diff --git a/common/spl/spl_fit.c b/common/spl/spl_fit.c
index 49508fc518..f51321a74c 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_fit.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_fit.c
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ static int spl_fit_get_image_name(const struct spl_fit_info *ctx,
 		 * no string in the property for this index. Check if the
 		 * sysinfo-level code can supply one.
 		 */
+		rc = sysinfo_detect(sysinfo);
+		if (rc)
+			return rc;
+
 		rc = sysinfo_get_fit_loadable(sysinfo, index - i - 1, type,
 					      &str);
 		if (rc && rc != -ENOENT)
diff --git a/drivers/sysinfo/sysinfo-uclass.c b/drivers/sysinfo/sysinfo-uclass.c
index 6df58fe160..4a660dfd15 100644
--- a/drivers/sysinfo/sysinfo-uclass.c
+++ b/drivers/sysinfo/sysinfo-uclass.c
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 #include <dm.h>
 #include <sysinfo.h>
 
+struct sysinfo_priv {
+	bool detected;
+};
+
 int sysinfo_get(struct udevice **devp)
 {
 	return uclass_first_device_err(UCLASS_SYSINFO, devp);
@@ -15,19 +19,29 @@ int sysinfo_get(struct udevice **devp)
 
 int sysinfo_detect(struct udevice *dev)
 {
+	int ret;
+	struct sysinfo_priv *priv = dev_get_uclass_priv(dev);
 	struct sysinfo_ops *ops = sysinfo_get_ops(dev);
 
 	if (!ops->detect)
 		return -ENOSYS;
 
-	return ops->detect(dev);
+	ret = ops->detect(dev);
+	if (!ret)
+		priv->detected = true;
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 int sysinfo_get_fit_loadable(struct udevice *dev, int index, const char *type,
 			     const char **strp)
 {
+	struct sysinfo_priv *priv = dev_get_uclass_priv(dev);
 	struct sysinfo_ops *ops = sysinfo_get_ops(dev);
 
+	if (!priv->detected)
+		return -EPERM;
+
 	if (!ops->get_fit_loadable)
 		return -ENOSYS;
 
@@ -36,8 +50,12 @@ int sysinfo_get_fit_loadable(struct udevice *dev, int index, const char *type,
 
 int sysinfo_get_bool(struct udevice *dev, int id, bool *val)
 {
+	struct sysinfo_priv *priv = dev_get_uclass_priv(dev);
 	struct sysinfo_ops *ops = sysinfo_get_ops(dev);
 
+	if (!priv->detected)
+		return -EPERM;
+
 	if (!ops->get_bool)
 		return -ENOSYS;
 
@@ -46,8 +64,12 @@ int sysinfo_get_bool(struct udevice *dev, int id, bool *val)
 
 int sysinfo_get_int(struct udevice *dev, int id, int *val)
 {
+	struct sysinfo_priv *priv = dev_get_uclass_priv(dev);
 	struct sysinfo_ops *ops = sysinfo_get_ops(dev);
 
+	if (!priv->detected)
+		return -EPERM;
+
 	if (!ops->get_int)
 		return -ENOSYS;
 
@@ -56,8 +78,12 @@ int sysinfo_get_int(struct udevice *dev, int id, int *val)
 
 int sysinfo_get_str(struct udevice *dev, int id, size_t size, char *val)
 {
+	struct sysinfo_priv *priv = dev_get_uclass_priv(dev);
 	struct sysinfo_ops *ops = sysinfo_get_ops(dev);
 
+	if (!priv->detected)
+		return -EPERM;
+
 	if (!ops->get_str)
 		return -ENOSYS;
 
@@ -68,4 +94,5 @@ UCLASS_DRIVER(sysinfo) = {
 	.id		= UCLASS_SYSINFO,
 	.name		= "sysinfo",
 	.post_bind	= dm_scan_fdt_dev,
+	.per_device_auto	= sizeof(bool),
 };
diff --git a/include/sysinfo.h b/include/sysinfo.h
index 68fad25a06..7b21140880 100644
--- a/include/sysinfo.h
+++ b/include/sysinfo.h
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ struct sysinfo_ops {
 	 * This operation might take a long time (e.g. read from EEPROM,
 	 * check the presence of a device on a bus etc.), hence this is not
 	 * done in the probe() method, but later during operation in this
-	 * dedicated method.
+	 * dedicated method. This method will be called before any other
+	 * methods.
 	 *
 	 * Return: 0 if OK, -ve on error.
 	 */
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ struct sysinfo_ops {
 	 * get_fit_loadable - Get the name of an image to load from FIT
 	 * This function can be used to provide the image names based on runtime
 	 * detection. A classic use-case would when DTBOs are used to describe
-	 * additionnal daughter cards.
+	 * additional daughter cards.
 	 *
 	 * @dev:	The sysinfo instance to gather the data.
 	 * @index:	Index of the image. Starts at 0 and gets incremented
@@ -124,6 +125,9 @@ struct sysinfo_ops {
  *
  * @dev:	The device containing the information
  *
+ * This function must be called before any other accessor function for this
+ * device.
+ *
  * Return: 0 if OK, -ve on error.
  */
 int sysinfo_detect(struct udevice *dev);
@@ -135,7 +139,8 @@ int sysinfo_detect(struct udevice *dev);
  * @id:		A unique identifier for the bool value to be read.
  * @val:	Pointer to a buffer that receives the value read.
  *
- * Return: 0 if OK, -ve on error.
+ * Return: 0 if OK, -EPERM if called before sysinfo_detect(), else -ve on
+ * error.
  */
 int sysinfo_get_bool(struct udevice *dev, int id, bool *val);
 
