diff --git a/src/runtime_src/core/edge/drm/zocl/edge/zocl_aie.c b/src/runtime_src/core/edge/drm/zocl/edge/zocl_aie.c
index cc8fa3bc7b..9be7cc55d9 100644
--- a/src/runtime_src/core/edge/drm/zocl/edge/zocl_aie.c
+++ b/src/runtime_src/core/edge/drm/zocl/edge/zocl_aie.c
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ static struct drm_zocl_slot*
 get_slot(struct drm_zocl_dev * zdev, struct kds_client* client, int hw_ctx_id)
 {
 	int slot_idx = 0;
+	int i = 0;
 	struct drm_zocl_slot* slot = NULL;
 	struct kds_client_hw_ctx *kds_hw_ctx = NULL;
 	mutex_lock(&client->lock);
@@ -192,10 +193,20 @@ get_slot(struct drm_zocl_dev * zdev, struct kds_client* client, int hw_ctx_id)
 
 	if (slot_idx >= MAX_PR_SLOT_NUM) {
 		DRM_ERROR("%s: Invalid client", __func__);
+		mutex_unlock(&client->lock);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	slot = zdev->pr_slot[slot_idx];
+	// WorkAround for older flows where there is single slot for AIE
+	if (!slot || !slot->aie) {
+		for (i = 0; i < MAX_PR_SLOT_NUM; i++) {
+			slot = zdev->pr_slot[i];
+			if (slot && slot->aie)
+				break;
+		}
+	}
+
 	mutex_unlock(&client->lock);
 	return slot;
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime_src/core/edge/drm/zocl/edge/zocl_edge_xclbin.c b/src/runtime_src/core/edge/drm/zocl/edge/zocl_edge_xclbin.c
index bc4b5606b0..fa503fa7e0 100644
--- a/src/runtime_src/core/edge/drm/zocl/edge/zocl_edge_xclbin.c
+++ b/src/runtime_src/core/edge/drm/zocl/edge/zocl_edge_xclbin.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ zocl_xclbin_read_axlf(struct drm_zocl_dev *zdev, struct drm_zocl_axlf *axlf_obj,
 			// We come here if user sets force_xclbin_program
 			// option "true" in xrt.ini under [Runtime] section
 			DRM_WARN("%s Force xclbin download", __func__);
-		} else {
+		} else if (!is_aie_only(axlf)) {
 			DRM_INFO("xclbin already downloaded to slot=%d", slot_id);
 			vfree(axlf);
 			mutex_unlock(&slot->slot_xclbin_lock);
@@ -214,7 +214,6 @@ zocl_xclbin_read_axlf(struct drm_zocl_dev *zdev, struct drm_zocl_axlf *axlf_obj,
 	} else
 #endif
 	if (is_aie_only(axlf)) {
-		zocl_cleanup_aie(slot);
 
 		ret = zocl_load_aie_only_pdi(zdev, slot, axlf, xclbin, client);
 		if (ret)