diff --git a/arch/sandbox/cpu/spl.c b/arch/sandbox/cpu/spl.c
index 75f4601fdfb..0faf34cc00a 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/cpu/spl.c
+++ b/arch/sandbox/cpu/spl.c
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ void board_init_f(ulong flag)
 
 void board_boot_order(u32 *spl_boot_list)
 {
-	spl_boot_list[0] = BOOT_DEVICE_BOARD;
+	spl_boot_list[0] = BOOT_DEVICE_VBE;
+	spl_boot_list[1] = BOOT_DEVICE_BOARD;
 }
 
 static int spl_board_load_file(struct spl_image_info *spl_image,
diff --git a/arch/sandbox/include/asm/spl.h b/arch/sandbox/include/asm/spl.h
index 312aef72086..2f8b5fcfcfe 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/include/asm/spl.h
+++ b/arch/sandbox/include/asm/spl.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ enum {
 	BOOT_DEVICE_MMC2,
 	BOOT_DEVICE_MMC2_2,
 	BOOT_DEVICE_BOARD,
+	BOOT_DEVICE_VBE,
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/boot/Makefile b/boot/Makefile
index 19d628d748a..e5c27900ea7 100644
--- a/boot/Makefile
+++ b/boot/Makefile
@@ -49,3 +49,4 @@ endif
 
 obj-$(CONFIG_$(SPL_TPL_)BOOTMETH_VBE) += vbe.o vbe_request.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_$(SPL_TPL_)BOOTMETH_VBE_SIMPLE) += vbe_simple.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_$(SPL_TPL_)BOOTMETH_VBE_SIMPLE_FW) += vbe_simple_fw.o
diff --git a/boot/vbe_request.c b/boot/vbe_request.c
index 01f7a24d316..9fac85fef82 100644
--- a/boot/vbe_request.c
+++ b/boot/vbe_request.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ static int handle_random_req(ofnode node, int default_size,
 	u32 size;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (!IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_DM_RNG))
+	if (!CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(DM_RNG))
 		return -ENOTSUPP;
 
 	if (ofnode_read_u32(node, "vbe,size", &size)) {
diff --git a/boot/vbe_simple.c b/boot/vbe_simple.c
index 076b650c25a..1ccd416e4bb 100644
--- a/boot/vbe_simple.c
+++ b/boot/vbe_simple.c
@@ -9,18 +9,19 @@
 #define LOG_CATEGORY LOGC_BOOT
 
 #include <common.h>
-#include <log.h>
-#include <memalign.h>
-#include <part.h>
+#include <bootdev.h>
 #include <bootflow.h>
 #include <bootmeth.h>
 #include <dm.h>
+#include <log.h>
+#include <memalign.h>
 #include <mmc.h>
 #include <vbe.h>
 #include <version_string.h>
 #include <dm/device-internal.h>
 #include <dm/ofnode.h>
 #include <u-boot/crc.h>
+#include "vbe_simple.h"
 
 enum {
 	MAX_VERSION_LEN		= 256,
@@ -37,18 +38,6 @@ enum {
 	NVD_HDR_VER_CUR		= 1,	/* current version */
 };
 
-/** struct simple_priv - information read from the device tree */
-struct simple_priv {
-	u32 area_start;
-	u32 area_size;
-	u32 skip_offset;
-	u32 state_offset;
-	u32 state_size;
-	u32 version_offset;
-	u32 version_size;
-	const char *storage;
-};
-
 /** struct simple_state - state information read from media
  *
  * @fw_version: Firmware version string
@@ -183,15 +172,38 @@ static int vbe_simple_get_state_desc(struct udevice *dev, char *buf,
 
 static int vbe_simple_read_bootflow(struct udevice *dev, struct bootflow *bflow)
 {
-	/* To be implemented */
+	int ret;
+
+	if (vbe_phase() == VBE_PHASE_FIRMWARE) {
+		ret = vbe_simple_read_bootflow_fw(dev, bflow);
+		if (ret)
+			return log_msg_ret("fw", ret);
+		return 0;
+	}
 
 	return -EINVAL;
 }
 
+static int vbe_simple_read_file(struct udevice *dev, struct bootflow *bflow,
+				const char *file_path, ulong addr, ulong *sizep)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	if (vbe_phase() == VBE_PHASE_OS) {
+		ret = bootmeth_common_read_file(dev, bflow, file_path, addr,
+						sizep);
+		if (ret)
+			return log_msg_ret("os", ret);
+	}
+
+	/* To be implemented */
+	return -EINVAL;
+}
+
 static struct bootmeth_ops bootmeth_vbe_simple_ops = {
 	.get_state_desc	= vbe_simple_get_state_desc,
 	.read_bootflow	= vbe_simple_read_bootflow,
-	.read_file	= bootmeth_common_read_file,
+	.read_file	= vbe_simple_read_file,
 };
 
