diff --git a/board/freescale/common/imx/imx8-bootloader-prepare.sh b/board/freescale/common/imx/imx8-bootloader-prepare.sh
index 9025fb132d..ace0f6d610 100755
--- a/board/freescale/common/imx/imx8-bootloader-prepare.sh
+++ b/board/freescale/common/imx/imx8-bootloader-prepare.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ main ()
 	fi
 
 	if grep -Eq "^BR2_PACKAGE_FREESCALE_IMX_PLATFORM_IMX8M=y$" ${BR2_CONFIG}; then
-		cat ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl.bin ${BINARIES_DIR}/ddr_fw.bin > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin
+		dd if=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl.bin of=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-padded.bin bs=4 conv=sync
+		cat ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-padded.bin ${BINARIES_DIR}/ddr_fw.bin > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin
 		if grep -Eq "^BR2_TARGET_OPTEE_OS=y$" ${BR2_CONFIG}; then
 			BL31=${BINARIES_DIR}/bl31.bin BL32=${BINARIES_DIR}/tee.bin BL33=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-nodtb.bin TEE_LOAD_ADDR=0xfe000000 ATF_LOAD_ADDR=0x00910000 ${HOST_DIR}/bin/mkimage_fit_atf.sh ${UBOOT_DTB} > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot.its
 		else
@@ -20,7 +21,8 @@ main ()
 
 		${HOST_DIR}/bin/mkimage_imx8 -fit -signed_hdmi ${BINARIES_DIR}/signed_hdmi_imx8m.bin -loader ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin 0x7E1000 -second_loader ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot.itb 0x40200000 0x60000 -out ${BINARIES_DIR}/imx8-boot-sd.bin
 	elif grep -Eq "^BR2_PACKAGE_FREESCALE_IMX_PLATFORM_IMX8MM=y$" ${BR2_CONFIG}; then
-		cat ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl.bin ${BINARIES_DIR}/ddr_fw.bin > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin
+		dd if=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl.bin of=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-padded.bin bs=4 conv=sync
+		cat ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-padded.bin ${BINARIES_DIR}/ddr_fw.bin > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin
 		if grep -Eq "^BR2_TARGET_OPTEE_OS=y$" ${BR2_CONFIG}; then
 			BL31=${BINARIES_DIR}/bl31.bin BL32=${BINARIES_DIR}/tee.bin BL33=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-nodtb.bin TEE_LOAD_ADDR=0xbe000000 ATF_LOAD_ADDR=0x00920000 ${HOST_DIR}/bin/mkimage_fit_atf.sh ${UBOOT_DTB} > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot.its
 		else
@@ -31,7 +33,8 @@ main ()
 
 		${HOST_DIR}/bin/mkimage_imx8 -fit -loader ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin 0x7E1000 -second_loader ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot.itb 0x40200000 0x60000 -out ${BINARIES_DIR}/imx8-boot-sd.bin
 	elif grep -Eq "^BR2_PACKAGE_FREESCALE_IMX_PLATFORM_IMX8MN=y$" ${BR2_CONFIG}; then
-		cat ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl.bin ${BINARIES_DIR}/ddr_fw.bin > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin
+		dd if=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl.bin of=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-padded.bin bs=4 conv=sync
+		cat ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-padded.bin ${BINARIES_DIR}/ddr_fw.bin > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin
 		if grep -Eq "^BR2_TARGET_OPTEE_OS=y$" ${BR2_CONFIG}; then
 			BL31=${BINARIES_DIR}/bl31.bin BL32=${BINARIES_DIR}/tee.bin BL33=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-nodtb.bin TEE_LOAD_ADDR=0x56000000 ATF_LOAD_ADDR=0x00960000 ${HOST_DIR}/bin/mkimage_fit_atf.sh ${UBOOT_DTB} > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot.its
 		else
@@ -42,7 +45,8 @@ main ()
 
 		${HOST_DIR}/bin/mkimage_imx8 -v v2 -fit -loader ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin 0x912000 -second_loader ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot.itb 0x40200000 0x60000 -out ${BINARIES_DIR}/imx8-boot-sd.bin
 	elif grep -Eq "^BR2_PACKAGE_FREESCALE_IMX_PLATFORM_IMX8MP=y$" ${BR2_CONFIG}; then
-		cat ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl.bin ${BINARIES_DIR}/ddr_fw.bin > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin
+		dd if=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl.bin of=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-padded.bin bs=4 conv=sync
+		cat ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-padded.bin ${BINARIES_DIR}/ddr_fw.bin > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-spl-ddr.bin
 		if grep -Eq "^BR2_TARGET_OPTEE_OS=y$" ${BR2_CONFIG}; then
 			BL31=${BINARIES_DIR}/bl31.bin BL32=${BINARIES_DIR}/tee.bin BL33=${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot-nodtb.bin TEE_LOAD_ADDR=0x56000000 ATF_LOAD_ADDR=0x00970000 ${HOST_DIR}/bin/mkimage_fit_atf.sh ${UBOOT_DTB} > ${BINARIES_DIR}/u-boot.its
 		else