diff --git a/cmd/elf.c b/cmd/elf.c
index a02361f9f51..32b7462f92a 100644
--- a/cmd/elf.c
+++ b/cmd/elf.c
@@ -19,21 +19,6 @@
 #include <linux/linkage.h>
 #endif
 
-/* Allow ports to override the default behavior */
-static unsigned long do_bootelf_exec(ulong (*entry)(int, char * const[]),
-				     int argc, char *const argv[])
-{
-	unsigned long ret;
-
-	/*
-	 * pass address parameter as argv[0] (aka command name),
-	 * and all remaining args
-	 */
-	ret = entry(argc, argv);
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
 /* Interpreter command to boot an arbitrary ELF image from memory */
 int do_bootelf(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char *const argv[])
 {
@@ -43,8 +28,8 @@ int do_bootelf(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char *const argv[])
 #endif
 	unsigned long addr; /* Address of the ELF image */
 	unsigned long rc; /* Return value from user code */
-	char *sload = NULL;
-	int rcode = 0;
+	int rcode = CMD_RET_SUCCESS;
+	Bootelf_flags flags = {0};
 
 	/* Consume 'bootelf' */
 	argc--; argv++;
@@ -52,7 +37,10 @@ int do_bootelf(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char *const argv[])
 	/* Check for [-p|-s] flag. */
 	if (argc >= 1 && (argv[0][0] == '-' && \
 				(argv[0][1] == 'p' || argv[0][1] == 's'))) {
-		sload = argv[0];
+		if (argv[0][1] == 'p')
+			flags.phdr = 1;
+		log_debug("Using ELF header format %s\n",
+				flags.phdr ? "phdr" : "shdr");
 		/* Consume flag. */
 		argc--; argv++;
 	}
@@ -75,17 +63,9 @@ int do_bootelf(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char *const argv[])
 	} else
 		addr = image_load_addr;
 
-	if (!valid_elf_image(addr))
-		return 1;
-
-	if (sload && sload[1] == 'p')
-		addr = load_elf_image_phdr(addr);
-	else
-		addr = load_elf_image_shdr(addr);
-
 #if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(CMD_ELF_FDT_SETUP)
 	if (fdt_addr) {
-		printf("## Setting up FDT at 0x%08lx ...\n", fdt_addr);
+		log_debug("Setting up FDT at 0x%08lx ...\n", fdt_addr);
 		flush();
 
 		if (image_setup_libfdt(&img, (void *)fdt_addr, NULL))
@@ -93,21 +73,27 @@ int do_bootelf(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char *const argv[])
 	}
 #endif
 
-	if (!env_get_autostart())
-		return rcode;
-
-	printf("## Starting application at 0x%08lx ...\n", addr);
-	flush();
+	if (env_get_autostart()) {
+		flags.autostart = 1;
+		log_debug("Starting application at 0x%08lx ...\n", addr);
+		flush();
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * pass address parameter as argv[0] (aka command name),
-	 * and all remaining args
+	 * and all remaining arguments
 	 */
-	rc = do_bootelf_exec((void *)addr, argc, argv);
+	rc = bootelf(addr, flags, argc, argv);
 	if (rc != 0)
-		rcode = 1;
+		rcode = CMD_RET_FAILURE;
 
-	printf("## Application terminated, rc = 0x%lx\n", rc);
+	if (flags.autostart)
+	{
+		if (ENOEXEC == errno)
+			log_err("Invalid ELF image\n");
+		else
+			log_debug("## Application terminated, rc = 0x%lx\n", rc);
+	}
 
 	return rcode;
 }
diff --git a/include/elf.h b/include/elf.h
index a4ba74d8abe..b88e6cf4032 100644
--- a/include/elf.h
+++ b/include/elf.h
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 #include "compiler.h"
 
+/* Flag param bits for bootelf() function */
+typedef struct {
+	unsigned phdr      : 1; /* load via program (not section) headers */
+	unsigned autostart : 1; /* Start ELF after loading */
+} Bootelf_flags;
+
 /* This version doesn't work for 64-bit ABIs - Erik */
 
 /* These typedefs need to be handled better */
@@ -700,6 +706,10 @@ unsigned long elf_hash(const unsigned char *name);
 #define R_RISCV_RELATIVE	3
 
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
+unsigned long bootelf_exec(ulong (*entry)(int, char * const[]),
+			   int argc, char *const argv[]);
+unsigned long bootelf(unsigned long addr, Bootelf_flags flags,
+		      int argc, char *const argv[]);
 int valid_elf_image(unsigned long addr);
 unsigned long load_elf64_image_phdr(unsigned long addr);
 unsigned long load_elf64_image_shdr(unsigned long addr);
diff --git a/lib/elf.c b/lib/elf.c
index 9a794f9cba8..dc13935e103 100644
--- a/lib/elf.c
+++ b/lib/elf.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <cpu_func.h>
 #include <elf.h>
 #include <env.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <net.h>
 #include <vxworks.h>
 #ifdef CONFIG_X86
@@ -15,6 +16,59 @@
 #include <linux/linkage.h>
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * bootelf_exec() - start the ELF image execution.
+ *
+ * @entry: address of entry point of ELF.
+ *
+ * May by used to allow ports to override the default behavior.
+ */
+unsigned long bootelf_exec(ulong (*entry)(int, char * const[]),
+			   int argc, char *const argv[])
+{
+	return entry(argc, argv);
+}
+
+/**
+ * bootelf() - Boot ELF from memory.
+ *
+ * @addr:  Loading address of ELF in memory.
+ * @flags: Bits like ELF_PHDR to control boot details.
+ * @argc: May be used to pass command line arguments (maybe unused).
+ *	  Necessary for backward compatibility with the CLI command.
+ *	  If unused, must be 0.
+ * @argv: see @argc. If unused, must be NULL.
+ * Return: Number returned by ELF application.
+ *
+ * Sets errno = ENOEXEC if the ELF image is not valid.
+ */
+unsigned long bootelf(unsigned long addr, Bootelf_flags flags,
+		      int argc, char *const argv[])
+{
+	unsigned long entry_addr;
+	char *args[] = {"", NULL};
+
+	errno = 0;
+
+	if (!valid_elf_image(addr)) {
+		errno = ENOEXEC;
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	entry_addr = flags.phdr ? load_elf_image_phdr(addr)
+					    : load_elf_image_shdr(addr);
+
+	if (!flags.autostart)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (!argc && !argv) {
+		argc = 1;
+		argv = args;
+	}
+
+	return bootelf_exec((void *)entry_addr, argc, argv);
+}
+
 /*
  * A very simple ELF64 loader, assumes the image is valid, returns the
  * entry point address.