diff --git a/tools/projmgr/include/ProjMgrWorker.h b/tools/projmgr/include/ProjMgrWorker.h
index ad55896c8..28ad6ce8b 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/include/ProjMgrWorker.h
+++ b/tools/projmgr/include/ProjMgrWorker.h
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ struct DebuggerType {
  *        images
  *        selected target-set
  *        load offset for generated binary
- *        load modes
+ *        elf load mode
  *        image only flag
 */
 struct ContextItem {
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ struct ContextItem {
   std::vector<ImageItem> images;
   std::string targetSet;
   std::string loadOffset;
-  StrMap loadMode;
+  std::string elfLoadMode;
   bool imageOnly = false;
 };
 
diff --git a/tools/projmgr/schemas/common.schema.json b/tools/projmgr/schemas/common.schema.json
index f3be3cd02..bc6b88b54 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/schemas/common.schema.json
+++ b/tools/projmgr/schemas/common.schema.json
@@ -2371,7 +2371,7 @@
       },
       "additionalProperties": false,
       "oneOf": [
-        { "required": ["project-context"], "not": {"required": ["image"]} },
+        { "required": ["project-context"], "not": {"required": ["image", "type"]} },
         { "required": ["image"], "not": {"required": ["project-context"]} }
       ]
     },
diff --git a/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrRunDebug.cpp b/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrRunDebug.cpp
index d1124d2b3..7d10bd842 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrRunDebug.cpp
+++ b/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrRunDebug.cpp
@@ -540,8 +540,7 @@ void ProjMgrRunDebug::AddGeneratedImage(const ContextItem* context, const string
     image.file = file;
     image.info = "generate by " + context->name;
     image.type = type;
-    image.load = context->loadMode.find(type) != context->loadMode.end() ? context->loadMode.at(type) :
-      context->loadMode.find("") != context->loadMode.end() ? context->loadMode.at("") : load;
+    image.load = type == RteConstants::OUTPUT_TYPE_ELF && !context->elfLoadMode.empty() ? context->elfLoadMode : load;
     image.pname = context->deviceItem.pname;
     image.offset = type == RteConstants::OUTPUT_TYPE_BIN ? context->loadOffset : RteUtils::EMPTY_STRING;
     m_runDebug.outputs.push_back(image);
diff --git a/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrWorker.cpp b/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrWorker.cpp
index d3ca62e46..2f495b6b3 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrWorker.cpp
+++ b/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrWorker.cpp
@@ -2595,7 +2595,7 @@ bool ProjMgrWorker::ProcessImages(ContextItem& context) {
     else if (item.context == context.cproject->name + (context.type.build.empty() ? "" : '.' + context.type.build)) {
       context.loadOffset = item.offset;
       if (!item.load.empty()) {
-        context.loadMode[item.type] = item.load;
+        context.elfLoadMode = item.load;
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/core1.cproject.yml b/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/core1.cproject.yml
index eadfa9108..4a7879550 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/core1.cproject.yml
+++ b/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/core1.cproject.yml
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ project:
   device: :cm0_core1
 
   output:
-    type: [elf, bin]
+    type: [hex, bin]
diff --git a/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/ref/run-debug+TestHW3.cbuild-run.yml b/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/ref/run-debug+TestHW3.cbuild-run.yml
index d3758fd19..f36cf8cbb 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/ref/run-debug+TestHW3.cbuild-run.yml
+++ b/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/ref/run-debug+TestHW3.cbuild-run.yml
@@ -15,12 +15,17 @@ cbuild-run:
     - file: core1/TestHW3/core1.axf
       info: generate by core1+TestHW3
       type: elf
-      load: none
+      load: symbols
+      pname: cm0_core1
+    - file: core1/TestHW3/core1.hex
+      info: generate by core1+TestHW3
+      type: hex
+      load: image
       pname: cm0_core1
     - file: core1/TestHW3/core1.bin
       info: generate by core1+TestHW3
       type: bin
-      load: image
+      load: none
       pname: cm0_core1
   system-resources:
     memory:
diff --git a/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/run-debug.csolution.yml b/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/run-debug.csolution.yml
index 72419cf02..92de33296 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/run-debug.csolution.yml
+++ b/tools/projmgr/test/data/TestRunDebug/run-debug.csolution.yml
@@ -46,11 +46,7 @@ solution:
             - project-context: core0
               load: none
             - project-context: core1
-              type: elf
-              load: none
-            - project-context: core1
-              type: bin
-              load: image
+              load: symbols
           debugger:
             name: CMSIS-DAP
             start-pname: cm0_core1