diff --git a/blackfin_config.mk b/blackfin_config.mk
index 7bde449..b2d94d5 100644
--- a/blackfin_config.mk
+++ b/blackfin_config.mk
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 PLATFORM_RELFLAGS += -ffixed-P5 -fomit-frame-pointer
 PLATFORM_CPPFLAGS += -DCONFIG_BLACKFIN
 
+LDFLAGS += --gc-sections
+PLATFORM_RELFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections
+
 ifneq (,$(CONFIG_BFIN_CPU))
 PLATFORM_RELFLAGS += -mcpu=$(CONFIG_BFIN_CPU)
 endif
diff --git a/cpu/blackfin/Makefile b/cpu/blackfin/Makefile
index b4049ff..1378fd1 100644
--- a/cpu/blackfin/Makefile
+++ b/cpu/blackfin/Makefile
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 
 # make sure our initcode (which goes into LDR) does not
 # have relocs or external references
+$(obj)initcode.o: CFLAGS += -fno-function-sections -fno-data-sections
 READINIT = env LC_ALL=C $(CROSS_COMPILE)readelf -s $<
 check_initcode: $(obj)initcode.o
 ifneq ($(CONFIG_BFIN_BOOT_MODE),BFIN_BOOT_BYPASS)