diff --git a/common/spl/spl_mmc.c b/common/spl/spl_mmc.c
index 02ad32a..67c7ae3 100644
--- a/common/spl/spl_mmc.c
+++ b/common/spl/spl_mmc.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <mmc.h>
 #include <image.h>
+#include <imx_container.h>
 
 static int mmc_load_legacy(struct spl_image_info *spl_image,
 			   struct spl_boot_device *bootdev,
@@ -108,7 +109,8 @@
 		load.bl_len = mmc->read_bl_len;
 		load.read = h_spl_load_read;
 		ret = spl_load_simple_fit(spl_image, &load, sector, header);
-	} else if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SPL_LOAD_IMX_CONTAINER)) {
+	} else if (IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_SPL_LOAD_IMX_CONTAINER) &&
+		   valid_container_hdr((void *)header)) {
 		struct spl_load_info load;
 
 		load.dev = mmc;