diff --git a/plat/arm/board/fvp/fvp_bl2_setup.c b/plat/arm/board/fvp/fvp_bl2_setup.c
index ebdd80d..8dcdd62 100644
--- a/plat/arm/board/fvp/fvp_bl2_setup.c
+++ b/plat/arm/board/fvp/fvp_bl2_setup.c
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@
 
 void bl2_early_platform_setup2(u_register_t arg0, u_register_t arg1, u_register_t arg2, u_register_t arg3)
 {
-	struct transfer_list_entry *te __unused;
-
 #if TRANSFER_LIST
 	arg0 = arg3;
 #endif
diff --git a/plat/arm/common/arm_bl1_setup.c b/plat/arm/common/arm_bl1_setup.c
index f043f59..6b66be5 100644
--- a/plat/arm/common/arm_bl1_setup.c
+++ b/plat/arm/common/arm_bl1_setup.c
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@
 /* Boolean variable to hold condition whether firmware update needed or not */
 static bool is_fwu_needed;
 
-#if TRANSFER_LIST
-static struct transfer_list_header *secure_tl;
-#endif
+struct transfer_list_header *secure_tl;
 
 struct meminfo *bl1_plat_sec_mem_layout(void)
 {
@@ -90,6 +88,12 @@
 	/* Allow BL1 to see the whole Trusted RAM */
 	bl1_tzram_layout.total_base = ARM_BL_RAM_BASE;
 	bl1_tzram_layout.total_size = ARM_BL_RAM_SIZE;
+
+#if TRANSFER_LIST
+	secure_tl = transfer_list_ensure((void *)PLAT_ARM_EL3_FW_HANDOFF_BASE,
+					 PLAT_ARM_FW_HANDOFF_SIZE);
+	assert(secure_tl != NULL);
+#endif
 }
 
 void bl1_early_platform_setup(void)
@@ -171,14 +175,6 @@
 	}
 
 #if TRANSFER_LIST
-	secure_tl = transfer_list_init((void *)PLAT_ARM_EL3_FW_HANDOFF_BASE,
-				       PLAT_ARM_FW_HANDOFF_SIZE);
-
-	if (secure_tl == NULL) {
-		ERROR("Secure transfer list initialisation failed!\n");
-		panic();
-	}
-
 	te = transfer_list_add(secure_tl, TL_TAG_TB_FW_CONFIG,
 			       ARM_TB_FW_CONFIG_MAX_SIZE, NULL);
 	assert(te != NULL);
diff --git a/plat/arm/common/arm_bl2_setup.c b/plat/arm/common/arm_bl2_setup.c
index 90ee70c..63bf957 100644
--- a/plat/arm/common/arm_bl2_setup.c
+++ b/plat/arm/common/arm_bl2_setup.c
@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@
 
 #pragma weak arm_bl2_plat_handle_post_image_load
 
-static struct transfer_list_header *secure_tl __unused;
-static struct transfer_list_header *ns_tl __unused;
+struct transfer_list_header *secure_tl __unused;
 
 /*******************************************************************************
  * BL1 has passed the extents of the trusted SRAM that should be visible to BL2
@@ -129,15 +128,14 @@
 #if TRANSFER_LIST
 /* Assume the secure TL hasn't been initialised if BL2 is running at EL3. */
 #if RESET_TO_BL2
-	secure_tl = transfer_list_init((void *)PLAT_ARM_EL3_FW_HANDOFF_BASE,
-				       PLAT_ARM_FW_HANDOFF_SIZE);
+	secure_tl = transfer_list_ensure((void *)PLAT_ARM_EL3_FW_HANDOFF_BASE,
+					 PLAT_ARM_FW_HANDOFF_SIZE);
 
 	if (secure_tl == NULL) {
 		ERROR("Secure transfer list initialisation failed!\n");
 		panic();
 	}
 #endif
-
 	arm_transfer_list_dyn_cfg_init(secure_tl);
 #else
 #if ARM_FW_CONFIG_LOAD_ENABLE
diff --git a/plat/arm/common/arm_bl31_setup.c b/plat/arm/common/arm_bl31_setup.c
index e84f177..4787995 100644
--- a/plat/arm/common/arm_bl31_setup.c
+++ b/plat/arm/common/arm_bl31_setup.c
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@
 #include <plat/common/platform.h>
 #include <platform_def.h>
 
-static struct transfer_list_header *secure_tl __unused;
-static struct transfer_list_header *ns_tl __unused;
+struct transfer_list_header *secure_tl;
+struct transfer_list_header *ns_tl __unused;
 
 /*
  * Placeholder variables for copying the arguments that have been passed to
@@ -367,14 +367,13 @@
 	struct transfer_list_entry *te __unused;
 
 #if TRANSFER_LIST && !RESET_TO_BL31
-	ns_tl = transfer_list_init((void *)FW_NS_HANDOFF_BASE,
-				   PLAT_ARM_FW_HANDOFF_SIZE);
-
+	ns_tl = transfer_list_ensure((void *)FW_NS_HANDOFF_BASE,
+				       PLAT_ARM_FW_HANDOFF_SIZE);
 	if (ns_tl == NULL) {
-		ERROR("Non-secure transfer list initialisation failed!");
+		ERROR("Non-secure transfer list initialisation failed!\n");
 		panic();
 	}
-
+	/* BL31 may modify the HW_CONFIG so defer copying it until later. */
 	te = transfer_list_find(secure_tl, TL_TAG_FDT);
 	assert(te != NULL);
 
diff --git a/plat/arm/common/arm_transfer_list.c b/plat/arm/common/arm_transfer_list.c
index 59fb039..3f8460d 100644
--- a/plat/arm/common/arm_transfer_list.c
+++ b/plat/arm/common/arm_transfer_list.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include <plat/arm/common/plat_arm.h>
 #include <platform_def.h>
 
-void arm_transfer_list_dyn_cfg_init(struct transfer_list_header *secure_tl)
+void arm_transfer_list_dyn_cfg_init(struct transfer_list_header *tl)
 {
 	struct transfer_list_entry *te;
 	bl_mem_params_node_t *next_param_node =
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@
 	 * mechanism. Pre-allocate a TE for the configuration and update the
 	 * load information so the configuration is loaded directly into the TE.
 	 */
-	te = transfer_list_add(secure_tl, TL_TAG_FDT, PLAT_ARM_HW_CONFIG_SIZE,
-			       NULL);
+	te = transfer_list_add(tl, TL_TAG_FDT, PLAT_ARM_HW_CONFIG_SIZE, NULL);
 	assert(te != NULL);
 
 	next_param_node->image_info.h.attr &= ~IMAGE_ATTRIB_SKIP_LOADING;
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@
 }
 
 void arm_transfer_list_populate_ep_info(bl_mem_params_node_t *next_param_node,
-					struct transfer_list_header *secure_tl)
+					struct transfer_list_header *tl)
 {
 	uint32_t next_exe_img_id;
 	entry_point_info_t *ep;
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@
 				next_exe_img_id)];
 		assert(next_param_node != NULL);
 
-		te = transfer_list_add(secure_tl, TL_TAG_EXEC_EP_INFO64,
+		te = transfer_list_add(tl, TL_TAG_EXEC_EP_INFO64,
 				       sizeof(entry_point_info_t),
 				       &next_param_node->ep_info);
 		assert(te != NULL);
@@ -72,5 +71,5 @@
 		next_exe_img_id = next_param_node->next_handoff_image_id;
 	}
 
-	flush_dcache_range((uintptr_t)secure_tl, secure_tl->size);
+	flush_dcache_range((uintptr_t)tl, tl->size);
 }