diff --git a/Makefile.mk b/Makefile.mk
index 14f9b835d7..5fccb4a52d 100644
--- a/Makefile.mk
+++ b/Makefile.mk
@@ -1447,11 +1447,6 @@ bootsplash$(BOOTSPLASH_SUFFIX)-file := $(call strip_quotes,$(CONFIG_BOOTSPLASH_F
 bootsplash$(BOOTSPLASH_SUFFIX)-type := bootsplash
 endif
 
-# Ensure that no payload segment overlaps with memory regions used by ramstage
-# (not for x86 since it can relocate itself in that case)
-ifneq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_X86),y)
-check-ramstage-overlap-regions := ramstage
-check-ramstage-overlap-files :=
 ifneq ($(CONFIG_PAYLOAD_NONE),y)
 check-ramstage-overlap-files += $(CONFIG_CBFS_PREFIX)/payload
 endif
@@ -1464,6 +1459,15 @@ ramstage-symbol-addr-cmd = $(OBJDUMP_ramstage) -t $(objcbfs)/ramstage.elf | \
 	sed -n '/ $(1)$$/s/^\([0-9a-fA-F]*\) .*/0x\1/p' | \
 	uniq
 
+# Ensures that no segments from files in check-ramstage-overlap-files overlap memory regions
+# used by ramstage. By default the segments of the payload are checked against the ramstage
+# segments, but there may be other executables in RAM (e.g. BL31, OPENSBI). So Architecture
+# Makefiles may add relevant executables to `check-ramstage-overlap-files`. Architecture
+# Makefiles need to initialize `check-ramstage-overlap-regions` to use this check.
+# For example:
+# Common regions to add are `ramstage`, `stack` or `postram_cbfs_cache`. Which means that the
+# ramstage segments `ramstage`, `stack`, `postram_cbfs_cache` are checked to make sure they
+# don't overlap with the segments of check-ramstage-overlap-files (e.g. payload).
 $(call add_intermediate, check-ramstage-overlaps)
 	programs=$$($(foreach file,$(check-ramstage-overlap-files), \
 		$(call cbfs-get-segments-cmd,$(file)) ; )) ; \
@@ -1489,5 +1493,3 @@ $(call add_intermediate, check-ramstage-overlaps)
 	    done ; \
 	    pstart= ; pend= ; \
 	done
-
-endif
diff --git a/src/arch/arm/Makefile.mk b/src/arch/arm/Makefile.mk
index ef87dcf14f..89cca2b793 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm/Makefile.mk
+++ b/src/arch/arm/Makefile.mk
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@
 # ARM specific options
 ###############################################################################
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_ARM),y)
-check-ramstage-overlap-regions += postram_cbfs_cache stack ttb
-endif
-
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_ARM),y)
 subdirs-y += libgcc/
 subdirs-y += armv4/ armv7/
@@ -99,6 +95,8 @@ endif # CONFIG_ARCH_ROMSTAGE_ARM
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_ARM),y)
 
+check-ramstage-overlap-regions += postram_cbfs_cache stack ttb ramstage
+
 ramstage-y += stages.c
 ramstage-y += div0.c
 ramstage-y += eabi_compat.c
diff --git a/src/arch/arm64/Makefile.mk b/src/arch/arm64/Makefile.mk
index 279d31fb47..efd628fee7 100644
--- a/src/arch/arm64/Makefile.mk
+++ b/src/arch/arm64/Makefile.mk
@@ -6,14 +6,6 @@
 
 subdirs-y += armv8/
 
-################################################################################
-# ARM specific options
-################################################################################
-
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_ARM64),y)
-check-ramstage-overlap-regions += postram_cbfs_cache stack ttb
-endif
-
 ################################################################################
 # bootblock
 ################################################################################
@@ -106,6 +98,8 @@ endif # CONFIG_ARCH_ROMSTAGE_ARM64
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_ARM64),y)
 
+check-ramstage-overlap-regions += postram_cbfs_cache stack ttb ramstage
+
 ramstage-y += div0.c
 ramstage-y += eabi_compat.c
 ramstage-y += boot.c
diff --git a/src/arch/ppc64/Makefile.mk b/src/arch/ppc64/Makefile.mk
index 4a118b638a..9a4a2b01e7 100644
--- a/src/arch/ppc64/Makefile.mk
+++ b/src/arch/ppc64/Makefile.mk
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ endif
 ################################################################################
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_PPC64),y)
 
+check-ramstage-overlap-regions += ramstage
+
 ramstage-y += stages.c
 ramstage-y += arch_timer.c
 ramstage-y += boot.c
diff --git a/src/arch/riscv/Makefile.mk b/src/arch/riscv/Makefile.mk
index 95e439d5a9..cf393ba700 100644
--- a/src/arch/riscv/Makefile.mk
+++ b/src/arch/riscv/Makefile.mk
@@ -5,10 +5,6 @@
 ################################################################################
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RISCV),y)
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_RISCV),y)
-check-ramstage-overlap-regions += stack
-endif
-
 riscv_flags = -I$(src)/arch/riscv/
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RISCV_RV64),y)
@@ -134,6 +130,8 @@ endif #CONFIG_ARCH_ROMSTAGE_RISCV
 ################################################################################
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_RISCV),y)
 
+check-ramstage-overlap-regions += stack ramstage
+
 ramstage-y =
 ramstage-y += ramstage.S
 ramstage-y += tables.c
diff --git a/src/arch/x86/Makefile.mk b/src/arch/x86/Makefile.mk
index 0aaa962cfa..785d35c0aa 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/Makefile.mk
+++ b/src/arch/x86/Makefile.mk
@@ -224,6 +224,10 @@ $(CONFIG_CBFS_PREFIX)/postcar-compression := none
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_X86_32)$(CONFIG_ARCH_RAMSTAGE_X86_64),y)
 
+# not adding a check-ramstage-overlap-regions here because x86 ramstage can automatically
+# relocate itself to a free area (its build as a rmodule). Therefore no ramstage segments can
+# overlap with other executables in RAM.
+
 ramstage-y += acpi.c
 ramstage-$(CONFIG_HAVE_ACPI_RESUME) += acpi_s3.c
 ramstage-$(CONFIG_ACPI_BERT) += acpi_bert_storage.c