diff --git a/drivers/core/Makefile b/drivers/core/Makefile
index bce0a3f65c..acbd2bf2ce 100644
--- a/drivers/core/Makefile
+++ b/drivers/core/Makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ obj-$(CONFIG_$(SPL_)OF_LIVE) += of_access.o of_addr.o
 ifndef CONFIG_DM_DEV_READ_INLINE
 obj-$(CONFIG_OF_CONTROL) += read.o
 endif
+obj-$(CONFIG_$(SPL_)OF_PLATDATA) += read.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_OF_CONTROL) += of_extra.o ofnode.o read_extra.o
 
 ccflags-$(CONFIG_DM_DEBUG) += -DDEBUG
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/i2c-emul-uclass.c b/drivers/i2c/i2c-emul-uclass.c
index 1107cf309f..d421ddfcbe 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/i2c-emul-uclass.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/i2c-emul-uclass.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ int i2c_emul_find(struct udevice *dev, struct udevice **emulp)
 	struct udevice *emul;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_PLATDATA)) {
+	if (CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_REAL)) {
 		ret = uclass_find_device_by_phandle(UCLASS_I2C_EMUL, dev,
 						    "sandbox,emul", &emul);
 	} else {
diff --git a/drivers/serial/sandbox.c b/drivers/serial/sandbox.c
index f4003811ee..f6ac3d2285 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/sandbox.c
+++ b/drivers/serial/sandbox.c
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ U_BOOT_DRIVER(sandbox_serial) = {
 	.flags = DM_FLAG_PRE_RELOC,
 };
 
-#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_REAL)
+#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_REAL) && !CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_PLATDATA)
 static const struct sandbox_serial_plat platdata_non_fdt = {
 	.colour = -1,
 };
diff --git a/drivers/sysreset/sysreset_sandbox.c b/drivers/sysreset/sysreset_sandbox.c
index 3750c60b9b..f485a13529 100644
--- a/drivers/sysreset/sysreset_sandbox.c
+++ b/drivers/sysreset/sysreset_sandbox.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ U_BOOT_DRIVER(warm_sysreset_sandbox) = {
 	.ops		= &sandbox_warm_sysreset_ops,
 };
 
-#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_REAL)
+#if CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_REAL) && !CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_PLATDATA)
 /* This is here in case we don't have a device tree */
 U_BOOT_DRVINFO(sysreset_sandbox_non_fdt) = {
 	.name = "sysreset_sandbox",
diff --git a/dts/Kconfig b/dts/Kconfig
index 9152f5885e..00c0aeff89 100644
--- a/dts/Kconfig
+++ b/dts/Kconfig
@@ -410,12 +410,14 @@ config SPL_OF_PLATDATA
 	  declarations for each node. See of-plat.txt for more information.
 
 config SPL_OF_REAL
-	bool
+	bool "Support a real devicetree in SPL" if SANDBOX
+	depends on SPL_OF_CONTROL
+	select SPL_OF_LIBFDT
 	help
 	  Indicates that a real devicetree is available which can be accessed
 	  at runtime. This means that dev_read_...() functions can be used to
-	  read data from the devicetree for each device. This is true if
-	  SPL_OF_CONTROL is enabled and not SPL_OF_PLATDATA
+	  read data from the devicetree for each device. You do not need to
+	  enable this option if you have enabled SPL_OF_PLATDATA.
 
 if SPL_OF_PLATDATA
 
diff --git a/test/test-main.c b/test/test-main.c
index edb20bc4b9..b7015d9f38 100644
--- a/test/test-main.c
+++ b/test/test-main.c
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ static int test_pre_run(struct unit_test_state *uts, struct unit_test *test)
 	if (test->flags & UT_TESTF_PROBE_TEST)
 		ut_assertok(do_autoprobe(uts));
 
-	if (!CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_PLATDATA) &&
+	if (CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(OF_REAL) &&
 	    (test->flags & UT_TESTF_SCAN_FDT)) {
 		/*
 		 * only set this if we know the ethernet uclass will be created