diff --git a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/sunxi/board.c b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/sunxi/board.c
index 4785ac6..9b5c46b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/sunxi/board.c
+++ b/arch/arm/cpu/armv7/sunxi/board.c
@@ -95,10 +95,12 @@ static int gpio_init(void)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void spl_board_load_image(void)
+int spl_board_load_image(void)
 {
 	debug("Returning to FEL sp=%x, lr=%x\n", fel_stash.sp, fel_stash.lr);
 	return_to_fel(fel_stash.sp, fel_stash.lr);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void s_init(void)
diff --git a/arch/arm/include/asm/spl.h b/arch/arm/include/asm/spl.h
index 6db405d..f8092c7 100644
--- a/arch/arm/include/asm/spl.h
+++ b/arch/arm/include/asm/spl.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ enum {
 #endif
 
 /* Board-specific load method */
-void spl_board_load_image(void);
+int spl_board_load_image(void);
 
 /* Linker symbols. */
 extern char __bss_start[], __bss_end[];
diff --git a/common/spl/spl.c b/common/spl/spl.c
index 4b319d6..ff1bad2 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ __weak void __noreturn jump_to_image_no_args(struct spl_image_info *spl_image)
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_RAM_DEVICE
-static void spl_ram_load_image(void)
+static int spl_ram_load_image(void)
 {
 	const struct image_header *header;
 
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ static void spl_ram_load_image(void)
 		(CONFIG_SYS_TEXT_BASE -	sizeof(struct image_header));
 
 	spl_parse_image_header(header);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -208,68 +210,81 @@ void board_init_r(gd_t *dummy1, ulong dummy2)
 	switch (boot_device) {
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_RAM_DEVICE
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_RAM:
-		spl_ram_load_image();
+		if (spl_ram_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_MMC_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_MMC1:
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_MMC2:
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_MMC2_2:
-		spl_mmc_load_image();
+		if (spl_mmc_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_NAND_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_NAND:
-		spl_nand_load_image();
+		if (spl_nand_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_ONENAND_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_ONENAND:
-		spl_onenand_load_image();
+		if (spl_onenand_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_NOR_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_NOR:
-		spl_nor_load_image();
+		if (spl_nor_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_YMODEM_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_UART:
-		spl_ymodem_load_image();
+		if (spl_ymodem_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_SPI_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_SPI:
-		spl_spi_load_image();
+		if (spl_spi_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_ETH_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_CPGMAC:
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_ETH_DEVICE
-		spl_net_load_image(CONFIG_SPL_ETH_DEVICE);
+		if (spl_net_load_image(CONFIG_SPL_ETH_DEVICE))
+			hang();
 #else
-		spl_net_load_image(NULL);
+		if (spl_net_load_image(NULL))
+			hang();
 #endif
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_USBETH_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_USBETH:
-		spl_net_load_image("usb_ether");
+		if (spl_net_load_image("usb_ether"))
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_USB_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_USB:
-		spl_usb_load_image();
+		if (spl_usb_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_SATA_SUPPORT
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_SATA:
-		spl_sata_load_image();
+		if (spl_sata_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_BOARD_LOAD_IMAGE
 	case BOOT_DEVICE_BOARD:
-		spl_board_load_image();
+		if (spl_board_load_image())
+			hang();
 		break;
 #endif
 	default:
diff --git a/common/spl/spl_mmc.c b/common/spl/spl_mmc.c
index 7bcdc89..212c21f 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_mmc.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_mmc.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <dm.h>
 #include <spl.h>
 #include <linux/compiler.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <asm/u-boot.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <mmc.h>
@@ -220,22 +221,23 @@ int spl_mmc_do_fs_boot(struct mmc *mmc)
 }
 #endif
 
-void spl_mmc_load_image(void)
+int spl_mmc_load_image(void)
 {
 	struct mmc *mmc;
 	u32 boot_mode;
 	int err = 0;
 	__maybe_unused int part;
 
-	if (spl_mmc_find_device(&mmc))
-		hang();
+	err = spl_mmc_find_device(&mmc);
+	if (err)
+		return err;
 
 	err = mmc_init(mmc);
 	if (err) {
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_LIBCOMMON_SUPPORT
 		printf("spl: mmc init failed with error: %d\n", err);
 #endif
-		hang();
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	boot_mode = spl_boot_mode();
@@ -251,11 +253,12 @@ void spl_mmc_load_image(void)
 			if (part == 7)
 				part = 0;
 