@@ -146,7 +151,8 @@ int sysinfo_get_bool(struct udevice *dev, int id, bool *val);
  * @id:		A unique identifier for the int value to be read.
  * @val:	Pointer to a buffer that receives the value read.
  *
- * Return: 0 if OK, -ve on error.
+ * Return: 0 if OK, -EPERM if called before sysinfo_detect(), else -ve on
+ * error.
  */
 int sysinfo_get_int(struct udevice *dev, int id, int *val);
 
@@ -158,7 +164,8 @@ int sysinfo_get_int(struct udevice *dev, int id, int *val);
  * @size:	The size of the buffer to receive the string data.
  * @val:	Pointer to a buffer that receives the value read.
  *
- * Return: 0 if OK, -ve on error.
+ * Return: 0 if OK, -EPERM if called before sysinfo_detect(), else -ve on
+ * error.
  */
 int sysinfo_get_str(struct udevice *dev, int id, size_t size, char *val);
 
@@ -170,7 +177,8 @@ int sysinfo_get_str(struct udevice *dev, int id, size_t size, char *val);
  * function that returns the unique device. This is especially useful for use
  * in sysinfo files.
  *
- * Return: 0 if OK, -ve on error.
+ * Return: 0 if OK, -EPERM if called before sysinfo_detect(), else -ve on
+ * error.
  */
 int sysinfo_get(struct udevice **devp);
 
@@ -178,7 +186,7 @@ int sysinfo_get(struct udevice **devp);
  * sysinfo_get_fit_loadable - Get the name of an image to load from FIT
  * This function can be used to provide the image names based on runtime
  * detection. A classic use-case would when DTBOs are used to describe
- * additionnal daughter cards.
+ * additional daughter cards.
  *
  * @dev:	The sysinfo instance to gather the data.
  * @index:	Index of the image. Starts at 0 and gets incremented
@@ -187,8 +195,8 @@ int sysinfo_get(struct udevice **devp);
  * @strp:	A pointer to string. Untouched if the function fails
  *
  *
- * Return: 0 if OK, -ENOENT if no loadable is available else -ve on
- * error.
+ * Return: 0 if OK, -EPERM if called before sysinfo_detect(), -ENOENT if no
+ * loadable is available else -ve on error.
  */
 int sysinfo_get_fit_loadable(struct udevice *dev, int index, const char *type,
 			     const char **strp);
diff --git a/test/dm/sysinfo.c b/test/dm/sysinfo.c
index 4aaa9e85bc..fd13f6aac5 100644
--- a/test/dm/sysinfo.c
+++ b/test/dm/sysinfo.c
@@ -24,33 +24,38 @@ static int dm_test_sysinfo(struct unit_test_state *uts)
 	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get(&sysinfo));
 	ut_assert(sysinfo);
 
-	sysinfo_get_bool(sysinfo, BOOL_CALLED_DETECT, &called_detect);
+	ut_asserteq(-EPERM, sysinfo_get_bool(sysinfo, BOOL_CALLED_DETECT,
+					     &called_detect));
 	ut_assert(!called_detect);
 
 	sysinfo_detect(sysinfo);
 
-	sysinfo_get_bool(sysinfo, BOOL_CALLED_DETECT, &called_detect);
+	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get_bool(sysinfo, BOOL_CALLED_DETECT,
+				     &called_detect));
 	ut_assert(called_detect);
 
-	sysinfo_get_str(sysinfo, STR_VACATIONSPOT, sizeof(str), str);
+	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get_str(sysinfo, STR_VACATIONSPOT, sizeof(str),
+				    str));
 	ut_assertok(strcmp(str, "R'lyeh"));
 
-	sysinfo_get_int(sysinfo, INT_TEST1, &i);
+	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get_int(sysinfo, INT_TEST1, &i));
 	ut_asserteq(0, i);
 
-	sysinfo_get_int(sysinfo, INT_TEST2, &i);
+	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get_int(sysinfo, INT_TEST2, &i));
 	ut_asserteq(100, i);
 
-	sysinfo_get_str(sysinfo, STR_VACATIONSPOT, sizeof(str), str);
+	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get_str(sysinfo, STR_VACATIONSPOT, sizeof(str),
+				    str));
 	ut_assertok(strcmp(str, "Carcosa"));
 
-	sysinfo_get_int(sysinfo, INT_TEST1, &i);
+	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get_int(sysinfo, INT_TEST1, &i));
 	ut_asserteq(1, i);
 
-	sysinfo_get_int(sysinfo, INT_TEST2, &i);
+	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get_int(sysinfo, INT_TEST2, &i));
 	ut_asserteq(99, i);
 
-	sysinfo_get_str(sysinfo, STR_VACATIONSPOT, sizeof(str), str);
+	ut_assertok(sysinfo_get_str(sysinfo, STR_VACATIONSPOT, sizeof(str),
+				    str));
 	ut_assertok(strcmp(str, "Yuggoth"));
 
 	return 0;
