diff --git a/make_helpers/defaults.mk b/make_helpers/defaults.mk
index 16e7f1c..7299dc4 100644
--- a/make_helpers/defaults.mk
+++ b/make_helpers/defaults.mk
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@
 # Flag to enable stack corruption protection
 ENABLE_STACK_PROTECTOR		:= 0
 
+# Flag to enable exception handling in EL3
+EL3_EXCEPTION_HANDLING		:= 0
+
 # Build flag to treat usage of deprecated platform and framework APIs as error.
 ERROR_DEPRECATED		:= 0