diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cff5ee91b186cc7465e673deb2c2327eb544b715..37ed24ab6f6f0369591e4b5cbf258d3cf10ddeb3 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -296,8 +296,9 @@ CPPFLAGS		=	${DEFINES} ${INCLUDES} ${MBEDTLS_INC} -nostdinc	\
 ASFLAGS			+=	$(CPPFLAGS) $(ASFLAGS_$(ARCH))			\
 				-ffreestanding -Wa,--fatal-warnings
 TF_CFLAGS		+=	$(CPPFLAGS) $(TF_CFLAGS_$(ARCH))		\
-				-ffreestanding -fno-builtin -std=gnu99		\
-				-Os -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections
+				-ffunction-sections -fdata-sections		\
+				-ffreestanding -fno-builtin -fno-common		\
+				-Os -std=gnu99
 
 ifeq (${SANITIZE_UB},on)
 TF_CFLAGS		+=	-fsanitize=undefined -fno-sanitize-recover
diff --git a/bl1/bl1.ld.S b/bl1/bl1.ld.S
index c4f6b99fc50e0c63dba327846e7d3b1671e475e1..877af8e01568b450c10d210d9bc9ace578a944f9 100644
--- a/bl1/bl1.ld.S
+++ b/bl1/bl1.ld.S
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2019, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ SECTIONS
     .text . : {
         __TEXT_START__ = .;
         *bl1_entrypoint.o(.text*)
-        *(.text*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
         *(.vectors)
         . = ALIGN(PAGE_SIZE);
         __TEXT_END__ = .;
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ SECTIONS
 
     .rodata . : {
         __RODATA_START__ = .;
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         /* Ensure 8-byte alignment for descriptors and ensure inclusion */
         . = ALIGN(8);
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ SECTIONS
     ro . : {
         __RO_START__ = .;
         *bl1_entrypoint.o(.text*)
-        *(.text*)
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         /* Ensure 8-byte alignment for descriptors and ensure inclusion */
         . = ALIGN(8);
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ SECTIONS
      */
     .data . : ALIGN(16) {
         __DATA_RAM_START__ = .;
-        *(.data*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.data*))
         __DATA_RAM_END__ = .;
     } >RAM AT>ROM
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ SECTIONS
      */
     .bss : ALIGN(16) {
         __BSS_START__ = .;
-        *(.bss*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.bss*))
         *(COMMON)
         __BSS_END__ = .;
     } >RAM
diff --git a/bl2/bl2.ld.S b/bl2/bl2.ld.S
index 30cdf7d78ae781359362f99a75dd74d264b108a1..6230562edbde4a2227961a1a0914c7b6617b15da 100644
--- a/bl2/bl2.ld.S
+++ b/bl2/bl2.ld.S
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2013-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2019, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ SECTIONS
     .text . : {
         __TEXT_START__ = .;
         *bl2_entrypoint.o(.text*)
-        *(.text*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
         *(.vectors)
         . = ALIGN(PAGE_SIZE);
         __TEXT_END__ = .;
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ SECTIONS
 
     .rodata . : {
         __RODATA_START__ = .;
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         /* Ensure 8-byte alignment for descriptors and ensure inclusion */
         . = ALIGN(8);
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ SECTIONS
     ro . : {
         __RO_START__ = .;
         *bl2_entrypoint.o(.text*)
-        *(.text*)
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         /* Ensure 8-byte alignment for descriptors and ensure inclusion */
         . = ALIGN(8);
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ SECTIONS
      */
     .data . : {
         __DATA_START__ = .;
-        *(.data*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.data*))
         __DATA_END__ = .;
     } >RAM
 
diff --git a/bl2/bl2_el3.ld.S b/bl2/bl2_el3.ld.S
index 82b51a862fa3fb7abb732ae2acf464252744cfda..dc398eb02596d16f5b31a2f700dd96c0f704eb17 100644
--- a/bl2/bl2_el3.ld.S
+++ b/bl2/bl2_el3.ld.S
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2017-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017-2019, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ SECTIONS
 	*bl2_el3_entrypoint.o(.text*)
 	*(.text.asm.*)
 	__TEXT_RESIDENT_END__ = .;
-        *(.text*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
         *(.vectors)
         . = ALIGN(PAGE_SIZE);
         __TEXT_END__ = .;
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ SECTIONS
 
     .rodata . : {
         __RODATA_START__ = .;
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         /* Ensure 8-byte alignment for descriptors and ensure inclusion */
         . = ALIGN(8);
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ SECTIONS
 	*bl2_el3_entrypoint.o(.text*)
 	*(.text.asm.*)
 	__TEXT_RESIDENT_END__ = .;
-        *(.text*)
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         /*
          * Ensure 8-byte alignment for cpu_ops so that its fields are also
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ SECTIONS
      */
     .data . : {
         __DATA_RAM_START__ = .;
-        *(.data*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.data*))
         __DATA_RAM_END__ = .;
     } >RAM AT>ROM
 
diff --git a/bl2u/bl2u.ld.S b/bl2u/bl2u.ld.S
index 8d4984fbf87c4c30179d7d9067296df819d9bb3c..8d257cee934b649fe72fde925420f69f41d7accb 100644
--- a/bl2u/bl2u.ld.S
+++ b/bl2u/bl2u.ld.S
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2019, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ SECTIONS
     .text . : {
         __TEXT_START__ = .;
         *bl2u_entrypoint.o(.text*)
-        *(.text*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
         *(.vectors)
         . = ALIGN(PAGE_SIZE);
         __TEXT_END__ = .;
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ SECTIONS
 
