diff --git a/src/arch/x86/kernel/boot.c b/src/arch/x86/kernel/boot.c
index c349f1624..03ee8cc49 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/kernel/boot.c
+++ b/src/arch/x86/kernel/boot.c
@@ -72,7 +72,10 @@ BOOT_CODE static bool_t arch_init_freemem(p_region_t ui_p_reg,
                                           mem_p_regs_t *mem_p_regs,
                                           word_t extra_bi_size_bits)
 {
-    ui_p_reg.start = 0;
+    // Extend the reserved region down to include the base of the kernel image.
+    // KERNEL_ELF_PADDR_BASE is the lowest physical load address used
+    // in the x86 linker script.
+    ui_p_reg.start = KERNEL_ELF_PADDR_BASE;
     reserved[0] = paddr_to_pptr_reg(ui_p_reg);
     return init_freemem(mem_p_regs->count, mem_p_regs->list, MAX_RESERVED,
                         reserved, it_v_reg, extra_bi_size_bits);
diff --git a/src/arch/x86/kernel/boot_sys.c b/src/arch/x86/kernel/boot_sys.c
index 8b89efc18..c52c4e626 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/kernel/boot_sys.c
+++ b/src/arch/x86/kernel/boot_sys.c
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ static BOOT_CODE bool_t add_mem_p_regs(p_region_t reg)
     printf("Adding physical memory region 0x%lx-0x%lx\n", reg.start, reg.end);
     boot_state.mem_p_regs.list[boot_state.mem_p_regs.count] = reg;
     boot_state.mem_p_regs.count++;
-    return reserve_region(reg);
+    return true;
 }
 
 /*