diff --git a/src/core/mem.c b/src/core/mem.c
index 5903eaad..6a6e977a 100644
--- a/src/core/mem.c
+++ b/src/core/mem.c
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ void* mem_alloc_page(size_t num_pages, enum AS_SEC sec, bool phys_aligned)
 static bool root_pool_set_up_bitmap(paddr_t load_addr, struct page_pool* root_pool)
 {
     size_t image_size = (size_t)(&_image_end - &_image_start);
-    size_t vm_image_size = (size_t)(&_vm_image_end - &_vm_image_start);
     size_t cpu_size = platform.cpu_num * mem_cpu_boot_alloc_size();
 
     size_t bitmap_num_pages =
@@ -147,7 +146,13 @@ static bool root_pool_set_up_bitmap(paddr_t load_addr, struct page_pool* root_po
     if (root_pool->size <= bitmap_num_pages) {
         return false;
     }
+
+#ifdef MEM_PROT_MMU
+    size_t vm_image_size = (size_t)(&_vm_image_end - &_vm_image_start);
     size_t bitmap_base = load_addr + image_size + vm_image_size + cpu_size;
+#else
+    size_t bitmap_base = load_addr + image_size + cpu_size;
+#endif
 
     struct ppages bitmap_pp = mem_ppages_get(bitmap_base, bitmap_num_pages);
     bitmap_t* root_bitmap = (bitmap_t*)mem_alloc_map(&cpu()->as, SEC_HYP_GLOBAL, &bitmap_pp,