diff --git a/board/cr50/board.c b/board/cr50/board.c
index 008e9372b0..fec01fc506 100644
--- a/board/cr50/board.c
+++ b/board/cr50/board.c
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ void board_update_device_state(enum device_type device)
 	}
 }
 
-static void detect_slave_config(void)
+void system_init_board_properties(void)
 {
 	uint32_t properties;
 
@@ -542,6 +542,12 @@ static void detect_slave_config(void)
 			properties |= BOARD_SLAVE_CONFIG_I2C;
 			/* One PHY is connected to the AP */
 			properties |= BOARD_USB_AP;
+			/*
+			 * TODO(crosbug.com/p/56540): enable UART0 RX on Reef.
+			 * Early reef boards dont have the necessary pullups on
+			 * UART0RX so disable it until that is fixed.
+			 */
+			properties |= BOARD_DISABLE_UART0_RX;
 		}
 
 		/*
@@ -559,8 +565,6 @@ static void detect_slave_config(void)
 	/* Save this configuration setting */
 	board_properties = properties;
 }
-/* Need this hook to run before the default hook level */
-DECLARE_HOOK(HOOK_INIT, detect_slave_config, HOOK_PRIO_DEFAULT - 1);
 
 uint32_t system_board_properties_callback(void)
 {
diff --git a/board/cr50/gpio.inc b/board/cr50/gpio.inc
index 8ff1da7b83..235a21b116 100644
--- a/board/cr50/gpio.inc
+++ b/board/cr50/gpio.inc
@@ -81,15 +81,7 @@ PINMUX(GPIO(STRAP0),          A1, DIO_INPUT)
 
 /* UARTs */
 PINMUX(FUNC(UART0_TX),        A0, DIO_OUTPUT)	/* Cr50 console */
-/* PINMUX(FUNC(UART0_RX),     A13, DIO_INPUT | DIO_WAKE_LOW) */
-/*
- * TODO(crosbug.com/p/56540): Enable UART0_RX when possible.
- * At the moment, UART0_RX should only be used for debugging purposes.
- * If there is no external pull up on DIOA13, Cr50 can get continual UART0_RX
- * interrupts and will constantly reboot. Not all boards have that pullup.
- *   UART0_RX = DIOA13
- */
-
+PINMUX(FUNC(UART0_RX),        A13, DIO_INPUT | DIO_WAKE_FALLING)
 /*
  * UART1_TX and UART2_TX are configured in usart.c. They are not set as outputs
  * here in order to avoid interfering with servo. They can be controlled using
diff --git a/chip/g/system.c b/chip/g/system.c
index 075068e7ba..323c258ea8 100644
--- a/chip/g/system.c
+++ b/chip/g/system.c
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ void system_pre_init(void)
 	 * no effect.
 	 */
 	GREG32(GLOBALSEC, FLASH_REGION0_CTRL_CFG_EN) = 0;
+
+#ifdef BOARD_CR50
+	system_init_board_properties();
+#endif
 }
 
 void system_reset(int flags)
diff --git a/chip/g/uartn.c b/chip/g/uartn.c
index dc95f1fbf0..c534705eb3 100644
--- a/chip/g/uartn.c
+++ b/chip/g/uartn.c
@@ -119,13 +119,12 @@ void uartn_enable(int uart)
 	GR_UART_CTRL(uart) = 0x01;
 
 /* TODO(crosbug.com/p/56540): Remove this when UART0_RX works everywhere */
-#ifdef GC_UART0_RX_DISABLE
-	if (!uart)
+#if defined(BOARD_CR50) && !defined(SECTION_IS_RO)
+	if (!uart && (system_get_board_properties() & BOARD_DISABLE_UART0_RX))
 		return;
 #endif
-	/* Enable UART RX if it is connected to an external pad */
-	if (DIO_SEL_REG(GC_PINMUX_UART0_RX_SEL_OFFSET + (uart * 16)))
-		GR_UART_CTRL(uart) |= 0x02;
+
+	GR_UART_CTRL(uart) |= 0x02;
 }
 
 /* Disable TX, RX, HW flow control, and loopback */
diff --git a/include/system.h b/include/system.h
index 4b558cade8..d8d10950ce 100644
--- a/include/system.h
+++ b/include/system.h
@@ -467,6 +467,7 @@ int system_process_retry_counter(void);
 #define BOARD_SLAVE_CONFIG_I2C       (1 << 1)   /* Slave I2C interface */
 #define BOARD_USB_AP                 (1 << 2)   /* One of the PHYs is  */
 						/* connected to the AP */
+#define BOARD_DISABLE_UART0_RX       (1 << 3)   /* Disable UART0 RX    */
 /**
  * Get board properites
  *
@@ -475,6 +476,9 @@ int system_process_retry_counter(void);
  */
 uint32_t system_get_board_properties(void);
 
+/* Board specific function used to initialize the system board properties. */
+void system_init_board_properties(void);
+
 /**
  * API for board specific version of system_get_board_properties
  *