diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables/aarch32/xlat_tables.c b/lib/xlat_tables/aarch32/xlat_tables.c
index 4fe5bf9..6033522 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables/aarch32/xlat_tables.c
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables/aarch32/xlat_tables.c
@@ -93,6 +93,20 @@
 }
 #endif /* ENABLE_ASSERTIONS */
 
+int xlat_arch_current_el(void)
+{
+	/*
+	 * If EL3 is in AArch32 mode, all secure PL1 modes (Monitor, System,
+	 * SVC, Abort, UND, IRQ and FIQ modes) execute at EL3.
+	 */
+	return 3;
+}
+
+uint64_t xlat_arch_get_xn_desc(int el __unused)
+{
+	return UPPER_ATTRS(XN);
+}
+
 void init_xlat_tables(void)
 {
 	unsigned long long max_pa;
diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables/aarch64/xlat_tables.c b/lib/xlat_tables/aarch64/xlat_tables.c
index 4f23793..7be36ca 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables/aarch64/xlat_tables.c
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables/aarch64/xlat_tables.c
@@ -146,6 +146,25 @@
 }
 #endif /* ENABLE_ASSERTIONS */
 
+int xlat_arch_current_el(void)
+{
+	int el = GET_EL(read_CurrentEl());
+
+	assert(el > 0);
+
+	return el;
+}
+
+uint64_t xlat_arch_get_xn_desc(int el)
+{
+	if (el == 3) {
+		return UPPER_ATTRS(XN);
+	} else {
+		assert(el == 1);
+		return UPPER_ATTRS(PXN);
+	}
+}
+
 void init_xlat_tables(void)
 {
 	unsigned long long max_pa;
diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables/xlat_tables_common.c b/lib/xlat_tables/xlat_tables_common.c
index 23f3daa..1f21470 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables/xlat_tables_common.c
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables/xlat_tables_common.c
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@
 static unsigned long long xlat_max_pa;
 static uintptr_t xlat_max_va;
 
+static uint64_t execute_never_mask;
+
 /*
  * Array of all memory regions stored in order of ascending base address.
  * The list is terminated by the first entry with size == 0.
@@ -237,7 +239,8 @@
 		 * fetch, which could be an issue if this memory region
 		 * corresponds to a read-sensitive peripheral.
 		 */
-		desc |= UPPER_ATTRS(XN);
+		desc |= execute_never_mask;
+
 	} else { /* Normal memory */
 		/*
 		 * Always map read-write normal memory as execute-never.
@@ -245,7 +248,7 @@
 		 * R/W memory is reserved for data storage, which must not be
 		 * executable.)
 		 * Note that setting the XN bit here is for consistency only.
-		 * The enable_mmu_elx() function sets the SCTLR_EL3.WXN bit,
+		 * The function that enables the MMU sets the SCTLR_ELx.WXN bit,
 		 * which makes any writable memory region to be treated as
 		 * execute-never, regardless of the value of the XN bit in the
 		 * translation table.
@@ -253,8 +256,9 @@
 		 * For read-only memory, rely on the MT_EXECUTE/MT_EXECUTE_NEVER
 		 * attribute to figure out the value of the XN bit.
 		 */
-		if ((attr & MT_RW) || (attr & MT_EXECUTE_NEVER))
-			desc |= UPPER_ATTRS(XN);
+		if ((attr & MT_RW) || (attr & MT_EXECUTE_NEVER)) {
+			desc |= execute_never_mask;
+		}
 
 		if (mem_type == MT_MEMORY) {
 			desc |= LOWER_ATTRS(ATTR_IWBWA_OWBWA_NTR_INDEX | ISH);
@@ -401,7 +405,7 @@
 			int level, uintptr_t *max_va,
 			unsigned long long *max_pa)
 {
-
+	execute_never_mask = xlat_arch_get_xn_desc(xlat_arch_current_el());
 	init_xlation_table_inner(mmap, base_va, table, level);
 	*max_va = xlat_max_va;
 	*max_pa = xlat_max_pa;
diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables/xlat_tables_private.h b/lib/xlat_tables/xlat_tables_private.h
index 54ad909..ea63337 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables/xlat_tables_private.h
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables/xlat_tables_private.h
@@ -89,6 +89,17 @@
 #endif /* AARCH32 */
 
