diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/cc2538.lds b/cpu/cc2538/cc2538.lds
index 17b048778..0ca3a2550 100644
--- a/cpu/cc2538/cc2538.lds
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/cc2538.lds
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ SECTIONS
         *(.data*)
         _edata = .;
     } > SRAM AT > FLASH
+    _ldata = LOADADDR(.data);
 
     .ARM.exidx :
     {
diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/startup-gcc.c b/cpu/cc2538/startup-gcc.c
index 99a624a7d..b72701505 100644
--- a/cpu/cc2538/startup-gcc.c
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/startup-gcc.c
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ void(*const vectors[])(void) =
 };
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 /* Linker constructs indicating .data and .bss segment locations */
-extern unsigned long _etext;
+extern unsigned long _ldata;
 extern unsigned long _data;
 extern unsigned long _edata;
 extern unsigned long _bss;
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ reset_handler(void)
   REG(SYS_CTRL_EMUOVR) = 0xFF;
 
   /* Copy the data segment initializers from flash to SRAM. */
-  pul_src = &_etext;
+  pul_src = &_ldata;
 
   for(pul_dst = &_data; pul_dst < &_edata;) {
     *pul_dst++ = *pul_src++;