diff --git a/arch/arm/mach-stm32mp/cpu.c b/arch/arm/mach-stm32mp/cpu.c
index f3418128ca..5a10808a44 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mach-stm32mp/cpu.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mach-stm32mp/cpu.c
@@ -75,6 +75,12 @@
 #define PKG_SHIFT	27
 #define PKG_MASK	GENMASK(2, 0)
 
+/*
+ * early TLB into the .data section so that it not get cleared
+ * with 16kB allignment (see TTBR0_BASE_ADDR_MASK)
+ */
+u8 early_tlb[PGTABLE_SIZE] __section(".data") __aligned(0x4000);
+
 #if !defined(CONFIG_SPL) || defined(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD)
 #ifndef CONFIG_TFABOOT
 static void security_init(void)
@@ -186,6 +192,32 @@ u32 get_bootmode(void)
 		    TAMP_BOOT_MODE_SHIFT;
 }
 
+/*
+ * initialize the MMU and activate cache in SPL or in U-Boot pre-reloc stage
+ * MMU/TLB is updated in enable_caches() for U-Boot after relocation
+ * or is deactivated in U-Boot entry function start.S::cpu_init_cp15
+ */
+static void early_enable_caches(void)
+{
+	/* I-cache is already enabled in start.S: cpu_init_cp15 */
+
+	if (CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(SYS_DCACHE_OFF))
+		return;
+
+	gd->arch.tlb_size = PGTABLE_SIZE;
+	gd->arch.tlb_addr = (unsigned long)&early_tlb;
+
+	dcache_enable();
+
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SPL_BUILD))
+		mmu_set_region_dcache_behaviour(STM32_SYSRAM_BASE,
+						STM32_SYSRAM_SIZE,
+						DCACHE_DEFAULT_OPTION);
+	else
+		mmu_set_region_dcache_behaviour(STM32_DDR_BASE, STM32_DDR_SIZE,
+						DCACHE_DEFAULT_OPTION);
+}
+
 /*
  * Early system init
  */
@@ -193,6 +225,8 @@ int arch_cpu_init(void)
 {
 	u32 boot_mode;
 
+	early_enable_caches();
+
 	/* early armv7 timer init: needed for polling */
 	timer_init();
 
@@ -225,7 +259,14 @@ int arch_cpu_init(void)
 
 void enable_caches(void)
 {
-	/* Enable D-cache. I-cache is already enabled in start.S */
+	/* I-cache is already enabled in start.S: icache_enable() not needed */
+
+	/* deactivate the data cache, early enabled in arch_cpu_init() */
+	dcache_disable();
+	/*
+	 * update MMU after relocation and enable the data cache
+	 * warning: the TLB location udpated in board_f.c::reserve_mmu
+	 */
 	dcache_enable();
 }