diff --git a/cmd/help.c b/cmd/help.c
index 6ff494d79b..701ae7e905 100644
--- a/cmd/help.c
+++ b/cmd/help.c
@@ -10,9 +10,13 @@
 
 static int do_help(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char * const argv[])
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_CMDLINE
 	cmd_tbl_t *start = ll_entry_start(cmd_tbl_t, cmd);
 	const int len = ll_entry_count(cmd_tbl_t, cmd);
 	return _do_help(start, len, cmdtp, flag, argc, argv);
+#else
+	return 0;
+#endif
 }
 
 U_BOOT_CMD(
diff --git a/common/cli.c b/common/cli.c
index 119d282bc2..5e17da897c 100644
--- a/common/cli.c
+++ b/common/cli.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_CMDLINE
 /*
  * Run a command using the selected parser.
  *
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ int run_command_repeatable(const char *cmd, int flag)
 	return 0;
 #endif
 }
+#endif /* CONFIG_CMDLINE */
 
 int run_command_list(const char *cmd, int len, int flag)
 {
@@ -102,7 +104,11 @@ int run_command_list(const char *cmd, int len, int flag)
 	 * doing a malloc() which is actually required only in a case that
 	 * is pretty rare.
 	 */
+#ifdef CONFIG_CMDLINE
 	rcode = cli_simple_run_command_list(buff, flag);
+#else
+	rcode = board_run_command(buff);
+#endif
 #endif
 	if (need_buff)
 		free(buff);
@@ -166,7 +172,9 @@ bool cli_process_fdt(const char **cmdp)
  */
 void cli_secure_boot_cmd(const char *cmd)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_CMDLINE
 	cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp;
+#endif
 	int rc;
 
 	if (!cmd) {
@@ -178,6 +186,7 @@ void cli_secure_boot_cmd(const char *cmd)
 	disable_ctrlc(1);
 
 	/* Find the command directly. */
+#ifdef CONFIG_CMDLINE
 	cmdtp = find_cmd(cmd);
 	if (!cmdtp) {
 		printf("## Error: \"%s\" not defined\n", cmd);
@@ -187,6 +196,10 @@ void cli_secure_boot_cmd(const char *cmd)
 	/* Run the command, forcing no flags and faking argc and argv. */
 	rc = (cmdtp->cmd)(cmdtp, 0, 1, (char **)&cmd);
 
+#else
+	rc = board_run_command(cmd);
+#endif
+
 	/* Shouldn't ever return from boot command. */
 	printf("## Error: \"%s\" returned (code %d)\n", cmd, rc);
 
@@ -205,8 +218,10 @@ void cli_loop(void)
 	parse_file_outer();
 	/* This point is never reached */
 	for (;;);
-#else
+#elif defined(CONFIG_CMDINE)
 	cli_simple_loop();
+#else
+	printf("## U-Boot command line is disabled. Please enable CONFIG_CMDLINE\n");
 #endif /*CONFIG_SYS_HUSH_PARSER*/
 }
 
diff --git a/common/command.c b/common/command.c
index 858e28885a..e5d9b9cf95 100644
--- a/common/command.c
+++ b/common/command.c
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ int _do_help(cmd_tbl_t *cmd_start, int cmd_items, cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag,
 /* find command table entry for a command */
 cmd_tbl_t *find_cmd_tbl(const char *cmd, cmd_tbl_t *table, int table_len)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_CMDLINE
 	cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp;
 	cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp_temp = table;	/* Init value */
 	const char *p;
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ cmd_tbl_t *find_cmd_tbl(const char *cmd, cmd_tbl_t *table, int table_len)
 	if (n_found == 1) {			/* exactly one match */
 		return cmdtp_temp;
 	}
+#endif /* CONFIG_CMDLINE */
 
 	return NULL;	/* not found or ambiguous command */
 }
@@ -162,6 +164,7 @@ int var_complete(int argc, char * const argv[], char last_char, int maxv, char *
 
 static int complete_cmdv(int argc, char * const argv[], char last_char, int maxv, char *cmdv[])
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_CMDLINE
 	cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp = ll_entry_start(cmd_tbl_t, cmd);
 	const int count = ll_entry_count(cmd_tbl_t, cmd);
 	const cmd_tbl_t *cmdend = cmdtp + count;
@@ -231,6 +234,9 @@ static int complete_cmdv(int argc, char * const argv[], char last_char, int maxv
 
 	cmdv[n_found] = NULL;
 	return n_found;
+#else
+	return 0;
+#endif
 }
 
 static int make_argv(char *s, int argvsz, char *argv[])
diff --git a/include/command.h b/include/command.h
index 0e0470bb0b..08f04867dd 100644
--- a/include/command.h
+++ b/include/command.h
@@ -144,6 +144,24 @@ int cmd_process(int flag, int argc, char * const argv[],
 			       int *repeatable, unsigned long *ticks);
 
 void fixup_cmdtable(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int size);
+
+/**
+ * board_run_command() - Fallback function to execute a command
+ *
+ * When no command line features are enabled in U-Boot, this function is
+ * called to execute a command. Typically the function can look at the
+ * command and perform a few very specific tasks, such as booting the
+ * system in a particular way.
+ *
+ * This function is only used when CONFIG_CMDLINE is not enabled.
+ *
+ * In normal situations this function should not return, since U-Boot will
+ * simply hang.
+ *
+ * @cmdline:	Command line string to execute
+ * @return 0 if OK, 1 for error
+ */
+int board_run_command(const char *cmdline);
 #endif	/* __ASSEMBLY__ */
 
 /*