 void print_mmap(void);
+
+/* Returns the current Exception Level. The returned EL must be 1 or higher. */
+int xlat_arch_current_el(void);
+
+/*
+ * Returns the bit mask that has to be ORed to the rest of a translation table
+ * descriptor so that execution of code is prohibited at the given Exception
+ * Level.
+ */
+uint64_t xlat_arch_get_xn_desc(int el);
+
 void init_xlation_table(uintptr_t base_va, uint64_t *table,
 			int level, uintptr_t *max_va,
 			unsigned long long *max_pa);
diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/aarch32/xlat_tables_arch.c b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/aarch32/xlat_tables_arch.c
index cd7aad8..cb1f92d 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/aarch32/xlat_tables_arch.c
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/aarch32/xlat_tables_arch.c
@@ -91,6 +91,20 @@
 
 #endif /* PLAT_XLAT_TABLES_DYNAMIC */
 
+int xlat_arch_current_el(void)
+{
+	/*
+	 * If EL3 is in AArch32 mode, all secure PL1 modes (Monitor, System,
+	 * SVC, Abort, UND, IRQ and FIQ modes) execute at EL3.
+	 */
+	return 3;
+}
+
+uint64_t xlat_arch_get_xn_desc(int el __unused)
+{
+	return UPPER_ATTRS(XN);
+}
+
 void init_xlat_tables_arch(unsigned long long max_pa)
 {
 	assert((PLAT_PHY_ADDR_SPACE_SIZE - 1) <=
diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/aarch64/xlat_tables_arch.c b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/aarch64/xlat_tables_arch.c
index 24266b2..31e39cf 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/aarch64/xlat_tables_arch.c
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/aarch64/xlat_tables_arch.c
@@ -151,6 +151,25 @@
 
 #endif /* PLAT_XLAT_TABLES_DYNAMIC */
 
+int xlat_arch_current_el(void)
+{
+	int el = GET_EL(read_CurrentEl());
+
+	assert(el > 0);
+
+	return el;
+}
+
+uint64_t xlat_arch_get_xn_desc(int el)
+{
+	if (el == 3) {
+		return UPPER_ATTRS(XN);
+	} else {
+		assert(el == 1);
+		return UPPER_ATTRS(PXN);
+	}
+}
+
 void init_xlat_tables_arch(unsigned long long max_pa)
 {
 	assert((PLAT_PHY_ADDR_SPACE_SIZE - 1) <=
diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_common.c b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_common.c
index 7ca81b9..9f84b22 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_common.c
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_common.c
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@
 	assert(!is_mmu_enabled());
 	assert(!tf_xlat_ctx.initialized);
 	print_mmap(tf_xlat_ctx.mmap);
+	tf_xlat_ctx.execute_never_mask =
+			xlat_arch_get_xn_desc(xlat_arch_current_el());
 	init_xlation_table(&tf_xlat_ctx);
 	xlat_tables_print(&tf_xlat_ctx);
 
diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_internal.c b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_internal.c
index 581f770..e7c67a4 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_internal.c
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_internal.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@
 
 /* Returns a block/page table descriptor for the given level and attributes. */
 static uint64_t xlat_desc(mmap_attr_t attr, unsigned long long addr_pa,
-			  int level)
+			  int level, uint64_t execute_never_mask)
 {
 	uint64_t desc;
 	int mem_type;
@@ -158,7 +158,8 @@
 		 * fetch, which could be an issue if this memory region
 		 * corresponds to a read-sensitive peripheral.
 		 */
-		desc |= UPPER_ATTRS(XN);
+		desc |= execute_never_mask;
+
 	} else { /* Normal memory */
 		/*
 		 * Always map read-write normal memory as execute-never.
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@
 		 * R/W memory is reserved for data storage, which must not be
 		 * executable.)
 		 * Note that setting the XN bit here is for consistency only.
-		 * The enable_mmu_elx() function sets the SCTLR_EL3.WXN bit,
+		 * The function that enables the MMU sets the SCTLR_ELx.WXN bit,
 		 * which makes any writable memory region to be treated as
 		 * execute-never, regardless of the value of the XN bit in the
 		 * translation table.
@@ -174,8 +175,9 @@
 		 * For read-only memory, rely on the MT_EXECUTE/MT_EXECUTE_NEVER
 		 * attribute to figure out the value of the XN bit.
 		 */
-		if ((attr & MT_RW) || (attr & MT_EXECUTE_NEVER))
-			desc |= UPPER_ATTRS(XN);
+		if ((attr & MT_RW) || (attr & MT_EXECUTE_NEVER)) {
+			desc |= execute_never_mask;
+		}
 