     .rodata . : {
         __RODATA_START__ = .;
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
         . = ALIGN(PAGE_SIZE);
         __RODATA_END__ = .;
     } >RAM
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ SECTIONS
     ro . : {
         __RO_START__ = .;
         *bl2u_entrypoint.o(.text*)
-        *(.text*)
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         *(.vectors)
         __RO_END_UNALIGNED__ = .;
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ SECTIONS
      */
     .data . : {
         __DATA_START__ = .;
-        *(.data*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.data*))
         __DATA_END__ = .;
     } >RAM
 
diff --git a/bl31/bl31.ld.S b/bl31/bl31.ld.S
index c7d587cb0d52ad429d5d42646a24cfa1bbbff813..708ee329f4ae7e0249ca2b561a9f6014252fdede 100644
--- a/bl31/bl31.ld.S
+++ b/bl31/bl31.ld.S
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ SECTIONS
     .text . : {
         __TEXT_START__ = .;
         *bl31_entrypoint.o(.text*)
-        *(.text*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
         *(.vectors)
         . = ALIGN(PAGE_SIZE);
         __TEXT_END__ = .;
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ SECTIONS
 
     .rodata . : {
         __RODATA_START__ = .;
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         /* Ensure 8-byte alignment for descriptors and ensure inclusion */
         . = ALIGN(8);
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ SECTIONS
     ro . : {
         __RO_START__ = .;
         *bl31_entrypoint.o(.text*)
-        *(.text*)
-        *(.rodata*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.text*))
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.rodata*))
 
         /* Ensure 8-byte alignment for descriptors and ensure inclusion */
         . = ALIGN(8);
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ SECTIONS
      */
    .data . : {
         __DATA_START__ = .;
-        *(.data*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.data*))
         __DATA_END__ = .;
     } >RAM
 
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ SECTIONS
      */
     .bss (NOLOAD) : ALIGN(16) {
         __BSS_START__ = .;
-        *(.bss*)
+        *(SORT_BY_ALIGNMENT(.bss*))
         *(COMMON)
 #if !USE_COHERENT_MEM
         /*
diff --git a/plat/imx/common/include/imx_caam.h b/plat/imx/common/include/imx_caam.h
index 335bd0f8bcf1224e64a7a2854016d71551fe7107..61005b51cc9d72be77cc973c801c2b963b0c38cc 100644
--- a/plat/imx/common/include/imx_caam.h
+++ b/plat/imx/common/include/imx_caam.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2018-2019, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #ifndef IMX_CAAM_H
 #define IMX_CAAM_H
 
+#include <cdefs.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <arch.h>
 #include <imx_regs.h>
diff --git a/plat/imx/common/include/imx_snvs.h b/plat/imx/common/include/imx_snvs.h
index 0b3d1085f7d3e953be20d649c042509f277ed3cf..565c451dd804f1ac997b463b4f44bc583970ebe8 100644
--- a/plat/imx/common/include/imx_snvs.h
+++ b/plat/imx/common/include/imx_snvs.h
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (C) 2018-2019, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
 #ifndef IMX_SNVS_H
 #define IMX_SNVS_H
 
+#include <cdefs.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include <arch.h>
diff --git a/plat/imx/common/include/sci/sci_ipc.h b/plat/imx/common/include/sci/sci_ipc.h
index 1167ea367da06360c0caacbccae15ec6c110d4d9..39e9012bc4a7a1dea45bc9005165fc20d87b88bd 100644
--- a/plat/imx/common/include/sci/sci_ipc.h
+++ b/plat/imx/common/include/sci/sci_ipc.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2019, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -62,6 +62,6 @@ void sc_ipc_read(sc_ipc_t ipc, void *data);
  */
 void sc_ipc_write(sc_ipc_t ipc, void *data);
 
-sc_ipc_t ipc_handle;
+extern sc_ipc_t ipc_handle;
 
 #endif /* SCI_IPC_H */
diff --git a/plat/imx/common/sci/ipc.c b/plat/imx/common/sci/ipc.c
index 6491ca575f481020da5d31b1d99c918c9736f61a..5769119254abf89844bd33cc40b0bb834dea42a1 100644
--- a/plat/imx/common/sci/ipc.c
+++ b/plat/imx/common/sci/ipc.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2015-2018, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-2019, ARM Limited and Contributors. All rights reserved.
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  */
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #include <sci/sci_rpc.h>
 #include "imx8_mu.h"
 
+sc_ipc_t ipc_handle;
+
 DEFINE_BAKERY_LOCK(sc_ipc_bakery_lock);
 #define sc_ipc_lock_init()	bakery_lock_init(&sc_ipc_bakery_lock)
 #define sc_ipc_lock()		bakery_lock_get(&sc_ipc_bakery_lock)