diff --git a/board/gateworks/gw_ventana/gw_ventana_spl.c b/board/gateworks/gw_ventana/gw_ventana_spl.c
index 84d027d441..79cb5943d0 100644
--- a/board/gateworks/gw_ventana/gw_ventana_spl.c
+++ b/board/gateworks/gw_ventana/gw_ventana_spl.c
@@ -529,9 +529,6 @@ void board_init_f(ulong dummy)
 
 	/* disable boot watchdog */
 	gsc_boot_wd_disable();
-
-	/* load/boot image from boot device */
-	board_init_r(NULL, 0);
 }
 
 /* called from board_init_r after gd setup if CONFIG_SPL_BOARD_INIT defined */
diff --git a/configs/gwventana_defconfig b/configs/gwventana_defconfig
index c7882aca3f..2d6552fef7 100644
--- a/configs/gwventana_defconfig
+++ b/configs/gwventana_defconfig
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ CONFIG_TARGET_GW_VENTANA=y
 CONFIG_SYS_MALLOC_F=y
 CONFIG_SPL=y
 CONFIG_SYS_EXTRA_OPTIONS="IMX_CONFIG=arch/arm/imx-common/spl_sd.cfg,MX6QDL"
+CONFIG_SPL_STACK_R=y
+CONFIG_SPL_STACK_R_ADDR=0x18000000