diff --git a/lib/fwu_updates/fwu.c b/lib/fwu_updates/fwu.c
index 4d0c8b84b9d..22bdc78df59 100644
--- a/lib/fwu_updates/fwu.c
+++ b/lib/fwu_updates/fwu.c
@@ -623,18 +623,18 @@ static int fwu_boottime_checks(void *ctx, struct event *event)
 	int ret;
 	u32 boot_idx, active_idx;
 
-	/* Don't have boot time checks on sandbox */
-	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SANDBOX)) {
-		boottime_check = 1;
-		return 0;
-	}
-
 	ret = uclass_first_device_err(UCLASS_FWU_MDATA, &g_dev);
 	if (ret) {
 		log_debug("Cannot find fwu device\n");
 		return ret;
 	}
 
+	/* Don't have boot time checks on sandbox */
+	if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SANDBOX)) {
+		boottime_check = 1;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	ret = fwu_get_mdata(NULL);
 	if (ret) {
 		log_debug("Unable to read meta-data\n");
diff --git a/test/dm/fwu_mdata.c b/test/dm/fwu_mdata.c
index 8b5c83ef4e2..52018f610fe 100644
--- a/test/dm/fwu_mdata.c
+++ b/test/dm/fwu_mdata.c
@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ static int dm_test_fwu_mdata_read(struct unit_test_state *uts)
 	struct udevice *dev;
 	struct fwu_mdata mdata = { 0 };
 
+	/*
+	 * Trigger lib/fwu_updates/fwu.c fwu_boottime_checks()
+	 * to populate g_dev global pointer in that library.
+	 */
+	event_notify_null(EVT_MAIN_LOOP);
+
 	ut_assertok(uclass_first_device_err(UCLASS_FWU_MDATA, &dev));
 	ut_assertok(setup_blk_device(uts));
 	ut_assertok(populate_mmc_disk_image(uts));
@@ -112,6 +118,12 @@ static int dm_test_fwu_mdata_write(struct unit_test_state *uts)
 	struct udevice *dev;
 	struct fwu_mdata mdata = { 0 };
 
+	/*
+	 * Trigger lib/fwu_updates/fwu.c fwu_boottime_checks()
+	 * to populate g_dev global pointer in that library.
+	 */
+	event_notify_null(EVT_MAIN_LOOP);
+
 	ut_assertok(setup_blk_device(uts));
 	ut_assertok(populate_mmc_disk_image(uts));
 	ut_assertok(write_mmc_blk_device(uts));