-			if (mmc_switch_part(0, part)) {
+			err = mmc_switch_part(0, part);
+			if (err) {
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_LIBCOMMON_SUPPORT
 				puts("spl: mmc partition switch failed\n");
 #endif
-				hang();
+				return err;
 			}
 			/* Fall through */
 	case MMCSD_MODE_RAW:
@@ -264,18 +267,18 @@ void spl_mmc_load_image(void)
 		if (!spl_start_uboot()) {
 			err = mmc_load_image_raw_os(mmc);
 			if (!err)
-				return;
+				return err;
 		}
 
 		err = mmc_load_image_raw_partition(mmc,
 			CONFIG_SYS_MMCSD_RAW_MODE_U_BOOT_PARTITION);
 		if (!err)
-			return;
+			return err;
 #if defined(CONFIG_SYS_MMCSD_RAW_MODE_U_BOOT_SECTOR)
 		err = mmc_load_image_raw_sector(mmc,
 			CONFIG_SYS_MMCSD_RAW_MODE_U_BOOT_SECTOR);
 		if (!err)
-			return;
+			return err;
 #endif
 		break;
 	case MMCSD_MODE_FS:
@@ -283,7 +286,7 @@ void spl_mmc_load_image(void)
 
 		err = spl_mmc_do_fs_boot(mmc);
 		if (!err)
-			return;
+			return err;
 
 		break;
 	case MMCSD_MODE_UNDEFINED:
@@ -291,8 +294,8 @@ void spl_mmc_load_image(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_LIBCOMMON_SUPPORT
 		puts("spl: mmc: wrong boot mode\n");
 #endif
-		hang();
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	hang();
+	return err;
 }
diff --git a/common/spl/spl_nand.c b/common/spl/spl_nand.c
index 6e4e641..ad69db7 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_nand.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_nand.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include <nand.h>
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_SPL_NAND_RAW_ONLY)
-void spl_nand_load_image(void)
+int spl_nand_load_image(void)
 {
 	nand_init();
 
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ void spl_nand_load_image(void)
 			    (void *)CONFIG_SYS_NAND_U_BOOT_DST);
 	spl_set_header_raw_uboot();
 	nand_deselect();
+
+	return 0;
 }
 #else
 static int spl_nand_load_element(int offset, struct image_header *header)
@@ -35,8 +37,9 @@ static int spl_nand_load_element(int offset, struct image_header *header)
 				   (void *)spl_image.load_addr);
 }
 
-void spl_nand_load_image(void)
+int spl_nand_load_image(void)
 {
+	int err;
 	struct image_header *header;
 	int *src __attribute__((unused));
 	int *dst __attribute__((unused));
@@ -73,10 +76,12 @@ void spl_nand_load_image(void)
 		spl_parse_image_header(header);
 		if (header->ih_os == IH_OS_LINUX) {
 			/* happy - was a linux */
-			nand_spl_load_image(CONFIG_SYS_NAND_SPL_KERNEL_OFFS,
-				spl_image.size, (void *)spl_image.load_addr);
+			err = nand_spl_load_image(
+				CONFIG_SYS_NAND_SPL_KERNEL_OFFS,
+				spl_image.size,
+				(void *)spl_image.load_addr);
 			nand_deselect();
-			return;
+			return err;
 		} else {
 			puts("The Expected Linux image was not "
 				"found. Please check your NAND "
@@ -92,7 +97,8 @@ void spl_nand_load_image(void)
 #endif
 #endif
 	/* Load u-boot */
-	spl_nand_load_element(CONFIG_SYS_NAND_U_BOOT_OFFS, header);
+	err = spl_nand_load_element(CONFIG_SYS_NAND_U_BOOT_OFFS, header);
 	nand_deselect();
+	return err;
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/common/spl/spl_net.c b/common/spl/spl_net.c
index 217a435..63b20d8 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_net.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_net.c
@@ -8,12 +8,13 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier:	GPL-2.0+
  */
 #include <common.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <spl.h>
 #include <net.h>
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
-void spl_net_load_image(const char *device)
+int spl_net_load_image(const char *device)
 {
 	int rv;
 
