diff --git a/arch/x86/include/asm/zimage.h b/arch/x86/include/asm/zimage.h
index 000b38ea899..966d7224eb1 100644
--- a/arch/x86/include/asm/zimage.h
+++ b/arch/x86/include/asm/zimage.h
@@ -72,4 +72,21 @@ int setup_zimage(struct boot_params *setup_base, char *cmd_line, int auto_boot,
  */
 void zimage_dump(struct boot_params *base_ptr);
 
+/**
+ * zboot_start() - Boot a zimage
+ *
+ * Boot a zimage, given the component parts
+ *
+ * @addr: Address where the bzImage is moved before booting, either
+ *	BZIMAGE_LOAD_ADDR or ZIMAGE_LOAD_ADDR
+ * @base: Pointer to the boot parameters, typically at address
+ *	DEFAULT_SETUP_BASE
+ * @initrd: Address of the initial ramdisk, or 0 if none
+ * @initrd_size: Size of the initial ramdisk, or 0 if none
+ * @cmdline: Command line to use for booting
+ * Return: -EFAULT on error (normally it does not return)
+ */
+int zboot_start(ulong addr, ulong size, ulong initrd, ulong initrd_size,
+		ulong base, char *cmdline);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/arch/x86/lib/zimage.c b/arch/x86/lib/zimage.c
index e5ea5129c1e..540d4d888bc 100644
--- a/arch/x86/lib/zimage.c
+++ b/arch/x86/lib/zimage.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <irq_func.h>
 #include <log.h>
 #include <malloc.h>
+#include <mapmem.h>
 #include <acpi/acpi_table.h>
 #include <asm/io.h>
 #include <asm/ptrace.h>
@@ -442,8 +443,7 @@ static int do_zboot_start(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_zboot_load(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
-			 char *const argv[])
+static int zboot_load(void)
 {
 	struct boot_params *base_ptr;
 
@@ -460,31 +460,51 @@ static int do_zboot_load(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
 				       &state.load_address);
 		if (!base_ptr) {
 			puts("## Kernel loading failed ...\n");
-			return CMD_RET_FAILURE;
+			return -EINVAL;
 		}
 	}
 	state.base_ptr = base_ptr;
-	if (env_set_hex("zbootbase", (ulong)base_ptr) ||
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int do_zboot_load(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
+			 char *const argv[])
+{
+	if (zboot_load())
+		return CMD_RET_FAILURE;
+
+	if (env_set_hex("zbootbase", map_to_sysmem(state.base_ptr)) ||
 	    env_set_hex("zbootaddr", state.load_address))
 		return CMD_RET_FAILURE;
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int zboot_setup(void)
+{
+	struct boot_params *base_ptr = state.base_ptr;
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = setup_zimage(base_ptr, (char *)base_ptr + COMMAND_LINE_OFFSET,
+			   0, state.initrd_addr, state.initrd_size,
+			   (ulong)state.cmdline);
+	if (ret)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int do_zboot_setup(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
 			  char *const argv[])
 {
 	struct boot_params *base_ptr = state.base_ptr;
-	int ret;
 
 	if (!base_ptr) {
 		printf("base is not set: use 'zboot load' first\n");
 		return CMD_RET_FAILURE;
 	}
-	ret = setup_zimage(base_ptr, (char *)base_ptr + COMMAND_LINE_OFFSET,
-			   0, state.initrd_addr, state.initrd_size,
-			   (ulong)state.cmdline);
-	if (ret) {
+	if (zboot_setup()) {
 		puts("Setting up boot parameters failed ...\n");
 		return CMD_RET_FAILURE;
 	}
@@ -501,8 +521,7 @@ static int do_zboot_info(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int do_zboot_go(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
-		       char *const argv[])
+static int zboot_go(void)
 {
 	struct boot_params *params = state.base_ptr;
 	struct setup_header *hdr = &params->hdr;
@@ -522,11 +541,52 @@ static int do_zboot_go(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
 
 	/* we assume that the kernel is in place */
 	ret = boot_linux_kernel((ulong)state.base_ptr, entry, image_64bit);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static int do_zboot_go(struct cmd_tbl *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
+		       char *const argv[])
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = zboot_go();
 	printf("Kernel returned! (err=%d)\n", ret);
 
 	return CMD_RET_FAILURE;
 }
 
+int zboot_start(ulong addr, ulong size, ulong initrd, ulong initrd_size,
+		ulong base, char *cmdline)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	memset(&state, '\0', sizeof(state));
+
+	if (base) {
+		state.base_ptr = map_sysmem(base, 0);
+		state.load_address = addr;
+	} else {
+		state.bzimage_addr = addr;
+	}
+	state.bzimage_size = size;
+	state.initrd_addr = initrd;
+	state.initrd_size = initrd_size;
+	state.cmdline = cmdline;
+
+	ret = zboot_load();
+	if (ret)
+		return log_msg_ret("ld", ret);
+	ret = zboot_setup();
+	if (ret)
+		return log_msg_ret("set", ret);
+	ret = zboot_go();
+	if (ret)
+		return log_msg_ret("set", ret);
+
+	return -EFAULT;
+}
+
 static void print_num(const char *name, ulong value)
 {
 	printf("%-20s: %lx\n", name, value);
