diff --git a/cores/esp8266/core_esp8266_main.cpp b/cores/esp8266/core_esp8266_main.cpp
index cb7401366e..40e96c8ea5 100644
--- a/cores/esp8266/core_esp8266_main.cpp
+++ b/cores/esp8266/core_esp8266_main.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void preloop_update_frequency() {
 extern void (*__init_array_start)(void);
 extern void (*__init_array_end)(void);
 
-cont_t g_cont __attribute__ ((aligned (16)));
+cont_t __attribute__ ((section(".sys_unused"))) g_cont __attribute__ ((aligned (16)));
 static os_event_t g_loop_queue[LOOP_QUEUE_SIZE];
 
 static uint32_t g_micros_at_task_start;
diff --git a/tools/sdk/ld/eagle.app.v6.common.ld b/tools/sdk/ld/eagle.app.v6.common.ld
index 0fb87f4119..c0fa7666bd 100644
--- a/tools/sdk/ld/eagle.app.v6.common.ld
+++ b/tools/sdk/ld/eagle.app.v6.common.ld
@@ -168,6 +168,10 @@ SECTIONS
     _etext = .;
   } >iram1_0_seg :iram1_0_phdr
 
+  .sys_unused_data 0x3fffe000 :
+  {
+    *(.sys_unused)
+  }
 
   .rodata : ALIGN(4)
   {