diff --git a/bootloader_shell.ld b/bootloader_shell.ld
index fcb5ffc..e012fcb 100644
--- a/bootloader_shell.ld
+++ b/bootloader_shell.ld
@@ -142,13 +142,15 @@ SECTIONS
     __binary_info_end = .;
     . = ALIGN(4);
 
-    /* End of .text-like segments */
-    __etext = .;
-
-   .ram_vector_table (COPY): {
+    .ram_vector_table (NOLOAD): {
         *(.ram_vector_table)
     } > RAM
 
+    .uninitialized_data (NOLOAD): {
+        . = ALIGN(4);
+        *(.uninitialized_data*)
+    } > RAM
+
     .data : {
         __data_start__ = .;
         *(vtable)
@@ -198,11 +200,8 @@ SECTIONS
         /* All data end */
         __data_end__ = .;
     } > RAM AT> FLASH
-
-    .uninitialized_data (COPY): {
-        . = ALIGN(4);
-        *(.uninitialized_data*)
-    } > RAM
+    /* __etext is (for backwards compatibility) the name of the .data init source pointer (...) */
+    __etext = LOADADDR(.data);
 
     /* Start and end symbols must be word-aligned */
     .scratch_x : {
@@ -230,11 +229,11 @@ SECTIONS
         __bss_end__ = .;
     } > RAM
 
-    .heap (COPY):
+    .heap (NOLOAD):
     {
         __end__ = .;
         end = __end__;
-        *(.heap*)
+        KEEP(*(.heap*))
         __HeapLimit = .;
     } > RAM
 
@@ -247,17 +246,17 @@ SECTIONS
     /* by default we put core 0 stack at the end of scratch Y, so that if core 1
      * stack is not used then all of SCRATCH_X is free.
      */
-    .stack1_dummy (COPY):
+    .stack1_dummy (NOLOAD):
     {
         *(.stack1*)
     } > SCRATCH_X
-    .stack_dummy (COPY):
+    .stack_dummy (NOLOAD):
     {
-        *(.stack*)
+        KEEP(*(.stack*))
     } > SCRATCH_Y
 
     .flash_end : {
-        __flash_binary_end = .;
+        PROVIDE(__flash_binary_end = .);
     } > FLASH
 
     /* stack limit is poorly named, but historically is maximum heap ptr */
diff --git a/standalone.ld b/standalone.ld
index 040f6ad..cd3d924 100644
--- a/standalone.ld
+++ b/standalone.ld
@@ -99,13 +99,15 @@ SECTIONS
     __binary_info_end = .;
     . = ALIGN(4);
 
-    /* End of .text-like segments */
-    __etext = .;
-
-   .ram_vector_table (COPY): {
+    .ram_vector_table (NOLOAD): {
         *(.ram_vector_table)
     } > RAM
 
+    .uninitialized_data (NOLOAD): {
+        . = ALIGN(4);
+        *(.uninitialized_data*)
+    } > RAM
+
     .data : {
         __data_start__ = .;
         *(vtable)
@@ -155,11 +157,8 @@ SECTIONS
         /* All data end */
         __data_end__ = .;
     } > RAM AT> FLASH
-
-    .uninitialized_data (COPY): {
-        . = ALIGN(4);
-        *(.uninitialized_data*)
-    } > RAM
+    /* __etext is (for backwards compatibility) the name of the .data init source pointer (...) */
+    __etext = LOADADDR(.data);
 
     /* Start and end symbols must be word-aligned */
     .scratch_x : {
@@ -187,11 +186,11 @@ SECTIONS
         __bss_end__ = .;
     } > RAM
 
-    .heap (COPY):
+    .heap (NOLOAD):
     {
         __end__ = .;
         end = __end__;
-        *(.heap*)
+        KEEP(*(.heap*))
         __HeapLimit = .;
     } > RAM
 
@@ -204,17 +203,17 @@ SECTIONS
     /* by default we put core 0 stack at the end of scratch Y, so that if core 1
      * stack is not used then all of SCRATCH_X is free.
      */
-    .stack1_dummy (COPY):
+    .stack1_dummy (NOLOAD):
     {
         *(.stack1*)
     } > SCRATCH_X
-    .stack_dummy (COPY):
+    .stack_dummy (NOLOAD):
     {
-        *(.stack*)
+        KEEP(*(.stack*))
     } > SCRATCH_Y
 
     .flash_end : {
-        __flash_binary_end = .;
+        PROVIDE(__flash_binary_end = .);
     } > FLASH
 
     /* stack limit is poorly named, but historically is maximum heap ptr */