diff --git a/include/lib/transfer_list.h b/include/lib/transfer_list.h
index 1b5ec2d63..047b2d0ad 100644
--- a/include/lib/transfer_list.h
+++ b/include/lib/transfer_list.h
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ struct __attribute__((packed)) transfer_list_entry {
 CASSERT(sizeof(struct transfer_list_entry) == U(0x8), assert_transfer_list_entry_size);
 
 void transfer_list_dump(struct transfer_list_header *tl);
+struct transfer_list_header *transfer_list_ensure(void *addr, size_t size);
 entry_point_info_t *
 transfer_list_set_handoff_args(struct transfer_list_header *tl,
 			       entry_point_info_t *ep_info);
diff --git a/lib/transfer_list/transfer_list.c b/lib/transfer_list/transfer_list.c
index 8d82d259f..35dc418d5 100644
--- a/lib/transfer_list/transfer_list.c
+++ b/lib/transfer_list/transfer_list.c
@@ -521,3 +521,22 @@ void *transfer_list_entry_data(struct transfer_list_entry *entry)
 	}
 	return (uint8_t *)entry + entry->hdr_size;
 }
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ * Verifies that the transfer list has not already been initialized, then
+ * initializes it at the specified memory location.
+ *
+ * Return pointer to the transfer list or NULL on error
+ * *****************************************************************************/
+struct transfer_list_header *transfer_list_ensure(void *addr, size_t size)
+{
+	struct transfer_list_header *tl = NULL;
+
+	if (transfer_list_check_header(addr) == TL_OPS_ALL) {
+		return (struct transfer_list_header *)addr;
+	}
+
+	tl = transfer_list_init((void *)addr, size);
+
+	return tl;
+}