diff --git a/src/target/arm_adi_v5.c b/src/target/arm_adi_v5.c
index 9a98f61d5..fd3a92ce3 100644
--- a/src/target/arm_adi_v5.c
+++ b/src/target/arm_adi_v5.c
@@ -1096,14 +1096,6 @@ int ahbap_debugport_init(struct adiv5_dap *dap)
 
 	LOG_DEBUG(" ");
 
-	/* test for initialized low level jtag hardware
-	 * this always fails for stlink hardware
-	 */
-	if (!dap->jtag_info) {
-		LOG_DEBUG("No low level jtag hardware found");
-		return ERROR_OK;
-	}
-
 	/* JTAG-DP or SWJ-DP, in JTAG mode
 	 * ... for SWD mode this is patched as part
 	 * of link switchover
diff --git a/src/target/armv7m.h b/src/target/armv7m.h
index 6002b571f..bcf0ee1aa 100644
--- a/src/target/armv7m.h
+++ b/src/target/armv7m.h
@@ -171,9 +171,11 @@ struct armv7m_common {
 	struct adiv5_dap dap;
 
 	int fp_feature;
-
 	uint32_t demcr;
 
+	/* stlink is a high level adapter, does not support all functions */
+	bool stlink;
+
 	/* Direct processor core register read and writes */
 	int (*load_core_reg_u32)(struct target *target,
 		enum armv7m_regtype type, uint32_t num, uint32_t *value);
diff --git a/src/target/cortex_m.c b/src/target/cortex_m.c
index f992bde41..acf280505 100644
--- a/src/target/cortex_m.c
+++ b/src/target/cortex_m.c
@@ -1780,9 +1780,13 @@ int cortex_m3_examine(struct target *target)
 	struct adiv5_dap *swjdp = &cortex_m3->armv7m.dap;
 	struct armv7m_common *armv7m = target_to_armv7m(target);
 
-	retval = ahbap_debugport_init(swjdp);
-	if (retval != ERROR_OK)
-		return retval;
+	/* stlink shares the examine handler but does not support
+	 * all its calls */
+	if (!armv7m->stlink) {
+		retval = ahbap_debugport_init(swjdp);
+		if (retval != ERROR_OK)
+			return retval;
+	}
 
 	if (!target_was_examined(target)) {
 		target_set_examined(target);
diff --git a/src/target/stm32_stlink.c b/src/target/stm32_stlink.c
index 4044654cf..9afaae0bf 100644
--- a/src/target/stm32_stlink.c
+++ b/src/target/stm32_stlink.c
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ static int stm32_stlink_init_arch_info(struct target *target,
 	armv7m->store_core_reg_u32 = stm32_stlink_store_core_reg_u32;
 
 	armv7m->examine_debug_reason = stm32_stlink_examine_debug_reason;
+	armv7m->stlink = true;
 
 	return ERROR_OK;
 }