diff --git a/src/include/sof/debug.h b/src/include/sof/debug.h
index 089d74238223..919505061094 100644
--- a/src/include/sof/debug.h
+++ b/src/include/sof/debug.h
@@ -50,15 +50,13 @@
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG
 
-#define DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS	\
-{					\
-	.bits = {			\
-		.build = 1,		\
-		.locks = DEBUG_LOCKS,	\
-		.locks_verbose = DEBUG_LOCKS_VERBOSE,	\
-		.gdb = DEBUG_GDB,	\
-	},				\
-}
+#define DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS				\
+(								\
+	SOF_IPC_INFO_BUILD |					\
+	(DEBUG_LOCKS ? SOF_IPC_INFO_LOCKS : 0) |		\
+	(DEBUG_LOCKS_VERBOSE ? SOF_IPC_INFO_LOCKSV : 0) |	\
+	(DEBUG_GDB ? SOF_IPC_INFO_GDB : 0)			\
+)
 
 /* dump file and line to start of mailbox or shared memory */
 #define dbg() \
@@ -140,15 +138,12 @@
 
 #else
 
-#define DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS	\
-{					\
-	.bits = {			\
-		.build = 0,		\
-		.locks = DEBUG_LOCKS,	\
-		.locks_verbose = DEBUG_LOCKS_VERBOSE,	\
-		.gdb = DEBUG_GDB,	\
-	},				\
-}
+#define DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS				\
+(								\
+	(DEBUG_LOCKS ? SOF_IPC_INFO_LOCKS : 0) |		\
+	(DEBUG_LOCKS_VERBOSE ? SOF_IPC_INFO_LOCKSV : 0) |	\
+	(DEBUG_GDB ? SOF_IPC_INFO_GDB : 0)			\
+)
 
 #define dbg()
 #define dbg_at(__x)
diff --git a/src/include/uapi/ipc/info.h b/src/include/uapi/ipc/info.h
index 46ba2f77a2da..4dff424e1305 100644
--- a/src/include/uapi/ipc/info.h
+++ b/src/include/uapi/ipc/info.h
@@ -48,6 +48,14 @@
 
 #define SOF_IPC_MAX_ELEMS	16
 
+/*
+ * Firmware boot info flag bits (64-bit)
+ */
+#define SOF_IPC_INFO_BUILD		BIT(0)
+#define SOF_IPC_INFO_LOCKS		BIT(1)
+#define SOF_IPC_INFO_LOCKSV		BIT(2)
+#define SOF_IPC_INFO_GDB		BIT(3)
+
 /* extended data types that can be appended onto end of sof_ipc_fw_ready */
 enum sof_ipc_ext_data {
 	SOF_IPC_EXT_DMA_BUFFER = 0,
@@ -79,16 +87,8 @@ struct sof_ipc_fw_ready {
 	uint32_t hostbox_size;
 	struct sof_ipc_fw_version version;
 
-	/* Miscellaneous debug flags showing build/debug features enabled */
-	union {
-		uint64_t reserved;
-		struct {
-			uint64_t build:1;
-			uint64_t locks:1;
-			uint64_t locks_verbose:1;
-			uint64_t gdb:1;
-		} bits;
-	} debug;
+	/* Miscellaneous flags */
+	uint64_t flags;
 
 	/* reserved for future use */
 	uint32_t reserved[4];
diff --git a/src/platform/baytrail/platform.c b/src/platform/baytrail/platform.c
index 79c359deac9a..9752975fb3fa 100644
--- a/src/platform/baytrail/platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/baytrail/platform.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ static const struct sof_ipc_fw_ready ready
 		.tag = SOF_TAG,
 		.abi_version = SOF_ABI_VERSION,
 	},
-	.debug = DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS
+	.flags = DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS
 };
 
 #define NUM_BYT_WINDOWS		6
diff --git a/src/platform/haswell/platform.c b/src/platform/haswell/platform.c
index aaa505fc47c1..14e32d3cac04 100644
--- a/src/platform/haswell/platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/haswell/platform.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static const struct sof_ipc_fw_ready ready
 		.tag = SOF_TAG,
 		.abi_version = SOF_ABI_VERSION,
 	},
-	.debug = DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS,
+	.flags = DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS,
 };
 
 #define NUM_HSW_WINDOWS		6
diff --git a/src/platform/intel/cavs/platform.c b/src/platform/intel/cavs/platform.c
index 1319371c7462..6c94cf7d7fcf 100644
--- a/src/platform/intel/cavs/platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/intel/cavs/platform.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ static const struct sof_ipc_fw_ready ready
 		.tag = SOF_TAG,
 		.abi_version = SOF_ABI_VERSION,
 	},
-	.debug = DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS,
+	.flags = DEBUG_SET_FW_READY_FLAGS,
 };
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_MEM_WND)