 int vbe_simple_fixup_node(ofnode node, struct simple_state *state)
diff --git a/boot/vbe_simple.h b/boot/vbe_simple.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e37a9fae379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boot/vbe_simple.h
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 */
+/*
+ * Verified Boot for Embedded (VBE) vbe-simple common file
+ *
+ * Copyright 2022 Google LLC
+ * Written by Simon Glass <sjg@chromium.org>
+ */
+
+#ifndef __VBE_SIMPLE_H
+#define __VBE_SIMPLE_H
+
+/** struct simple_priv - information read from the device tree */
+struct simple_priv {
+	u32 area_start;
+	u32 area_size;
+	u32 skip_offset;
+	u32 state_offset;
+	u32 state_size;
+	u32 version_offset;
+	u32 version_size;
+	const char *storage;
+};
+
+/**
+ * vbe_simple_read_fw_bootflow() - Read a bootflow for firmware
+ *
+ * Locates and loads the firmware image (FIT) needed for the next phase. The FIT
+ * should ideally use external data, to reduce the amount of it that needs to be
+ * read.
+ *
+ * @bdev: bootdev device containing the firmwre
+ * @blow: Place to put the created bootflow, on success
+ * @return 0 if OK, -ve on error
+ */
+int vbe_simple_read_bootflow_fw(struct udevice *dev, struct bootflow *bflow);
+
+#endif /* __VBE_SIMPLE_H */
diff --git a/boot/vbe_simple_fw.c b/boot/vbe_simple_fw.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fc05e9e2bd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boot/vbe_simple_fw.c
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
+/*
+ * Verified Boot for Embedded (VBE) loading firmware phases
+ *
+ * Copyright 2022 Google LLC
+ * Written by Simon Glass <sjg@chromium.org>
+ */
+
+#define LOG_CATEGORY LOGC_BOOT
+
+#include <common.h>
+#include <bootdev.h>
+#include <bootflow.h>
+#include <bootmeth.h>
+#include <bootstage.h>
+#include <dm.h>
+#include <image.h>
+#include <log.h>
+#include <mapmem.h>
+#include <memalign.h>
+#include <mmc.h>
+#include <spl.h>
+#include <vbe.h>
+#include <dm/device-internal.h>
+#include "vbe_simple.h"
+
+/**
+ * vbe_simple_read_bootflow_fw() - Create a bootflow for firmware
+ *
+ * Locates and loads the firmware image (FIT) needed for the next phase. The FIT
+ * should ideally use external data, to reduce the amount of it that needs to be
+ * read.
+ *
+ * @bdev: bootdev device containing the firmwre
+ * @meth: VBE simple bootmeth
+ * @blow: Place to put the created bootflow, on success
+ * @return 0 if OK, -ve on error
+ */
+int vbe_simple_read_bootflow_fw(struct udevice *dev, struct bootflow *bflow)
+{
+	ALLOC_CACHE_ALIGN_BUFFER(u8, sbuf, MMC_MAX_BLOCK_LEN);
+	struct udevice *media = dev_get_parent(bflow->dev);
+	struct udevice *meth = bflow->method;
+	struct simple_priv *priv = dev_get_priv(meth);
+	const char *fit_uname, *fit_uname_config;
+	struct bootm_headers images = {};
+	ulong offset, size, blknum, addr, len, load_addr, num_blks;
+	enum image_phase_t phase;
+	struct blk_desc *desc;
+	struct udevice *blk;
+	int node, ret;
+	void *buf;
+
+	log_debug("media=%s\n", media->name);
+	ret = blk_get_from_parent(media, &blk);
+	if (ret)
+		return log_msg_ret("med", ret);
+	log_debug("blk=%s\n", blk->name);
+	desc = dev_get_uclass_plat(blk);
+
+	offset = priv->area_start + priv->skip_offset;
+
+	/* read in one block to find the FIT size */
+	blknum =  offset / desc->blksz;
+	log_debug("read at %lx, blknum %lx\n", offset, blknum);
+	ret = blk_read(blk, blknum, 1, sbuf);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return log_msg_ret("rd", ret);
+
+	ret = fdt_check_header(sbuf);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return log_msg_ret("fdt", -EINVAL);
+	size = fdt_totalsize(sbuf);
+	if (size > priv->area_size)
+		return log_msg_ret("fdt", -E2BIG);
+	log_debug("FIT size %lx\n", size);
+
+	/*
+	 * Load the FIT into the SPL memory. This is typically a FIT with
+	 * external data, so this is quite small, perhaps a few KB.
+	 */
+	addr = CONFIG_VAL(TEXT_BASE);
+	buf = map_sysmem(addr, size);
+	num_blks = DIV_ROUND_UP(size, desc->blksz);
