diff --git a/tools/mkimage.c b/tools/mkimage.c
index ff3024a8f172c8557bfaa02612d995bdcdd04f2d..53fa8bb3a8f048a6f9516780218ac18b00d57a40 100644
--- a/tools/mkimage.c
+++ b/tools/mkimage.c
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static void process_args(int argc, char **argv)
 	 * will always be IH_TYPE_FLATDT in this case).
 	 */
 	if (params.type == IH_TYPE_FLATDT) {
-		params.fit_image_type = type;
+		params.fit_image_type = type ? type : IH_TYPE_KERNEL;
 		if (!params.auto_its)
 			params.datafile = datafile;
 	} else if (type != IH_TYPE_INVALID) {