diff --git a/hw/i386/multiboot.c b/hw/i386/multiboot.c
index 46d9c68bf5..bb8d8e4629 100644
--- a/hw/i386/multiboot.c
+++ b/hw/i386/multiboot.c
@@ -233,12 +233,6 @@ int load_multiboot(FWCfgState *fw_cfg,
         mh_entry_addr = ldl_p(header+i+28);
 
         if (mh_load_end_addr) {
-            if (mh_bss_end_addr < mh_load_addr) {
-                fprintf(stderr, "invalid mh_bss_end_addr address\n");
-                exit(1);
-            }
-            mb_kernel_size = mh_bss_end_addr - mh_load_addr;
-
             if (mh_load_end_addr < mh_load_addr) {
                 fprintf(stderr, "invalid mh_load_end_addr address\n");
                 exit(1);
@@ -249,8 +243,16 @@ int load_multiboot(FWCfgState *fw_cfg,
                 fprintf(stderr, "invalid kernel_file_size\n");
                 exit(1);
             }
-            mb_kernel_size = kernel_file_size - mb_kernel_text_offset;
-            mb_load_size = mb_kernel_size;
+            mb_load_size = kernel_file_size - mb_kernel_text_offset;
+        }
+        if (mh_bss_end_addr) {
+            if (mh_bss_end_addr < (mh_load_addr + mb_load_size)) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "invalid mh_bss_end_addr address\n");
+                exit(1);
+            }
+            mb_kernel_size = mh_bss_end_addr - mh_load_addr;
+        } else {
+            mb_kernel_size = mb_load_size;
         }
 
         /* Valid if mh_flags sets MULTIBOOT_HEADER_HAS_VBE.