diff --git a/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c b/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
index 7603bf9..8589da2 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
+++ b/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
@@ -104,6 +104,13 @@ static int sb_cmdline_cb_command(struct sandbox_state *state, const char *arg)
 }
 SB_CMDLINE_OPT_SHORT(command, 'c', 1, "Execute U-Boot command");
 
+static int sb_cmdline_cb_fdt(struct sandbox_state *state, const char *arg)
+{
+	state->fdt_fname = arg;
+	return 0;
+}
+SB_CMDLINE_OPT_SHORT(fdt, 'd', 1, "Specify U-Boot's control FDT");
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct sandbox_state *state;
diff --git a/arch/sandbox/include/asm/state.h b/arch/sandbox/include/asm/state.h
index 2b62b46..9552708 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/include/asm/state.h
+++ b/arch/sandbox/include/asm/state.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ enum exit_type_id {
 /* The complete state of the test system */
 struct sandbox_state {
 	const char *cmd;		/* Command to execute */
+	const char *fdt_fname;		/* Filename of FDT binary */
 	enum exit_type_id exit_type;	/* How we exited U-Boot */
 	const char *parse_err;		/* Error to report from parsing */
 	int argc;			/* Program arguments */
diff --git a/arch/sandbox/lib/board.c b/arch/sandbox/lib/board.c
index 83858c1..0e4df4c 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/lib/board.c
+++ b/arch/sandbox/lib/board.c
@@ -39,13 +39,15 @@
 
 #include <common.h>
 #include <command.h>
+#include <fs.h>
+#include <fdtdec.h>
 #include <malloc.h>
+#include <os.h>
 #include <stdio_dev.h>
 #include <timestamp.h>
 #include <version.h>
 #include <serial.h>
-
-#include <os.h>
+#include <asm/state.h>
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
@@ -89,6 +91,21 @@ static int display_dram_config(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int read_fdt_from_file(void)
+{
+	struct sandbox_state *state = state_get_current();
+	int size;
+
+	if (fs_set_blk_dev("host", NULL, FS_TYPE_SANDBOX))
+		return 1;
+	size = fs_read(state->fdt_fname, CONFIG_SYS_FDT_LOAD_ADDR, 0, 0);
+	if (size < 0)
+		return 1;
+	gd->fdt_blob = map_sysmem(CONFIG_SYS_FDT_LOAD_ADDR, size);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * Breathe some life into the board...
  *
@@ -127,6 +144,9 @@ init_fnc_t *init_sequence[] = {
 #if defined(CONFIG_ARCH_CPU_INIT)
 	arch_cpu_init,		/* basic arch cpu dependent setup */
 #endif
+#ifdef CONFIG_OF_CONTROL
+	fdtdec_check_fdt,
+#endif
 #if defined(CONFIG_BOARD_EARLY_INIT_F)
 	board_early_init_f,
 #endif
@@ -156,6 +176,10 @@ void board_init_f(ulong bootflag)
 	assert(gd);
 
 	memset((void *)gd, 0, sizeof(gd_t));
+	mem = os_malloc(CONFIG_SYS_SDRAM_SIZE);
+
+	assert(mem);
+	gd->ram_buf = mem;
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_OF_EMBED)
 	/* Get a pointer to the FDT */
@@ -163,6 +187,8 @@ void board_init_f(ulong bootflag)
 #elif defined(CONFIG_OF_SEPARATE)
 	/* FDT is at end of image */
 	gd->fdt_blob = (void *)(_end_ofs + _TEXT_BASE);
+#elif defined(CONFIG_OF_HOSTFILE)
+	read_fdt_from_file();
 #endif
 
 	for (init_fnc_ptr = init_sequence; *init_fnc_ptr; ++init_fnc_ptr) {
@@ -170,11 +196,15 @@ void board_init_f(ulong bootflag)
 			hang();
 	}
 
-	size = CONFIG_SYS_SDRAM_SIZE;
-	mem = os_malloc(CONFIG_SYS_SDRAM_SIZE);
+#ifdef CONFIG_OF_CONTROL
+	/* For now, put this check after the console is ready */
+	if (fdtdec_prepare_fdt()) {
+		panic("** CONFIG_OF_CONTROL defined but no FDT - please see "
+			"doc/README.fdt-control");
+	}
+#endif
 
-	assert(mem);
-	gd->ram_buf = mem;
+	size = CONFIG_SYS_SDRAM_SIZE;
 	addr = (ulong)(mem + size);
 
 	/*
diff --git a/doc/README.fdt-control b/doc/README.fdt-control
index 85bda03..69c69de 100644
--- a/doc/README.fdt-control
+++ b/doc/README.fdt-control
@@ -142,7 +142,11 @@ join the two:
 
 and then flash image.bin onto your board.
 
-You cannot use both of these options at the same time.
+If CONFIG_OF_HOSTFILE os defined, then it will be read from a file on
+startup. This is only useful for sandbox. Use the -d flag to U-Boot to
+specify the file to read.
+
+You cannot use more than one of these options at the same time.
 
 If you wish to put the fdt at a different address in memory, you can
 define the "fdtcontroladdr" environment variable. This is the hex
diff --git a/include/configs/sandbox.h b/include/configs/sandbox.h
index 67d788a..1c7bbe1 100644
--- a/include/configs/sandbox.h
+++ b/include/configs/sandbox.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #define CONFIG_SANDBOX_BITS_PER_LONG	64
 
 #define CONFIG_OF_CONTROL
+#define CONFIG_OF_HOSTFILE
 #define CONFIG_OF_LIBFDT
 #define CONFIG_LMB
 #define CONFIG_FIT
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@
 #define CONFIG_SYS_MEMTEST_START	0x00100000
 #define CONFIG_SYS_MEMTEST_END		(CONFIG_SYS_MEMTEST_START + 0x1000)
 #define CONFIG_PHYS_64BIT
+#define CONFIG_SYS_FDT_LOAD_ADDR	0x1000000
 
 /* Size of our emulated memory */
 #define CONFIG_SYS_SDRAM_SIZE		(128 << 20)
