diff --git a/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx25/eukrea_cpuimx25.c b/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx25/eukrea_cpuimx25.c
index 73e54f2..695e75f 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx25/eukrea_cpuimx25.c
+++ b/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx25/eukrea_cpuimx25.c
@@ -46,13 +46,14 @@
 #include <usb/fsl_usb2.h>
 #include <mach/usb.h>
 #include <mach/devices-imx25.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 
 extern unsigned long _stext;
 extern void exception_vectors(void);
 
 void __naked __flash_header_start go(void)
 {
-	__asm__ __volatile__("b exception_vectors\n");
+	barebox_arm_head();
 }
 
 struct imx_dcd_entry __dcd_entry_section dcd_entry[] = {
diff --git a/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx35/flash_header.c b/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx35/flash_header.c
index 93c8348..f8ed5d4 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx35/flash_header.c
+++ b/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx35/flash_header.c
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <mach/imx-flash-header.h>
 #include <mach/imx-regs.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 
 extern void exception_vectors(void);
 
 void __naked __flash_header_start go(void)
 {
-	__asm__ __volatile__("b exception_vectors\n");
+	barebox_arm_head();
 }
 
 struct imx_dcd_entry __dcd_entry_section dcd_entry[] = {
diff --git a/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx51/flash_header.c b/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx51/flash_header.c
index f953b09..ac6bbdc 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx51/flash_header.c
+++ b/arch/arm/boards/eukrea_cpuimx51/flash_header.c
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <mach/imx-flash-header.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 
 extern unsigned long _stext;
 
 void __naked __flash_header_start go(void)
 {
-	__asm__ __volatile__("b exception_vectors\n");
+	barebox_arm_head();
 }
 
 struct imx_dcd_entry __dcd_entry_section dcd_entry[] = {
diff --git a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx25-3-stack/3stack.c b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx25-3-stack/3stack.c
index 5aa54e4..d7e24cf 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx25-3-stack/3stack.c
+++ b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx25-3-stack/3stack.c
@@ -42,13 +42,14 @@
 #include <i2c/i2c.h>
 #include <mfd/mc34704.h>
 #include <mach/devices-imx25.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 
 extern unsigned long _stext;
 extern void exception_vectors(void);
 
 void __naked __flash_header_start go(void)
 {
-	__asm__ __volatile__("b exception_vectors\n");
+	barebox_arm_head();
 }
 
 struct imx_dcd_entry __dcd_entry_section dcd_entry[] = {
diff --git a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx35-3-stack/flash_header.c b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx35-3-stack/flash_header.c
index 92f2142..85b52a2 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx35-3-stack/flash_header.c
+++ b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx35-3-stack/flash_header.c
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <mach/imx-flash-header.h>
 #include <mach/imx-regs.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 
 extern void exception_vectors(void);
 
 void __naked __flash_header_start go(void)
 {
-	__asm__ __volatile__("b exception_vectors\n");
+	barebox_arm_head();
 }
 
 struct imx_dcd_entry __dcd_entry_section dcd_entry[] = {
diff --git a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx51-pdk/flash_header.c b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx51-pdk/flash_header.c
index 5f94506..297dca1 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx51-pdk/flash_header.c
+++ b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx51-pdk/flash_header.c
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <mach/imx-flash-header.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 
 extern unsigned long _stext;
 
 void __naked __flash_header_start go(void)
 {
-	__asm__ __volatile__("b exception_vectors\n");
+	barebox_arm_head();
 }
 
 struct imx_dcd_entry __dcd_entry_section dcd_entry[] = {
diff --git a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx53-loco/flash_header.c b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx53-loco/flash_header.c
index 490e223..b459640 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx53-loco/flash_header.c
+++ b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx53-loco/flash_header.c
@@ -16,10 +16,11 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <asm/byteorder.h>
 #include <mach/imx-flash-header.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 
 void __naked __flash_header_start go(void)
 {
-	__asm__ __volatile__("b exception_vectors\n");
+	barebox_arm_head();
 }
 
 struct imx_dcd_v2_entry __dcd_entry_section dcd_entry[] = {
diff --git a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx53-smd/flash_header.c b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx53-smd/flash_header.c
index 490e223..b459640 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx53-smd/flash_header.c
+++ b/arch/arm/boards/freescale-mx53-smd/flash_header.c
@@ -16,10 +16,11 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <asm/byteorder.h>
 #include <mach/imx-flash-header.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 
 void __naked __flash_header_start go(void)
 {
-	__asm__ __volatile__("b exception_vectors\n");
+	barebox_arm_head();
 }
 
 struct imx_dcd_v2_entry __dcd_entry_section dcd_entry[] = {
diff --git a/arch/arm/cpu/mmu.c b/arch/arm/cpu/mmu.c
index 6d9b1e0..c19f931 100644
--- a/arch/arm/cpu/mmu.c
+++ b/arch/arm/cpu/mmu.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <sizes.h>
 #include <asm/memory.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm.h>
 #include <asm/system.h>
 #include <memory.h>
 