+	log_debug("read %lx, %lx blocks to %lx / %p\n", size, num_blks, addr,
+		  buf);
+	ret = blk_read(blk, blknum, num_blks, buf);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return log_msg_ret("rd", ret);
+
+	/* figure out the phase to load */
+	phase = IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_VPL_BUILD) ? IH_PHASE_SPL : IH_PHASE_U_BOOT;
+
+	/*
+	 * Load the image from the FIT. We ignore any load-address information
+	 * so in practice this simply locates the image in the external-data
+	 * region and returns its address and size. Since we only loaded the FIT
+	 * itself, only a part of the image will be present, at best.
+	 */
+	fit_uname = NULL;
+	fit_uname_config = NULL;
+	log_debug("loading FIT\n");
+	ret = fit_image_load(&images, addr, &fit_uname, &fit_uname_config,
+			     IH_ARCH_SANDBOX, image_ph(phase, IH_TYPE_FIRMWARE),
+			     BOOTSTAGE_ID_FIT_SPL_START, FIT_LOAD_IGNORED,
+			     &load_addr, &len);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return log_msg_ret("ld", ret);
+	node = ret;
+	log_debug("loaded to %lx\n", load_addr);
+
+	/* For FIT external data, read in the external data */
+	if (load_addr + len > addr + size) {
+		ulong base, full_size;
+		void *base_buf;
+
+		/* Find the start address to load from */
+		base = ALIGN_DOWN(load_addr, desc->blksz);
+
+		/*
+		 * Get the total number of bytes to load, taking care of
+		 * block alignment
+		 */
+		full_size = load_addr + len - base;
+
+		/*
+		 * Get the start block number, number of blocks and the address
+		 * to load to, then load the blocks
+		 */
+		blknum = (offset + base - addr) / desc->blksz;
+		num_blks = DIV_ROUND_UP(full_size, desc->blksz);
+		base_buf = map_sysmem(base, full_size);
+		ret = blk_read(blk, blknum, num_blks, base_buf);
+		log_debug("read %lx %lx, %lx blocks to %lx / %p: ret=%d\n",
+			  blknum, full_size, num_blks, base, base_buf, ret);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return log_msg_ret("rd", ret);
+	}
+
+	/* set up the bootflow with the info we obtained */
+	bflow->name = strdup(fdt_get_name(buf, node, NULL));
+	if (!bflow->name)
+		return log_msg_ret("name", -ENOMEM);
+	bflow->blk = blk;
+	bflow->buf = map_sysmem(load_addr, len);
+	bflow->size = len;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int simple_load_from_image(struct spl_image_info *spl_image,
+				  struct spl_boot_device *bootdev)
+{
+	struct udevice *meth, *bdev;
+	struct simple_priv *priv;
+	struct bootflow bflow;
+	int ret;
+
+	if (spl_phase() != PHASE_VPL && spl_phase() != PHASE_SPL)
+		return -ENOENT;
+
+	vbe_find_first_device(&meth);
+	if (!meth)
+		return log_msg_ret("vd", -ENODEV);
+	log_debug("vbe dev %s\n", meth->name);
+	ret = device_probe(meth);
+	if (ret)
+		return log_msg_ret("probe", ret);
+
+	priv = dev_get_priv(meth);
+	log_debug("simple %s\n", priv->storage);
+	ret = bootdev_find_by_label(priv->storage, &bdev);
+	if (ret)
+		return log_msg_ret("bd", ret);
+	log_debug("bootdev %s\n", bdev->name);
+
+	bootflow_init(&bflow, bdev, meth);
+	ret = bootmeth_read_bootflow(meth, &bflow);
+	log_debug("\nfw ret=%d\n", ret);
+	if (ret)
+		return log_msg_ret("rd", ret);
+
+	/* jump to the image */
+	spl_image->flags = SPL_SANDBOXF_ARG_IS_BUF;
+	spl_image->arg = bflow.buf;
+	spl_image->size = bflow.size;
+	log_debug("Image: %s at %p size %x\n", bflow.name, bflow.buf,
+		  bflow.size);
+
+	/* this is not used from now on, so free it */
+	bootflow_free(&bflow);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+SPL_LOAD_IMAGE_METHOD("vbe_simple", 5, BOOT_DEVICE_VBE,
+		      simple_load_from_image);
diff --git a/include/bootstage.h b/include/bootstage.h
index 7088d0b875e..685939ccffc 100644
--- a/include/bootstage.h
+++ b/include/bootstage.h
@@ -166,6 +166,8 @@ enum bootstage_id {
 	BOOTSTAGE_ID_NAND_FIT_READ_OK,
 
 	BOOTSTAGE_ID_FIT_LOADABLE_START = 160,	/* for Loadable Images */
+
+	BOOTSTAGE_ID_FIT_SPL_START = 170,	/* for SPL Images */
 	/*
 	 * These boot stages are new, higher level, and not directly related
 	 * to the old boot progress numbers. They are useful for recording
