diff --git a/boot/bootutil/include/bootutil/image.h b/boot/bootutil/include/bootutil/image.h
index 191af55513..e066b2f5cb 100644
--- a/boot/bootutil/include/bootutil/image.h
+++ b/boot/bootutil/include/bootutil/image.h
@@ -163,11 +163,15 @@ struct image_tlv {
 #define IS_RAM_BOOTABLE(hdr) (false)
 #endif
 
+#if defined(MCUBOOT_RAM_LOAD) || defined(MCUBOOT_DIRECT_XIP)
 #define IS_RAM_BOOT_STAGE()   \
     ({                        \
         extern bool boot_ram; \
         boot_ram;             \
     })
+#else
+#define IS_RAM_BOOT_STAGE() false
+#endif
 
 _Static_assert(sizeof(struct image_header) == IMAGE_HEADER_SIZE,
                "struct image_header not required size");
diff --git a/boot/bootutil/src/loader.c b/boot/bootutil/src/loader.c
index 8ec3aa0dbc..eef2f2c78c 100644
--- a/boot/bootutil/src/loader.c
+++ b/boot/bootutil/src/loader.c
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@
 BOOT_LOG_MODULE_DECLARE(mcuboot);
 
 static struct boot_loader_state boot_data;
+
+#if defined(MCUBOOT_RAM_LOAD) || defined(MCUBOOT_DIRECT_XIP)
 static bool boot_ram = false;
+#endif
 
 #if (BOOT_IMAGE_NUMBER > 1)
 #define IMAGES_ITER(x) for ((x) = 0; (x) < BOOT_IMAGE_NUMBER; ++(x))