@@ -24,14 +25,16 @@ void spl_net_load_image(const char *device)
 	rv = eth_initialize();
 	if (rv == 0) {
 		printf("No Ethernet devices found\n");
-		hang();
+		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 	if (device)
 		setenv("ethact", device);
 	rv = net_loop(BOOTP);
 	if (rv < 0) {
 		printf("Problem booting with BOOTP\n");
-		hang();
+		return rv;
 	}
 	spl_parse_image_header((struct image_header *)load_addr);
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/common/spl/spl_nor.c b/common/spl/spl_nor.c
index c2fee01..e08afe2 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_nor.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_nor.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <spl.h>
 
-void spl_nor_load_image(void)
+int spl_nor_load_image(void)
 {
 	/*
 	 * Loading of the payload to SDRAM is done with skipping of
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ void spl_nor_load_image(void)
 			       (void *)(CONFIG_SYS_FDT_BASE),
 			       (16 << 10));
 
-			return;
+			return 0;
 		} else {
 			puts("The Expected Linux image was not found.\n"
 			     "Please check your NOR configuration.\n"
@@ -62,4 +62,6 @@ void spl_nor_load_image(void)
 	memcpy((void *)spl_image.load_addr,
 	       (void *)(CONFIG_SYS_UBOOT_BASE + sizeof(struct image_header)),
 	       spl_image.size);
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/common/spl/spl_onenand.c b/common/spl/spl_onenand.c
index d8d8097..af7d82e 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_onenand.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_onenand.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include <asm/io.h>
 #include <onenand_uboot.h>
 
-void spl_onenand_load_image(void)
+int spl_onenand_load_image(void)
 {
 	struct image_header *header;
 
@@ -28,4 +28,6 @@ void spl_onenand_load_image(void)
 	spl_parse_image_header(header);
 	onenand_spl_load_image(CONFIG_SYS_ONENAND_U_BOOT_OFFS,
 		spl_image.size, (void *)spl_image.load_addr);
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/common/spl/spl_sata.c b/common/spl/spl_sata.c
index 2a5eb29..3ba4c24 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_sata.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_sata.c
@@ -14,12 +14,13 @@
 #include <asm/u-boot.h>
 #include <sata.h>
 #include <scsi.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <fat.h>
 #include <image.h>
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
-void spl_sata_load_image(void)
+int spl_sata_load_image(void)
 {
 	int err;
 	block_dev_desc_t *stor_dev;
@@ -29,11 +30,13 @@ void spl_sata_load_image(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_LIBCOMMON_SUPPORT
 		printf("spl: sata init failed: err - %d\n", err);
 #endif
-		hang();
+		return err;
 	} else {
 		/* try to recognize storage devices immediately */
 		scsi_scan(0);
 		stor_dev = scsi_get_dev(0);
+		if (!stor_dev)
+			return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_OS_BOOT
@@ -45,6 +48,8 @@ void spl_sata_load_image(void)
 				CONFIG_SPL_FS_LOAD_PAYLOAD_NAME);
 	if (err) {
 		puts("Error loading sata device\n");
-		hang();
+		return err;
 	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/common/spl/spl_usb.c b/common/spl/spl_usb.c
index c81672b..588b85c 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_usb.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_usb.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <spl.h>
 #include <asm/u-boot.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <usb.h>
 #include <fat.h>
 
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 static int usb_stor_curr_dev = -1; /* current device */
 #endif
 
-void spl_usb_load_image(void)
+int spl_usb_load_image(void)
 {
 	int err;
 	block_dev_desc_t *stor_dev;
@@ -32,13 +33,15 @@ void spl_usb_load_image(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_LIBCOMMON_SUPPORT
 		printf("%s: usb init failed: err - %d\n", __func__, err);
 #endif
-		hang();
+		return err;
 	}
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_USB_STORAGE
 	/* try to recognize storage devices immediately */
 	usb_stor_curr_dev = usb_stor_scan(1);
 	stor_dev = usb_stor_get_dev(usb_stor_curr_dev);
+	if (!stor_dev)
+		return -ENODEV;
 #endif
 
 	debug("boot mode - FAT\n");
@@ -51,8 +54,10 @@ void spl_usb_load_image(void)
 				CONFIG_SYS_USB_FAT_BOOT_PARTITION,
 				CONFIG_SPL_FS_LOAD_PAYLOAD_NAME);
 