@@ -182,7 +183,6 @@
 {
 	u32 *exc, *zero = NULL;
 	void *vectors;
-	extern unsigned long exception_vectors;
 	u32 cr;
 
 	cr = get_cr();
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@
 
 	vectors = xmemalign(PAGE_SIZE, PAGE_SIZE);
 	memset(vectors, 0, PAGE_SIZE);
-	memcpy(vectors, &exception_vectors, ARM_VECTORS_SIZE);
+	memcpy(vectors, __exceptions_start, __exceptions_stop - __exceptions_start);
 
 	if (cr & CR_V)
 		exc[256 - 16] = (u32)vectors | PTE_TYPE_SMALL | PTE_FLAGS_CACHED;
diff --git a/arch/arm/cpu/start.c b/arch/arm/cpu/start.c
index 61d7e3e..1a1538e 100644
--- a/arch/arm/cpu/start.c
+++ b/arch/arm/cpu/start.c
@@ -23,11 +23,17 @@
 #include <common.h>
 #include <init.h>
 #include <asm/barebox-arm.h>
+#include <asm/barebox-arm-head.h>
 #include <asm/system.h>
 #include <asm-generic/memory_layout.h>
 #include <asm/sections.h>
 
-void __naked __section(.text_entry) exception_vectors(void)
+void __naked __section(.text_entry) start(void)
+{
+	barebox_arm_head();
+}
+
+void __naked __section(.text_exceptions) exception_vectors(void)
 {
 	__asm__ __volatile__ (
 		"b reset\n"				/* reset */
@@ -48,12 +54,6 @@
 		"1: bne 1b\n"				/* irq (interrupt) */
 		"1: bne 1b\n"				/* fiq (fast interrupt) */
 #endif
-		".word 0x65726162\n"			/* 'bare' */
-		".word 0x00786f62\n"			/* 'box' */
-		".word _text\n"				/* text base. If copied there,
-							 * barebox can skip relocation
-							 */
-		".word _barebox_image_size\n"		/* image size to copy */
 	);
 }
 
diff --git a/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm-head.h b/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm-head.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fdbee8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm-head.h
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#ifndef __ASM_ARM_HEAD_H
+#define __ASM_ARM_HEAD_H
+
+static inline void barebox_arm_head(void)
+{
+	__asm__ __volatile__ (
+		"b reset\n"
+		"1: b 1b\n"
+		"1: b 1b\n"
+		"1: b 1b\n"
+		"1: b 1b\n"
+		"1: b 1b\n"
+		"1: b 1b\n"
+		"1: b 1b\n"
+		".word 0x65726162\n"			/* 'bare' */
+		".word 0x00786f62\n"			/* 'box' */
+		".word _text\n"				/* text base. If copied there,
+							 * barebox can skip relocation
+							 */
+		".word _barebox_image_size\n"		/* image size to copy */
+	);
+}
+
+#endif /* __ASM_ARM_HEAD_H */
diff --git a/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h b/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h
index 7bb1af1..3339782 100644
--- a/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h
+++ b/arch/arm/include/asm/barebox-arm.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 int	board_init(void);
 int	dram_init (void);
 
+extern char __exceptions_start[], __exceptions_stop[];
+
 void board_init_lowlevel(void);
 void board_init_lowlevel_return(void);
 void arch_init_lowlevel(void);
diff --git a/arch/arm/lib/barebox.lds.S b/arch/arm/lib/barebox.lds.S
index e9f6210..531e3d0 100644
--- a/arch/arm/lib/barebox.lds.S
+++ b/arch/arm/lib/barebox.lds.S
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 OUTPUT_FORMAT("elf32-littlearm", "elf32-littlearm", "elf32-littlearm")
 OUTPUT_ARCH(arm)
-ENTRY(exception_vectors)
+ENTRY(start)
 SECTIONS
 {
 	. = TEXT_BASE;
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@
 		__bare_init_start = .;
 		*(.text_bare_init*)
 		__bare_init_end = .;
+		__exceptions_start = .;
+		KEEP(*(.text_exceptions*))
+		__exceptions_stop = .;
 		*(.text*)
 	}
 	BAREBOX_BARE_INIT_SIZE