diff --git a/tools/binman/cmdline.py b/tools/binman/cmdline.py
index 4ce8bc6ab43..f8caa7d2841 100644
--- a/tools/binman/cmdline.py
+++ b/tools/binman/cmdline.py
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ def ParseArgs(argv):
             help='Enabling debugging (provides a full traceback on error)')
     parser.add_option('-E', '--entry-docs', action='store_true',
             help='Write out entry documentation (see README.entries)')
+    parser.add_option('--fake-dtb', action='store_true',
+            help='Use fake device tree contents (for testing only)')
     parser.add_option('-i', '--image', type='string', action='append',
             help='Image filename to build (if not specified, build all)')
     parser.add_option('-I', '--indir', action='append',
diff --git a/tools/binman/control.py b/tools/binman/control.py
index 49d49a001c7..34ec74ba1b3 100644
--- a/tools/binman/control.py
+++ b/tools/binman/control.py
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ def Binman(options, args):
 
         tout.Init(options.verbosity)
         elf.debug = options.debug
+        state.use_fake_dtb = options.fake_dtb
         try:
             tools.SetInputDirs(options.indir)
             tools.PrepareOutputDir(options.outdir, options.preserve)
diff --git a/tools/binman/ftest.py b/tools/binman/ftest.py
index 867179702d9..75e9a2143ca 100644
--- a/tools/binman/ftest.py
+++ b/tools/binman/ftest.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class TestFunctional(unittest.TestCase):
         return control.Binman(options, args)
 
     def _DoTestFile(self, fname, debug=False, map=False, update_dtb=False,
-                    entry_args=None, images=None):
+                    entry_args=None, images=None, use_real_dtb=False):
         """Run binman with a given test file
 
         Args:
@@ -193,6 +193,8 @@ class TestFunctional(unittest.TestCase):
             args.append('-m')
         if update_dtb:
             args.append('-up')
+        if not use_real_dtb:
+            args.append('--fake-dtb')
         if entry_args:
             for arg, value in entry_args.iteritems():
                 args.append('-a%s=%s' % (arg, value))
diff --git a/tools/binman/state.py b/tools/binman/state.py
index 600eb86cfe2..b27eb077a61 100644
--- a/tools/binman/state.py
+++ b/tools/binman/state.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ entry_args = {}
 
 # True to use fake device-tree files for testing (see U_BOOT_DTB_DATA in
 # ftest.py)
-use_fake_dtb = True
+use_fake_dtb = False
 
 # Set of all device tree files references by images
 fdt_set = Set()