diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d4a097f72751..157eda2f3043 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ STACK_CHECK ?= $(DEBUG)
 LITTLE_ENDIAN ?= 0
 # ELF v2 ABI is more efficient and compact
 ELF_ABI_v2 ?= $(LITTLE_ENDIAN)
+# Discard unreferenced code and data at link-time
+DEAD_CODE_ELIMINATION ?= 0
 
 #
 # Where is the source directory, must be a full path (no ~)
diff --git a/Makefile.main b/Makefile.main
index 5656cb72a15d..6a69b65d485d 100644
--- a/Makefile.main
+++ b/Makefile.main
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ VALGRIND=valgrind -q --show-reachable=yes --error-exitcode=99
 
 # Target options
 
-OPTS=-Os -ffunction-sections
+OPTS=-Os
 DBG=-g
 
 CPPFLAGS := -I$(SRC)/include -Iinclude -MMD -include $(SRC)/include/config.h
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ else
 CFLAGS += $(call try-cflag,$(CC),-mabi=elfv1)
 endif
 
+ifeq ($(DEAD_CODE_ELIMINATION),1)
+CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(SKIBOOT_GCOV),1)
 CFLAGS += -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage -DSKIBOOT_GCOV=1
 endif
@@ -112,6 +116,10 @@ LDRFLAGS=-melf64ppc
 # Debug stuff
 #LDFLAGS += -Wl,-v -Wl,-Map,foomap 
 
+ifeq ($(DEAD_CODE_ELIMINATION),1)
+LDFLAGS += -Wl,--gc-sections
+endif
+
 AFLAGS := -D__ASSEMBLY__ -mbig-endian -m64
 ifeq ($(ELF_ABI_v2),1)
 AFLAGS += $(call try-cflag,$(CC),-mabi=elfv2)
diff --git a/skiboot.lds.S b/skiboot.lds.S
index 7d3d0cf39c21..4a5dabe3c79b 100644
--- a/skiboot.lds.S
+++ b/skiboot.lds.S
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ SECTIONS
 	. = ALIGN(0x10);
 	.init : {
 		__ctors_start = .;
-		*(.ctors)
-		*(.init_array)
+		KEEP(*(.ctors))
+		KEEP(*(.init_array))
 		__ctors_end = .;
 	}
  
@@ -143,7 +143,6 @@ SECTIONS
 		__sym_map_start = . ;
 		KEEP(*(.sym_map))
 		__sym_map_end = . ;
-		KEEP(*(.sym_map))
 	}
 
 	/* We locate the BSS at 2M to leave room for the symbol map */