 		if (mem_type == MT_MEMORY) {
 			desc |= LOWER_ATTRS(ATTR_IWBWA_OWBWA_NTR_INDEX | ISH);
@@ -535,7 +537,8 @@
 		if (action == ACTION_WRITE_BLOCK_ENTRY) {
 
 			table_base[table_idx] =
-				xlat_desc(mm->attr, table_idx_pa, level);
+				xlat_desc(mm->attr, table_idx_pa, level,
+					  ctx->execute_never_mask);
 
 		} else if (action == ACTION_CREATE_NEW_TABLE) {
 
@@ -940,7 +943,7 @@
 #if LOG_LEVEL >= LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE
 
 /* Print the attributes of the specified block descriptor. */
-static void xlat_desc_print(uint64_t desc)
+static void xlat_desc_print(uint64_t desc, uint64_t execute_never_mask)
 {
 	int mem_type_index = ATTR_INDEX_GET(desc);
 
@@ -955,7 +958,7 @@
 
 	tf_printf(LOWER_ATTRS(AP_RO) & desc ? "-RO" : "-RW");
 	tf_printf(LOWER_ATTRS(NS) & desc ? "-NS" : "-S");
-	tf_printf(UPPER_ATTRS(XN) & desc ? "-XN" : "-EXEC");
+	tf_printf(execute_never_mask & desc ? "-XN" : "-EXEC");
 }
 
 static const char * const level_spacers[] = {
@@ -974,7 +977,7 @@
  */
 static void xlat_tables_print_internal(const uintptr_t table_base_va,
 		uint64_t *const table_base, const int table_entries,
-		const int level)
+		const int level, const uint64_t execute_never_mask)
 {
 	assert(level <= XLAT_TABLE_LEVEL_MAX);
 
@@ -1035,14 +1038,15 @@
 
 				xlat_tables_print_internal(table_idx_va,
 					(uint64_t *)addr_inner,
-					XLAT_TABLE_ENTRIES, level+1);
+					XLAT_TABLE_ENTRIES, level+1,
+					execute_never_mask);
 			} else {
 				tf_printf("%sVA:%p PA:0x%llx size:0x%zx ",
 					  level_spacers[level],
 					  (void *)table_idx_va,
 					  (unsigned long long)(desc & TABLE_ADDR_MASK),
 					  level_size);
-				xlat_desc_print(desc);
+				xlat_desc_print(desc, execute_never_mask);
 				tf_printf("\n");
 			}
 		}
@@ -1063,7 +1067,7 @@
 {
 #if LOG_LEVEL >= LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE
 	xlat_tables_print_internal(0, ctx->base_table, ctx->base_table_entries,
-				   ctx->base_level);
+				   ctx->base_level, ctx->execute_never_mask);
 #endif /* LOG_LEVEL >= LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE */
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_private.h b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_private.h
index e79890e..465f2a4 100644
--- a/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_private.h
+++ b/lib/xlat_tables_v2/xlat_tables_private.h
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@
 	/* Set to 1 when the translation tables are initialized. */
 	int initialized;
 
+	/*
+	 * Bit mask that has to be ORed to the rest of a translation table
+	 * descriptor in order to prohibit execution of code at the exception
+	 * level of this translation context.
+	 */
+	uint64_t execute_never_mask;
+
 } xlat_ctx_t;
 
 #if PLAT_XLAT_TABLES_DYNAMIC
@@ -178,6 +185,16 @@
  * Architecture-specific initialization code.
  */
 
+/* Returns the current Exception Level. The returned EL must be 1 or higher. */
+int xlat_arch_current_el(void);
+
+/*
+ * Returns the bit mask that has to be ORed to the rest of a translation table
+ * descriptor so that execution of code is prohibited at the given Exception
+ * Level.
+ */
+uint64_t xlat_arch_get_xn_desc(int el);
+
 /* Execute architecture-specific translation table initialization code. */
 void init_xlat_tables_arch(unsigned long long max_pa);