-		if (err) {
-			puts("Error loading USB device\n");
-			hang();
-		}
+	if (err) {
+		puts("Error loading from USB device\n");
+		return err;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/common/spl/spl_ymodem.c b/common/spl/spl_ymodem.c
index 0f1e9970..380d8dd 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_ymodem.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_ymodem.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ static int getcymodem(void) {
 	return -1;
 }
 
-void spl_ymodem_load_image(void)
+int spl_ymodem_load_image(void)
 {
 	int size = 0;
 	int err;
@@ -49,11 +49,12 @@ void spl_ymodem_load_image(void)
 		}
 	} else {
 		printf("spl: ymodem err - %s\n", xyzModem_error(err));
-		hang();
+		return ret;
 	}
 
 	xyzModem_stream_close(&err);
 	xyzModem_stream_terminate(false, &getcymodem);
 
 	printf("Loaded %d bytes\n", size);
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/mtd/spi/spi_spl_load.c b/drivers/mtd/spi/spi_spl_load.c
index 2e0c871..ca56fe9 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/spi/spi_spl_load.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/spi/spi_spl_load.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <spi.h>
 #include <spi_flash.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <spl.h>
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPL_OS_BOOT
@@ -48,8 +49,9 @@ static int spi_load_image_os(struct spi_flash *flash,
  * configured and available since this code loads the main U-Boot image
  * from SPI into SDRAM and starts it from there.
  */
-void spl_spi_load_image(void)
+int spl_spi_load_image(void)
 {
+	int err = 0;
 	struct spi_flash *flash;
 	struct image_header *header;
 
@@ -63,7 +65,7 @@ void spl_spi_load_image(void)
 				CONFIG_SF_DEFAULT_MODE);
 	if (!flash) {
 		puts("SPI probe failed.\n");
-		hang();
+		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
 	/* use CONFIG_SYS_TEXT_BASE as temporary storage area */
@@ -74,10 +76,15 @@ void spl_spi_load_image(void)
 #endif
 	{
 		/* Load u-boot, mkimage header is 64 bytes. */
-		spi_flash_read(flash, CONFIG_SYS_SPI_U_BOOT_OFFS, 0x40,
-			       (void *)header);
+		err = spi_flash_read(flash, CONFIG_SYS_SPI_U_BOOT_OFFS, 0x40,
+				     (void *)header);
+		if (err)
+			return err;
+
 		spl_parse_image_header(header);
-		spi_flash_read(flash, CONFIG_SYS_SPI_U_BOOT_OFFS,
+		err = spi_flash_read(flash, CONFIG_SYS_SPI_U_BOOT_OFFS,
 			       spl_image.size, (void *)spl_image.load_addr);
 	}
+
+	return err;
 }
diff --git a/include/spl.h b/include/spl.h
index 8e53426..46fc454 100644
--- a/include/spl.h
+++ b/include/spl.h
@@ -45,31 +45,31 @@ int spl_start_uboot(void);
 void spl_display_print(void);
 
 /* NAND SPL functions */
-void spl_nand_load_image(void);
+int spl_nand_load_image(void);
 
 /* OneNAND SPL functions */
-void spl_onenand_load_image(void);
+int spl_onenand_load_image(void);
 
 /* NOR SPL functions */
-void spl_nor_load_image(void);
+int spl_nor_load_image(void);
 
 /* MMC SPL functions */
-void spl_mmc_load_image(void);
+int spl_mmc_load_image(void);
 
 /* YMODEM SPL functions */
-void spl_ymodem_load_image(void);
+int spl_ymodem_load_image(void);
 
 /* SPI SPL functions */
-void spl_spi_load_image(void);
+int spl_spi_load_image(void);
 
 /* Ethernet SPL functions */
-void spl_net_load_image(const char *device);
+int spl_net_load_image(const char *device);
 
 /* USB SPL functions */
-void spl_usb_load_image(void);
+int spl_usb_load_image(void);
 
 /* SATA SPL functions */
-void spl_sata_load_image(void);
+int spl_sata_load_image(void);
 
 /* SPL FAT image functions */
 int spl_load_image_fat(block_dev_desc_t *block_dev, int partition, const char *filename);
