plat_pm_ops->pwr_domain_suspend_finish(&state_info);
 
+	/* This loses its meaning when not suspending, reset so it's correct for OFF */
+	psci_set_suspend_pwrlvl(PLAT_MAX_PWR_LVL);
+
 	/*
 	 * Set the requested and target state of this CPU and all the higher
 	 * power domain levels for this CPU to run.
@@ -363,8 +366,8 @@ void psci_cpu_suspend_finish(unsigned int cpu_idx, const psci_power_state_t *sta
 		psci_spd_pm->svc_suspend_finish(max_off_lvl);
 	}
 
-	/* Invalidate the suspend level for the cpu */
-	psci_set_suspend_pwrlvl(PSCI_INVALID_PWR_LVL);
+	/* This loses its meaning when not suspending, reset so it's correct for OFF */
+	psci_set_suspend_pwrlvl(PLAT_MAX_PWR_LVL);
 
 	PUBLISH_EVENT(psci_suspend_pwrdown_finish);
 }