diff --git a/common/env_flash.c b/common/env_flash.c
index d9f8fcb1ef..e770ee6368 100644
--- a/common/env_flash.c
+++ b/common/env_flash.c
@@ -49,9 +49,7 @@ DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 char * env_name_spec = "Flash";
 
 #ifdef ENV_IS_EMBEDDED
-
-extern uchar environment[];
-env_t *env_ptr = (env_t *)(&environment[0]);
+env_t *env_ptr = &environment;
 
 static env_t *flash_addr = (env_t *)CONFIG_ENV_ADDR;
 
diff --git a/common/env_mmc.c b/common/env_mmc.c
index 78df808bbc..ef8186c2c7 100644
--- a/common/env_mmc.c
+++ b/common/env_mmc.c
@@ -35,8 +35,7 @@
 char *env_name_spec = "MMC";
 
 #ifdef ENV_IS_EMBEDDED
-extern uchar environment[];
-env_t *env_ptr = (env_t *)(&environment[0]);
+env_t *env_ptr = &environment;
 #else /* ! ENV_IS_EMBEDDED */
 env_t *env_ptr = NULL;
 #endif /* ENV_IS_EMBEDDED */
diff --git a/common/env_nand.c b/common/env_nand.c
index 1b12c68d68..65a867d500 100644
--- a/common/env_nand.c
+++ b/common/env_nand.c
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@ char *env_name_spec = "NAND";
 
 
 #if defined(ENV_IS_EMBEDDED)
-extern uchar environment[];
-env_t *env_ptr = (env_t *)(&environment[0]);
+env_t *env_ptr = &environment;
 #elif defined(CONFIG_NAND_ENV_DST)
 env_t *env_ptr = (env_t *)CONFIG_NAND_ENV_DST;
 #else /* ! ENV_IS_EMBEDDED */
diff --git a/common/env_onenand.c b/common/env_onenand.c
index b7170e6c45..618c642f29 100644
--- a/common/env_onenand.c
+++ b/common/env_onenand.c
@@ -44,10 +44,6 @@ char *env_name_spec = "OneNAND";
 #define ONENAND_MAX_ENV_SIZE	4096
 #define ONENAND_ENV_SIZE(mtd)	(ONENAND_MAX_ENV_SIZE - ENV_HEADER_SIZE)
 
-#ifdef ENV_IS_EMBEDDED
-extern uchar environment[];
-#endif /* ENV_IS_EMBEDDED */
-
 DECLARE_GLOBAL_DATA_PTR;
 
 uchar env_get_char_spec(int index)
@@ -64,7 +60,7 @@ void env_relocate_spec(void)
 	int rc;
 	size_t retlen;
 #ifdef ENV_IS_EMBEDDED
-	char *buf = (char *)&environment[0];
+	char *buf = (char *)&environment;
 #else
 	loff_t env_addr = CONFIG_ENV_ADDR;
 	char onenand_env[ONENAND_MAX_ENV_SIZE];
diff --git a/include/environment.h b/include/environment.h
index 20775da701..951803f1b6 100644
--- a/include/environment.h
+++ b/include/environment.h
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ typedef struct environment_s {
 	unsigned char	data[ENV_SIZE]; /* Environment data		*/
 } env_t;
 
+#ifdef ENV_IS_EMBEDDED
+extern env_t environment;
+#endif /* ENV_IS_EMBEDDED */
+
 extern const unsigned char default_environment[];
 
 #ifndef DO_DEPS_ONLY
diff --git a/tools/envcrc.c b/tools/envcrc.c
index feebbabea0..111d9f6289 100644
--- a/tools/envcrc.c
+++ b/tools/envcrc.c
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
 #endif	/* CONFIG_ENV_IS_IN_FLASH */
 
 #if defined(ENV_IS_EMBEDDED) && !defined(CONFIG_BUILD_ENVCRC)
+# include <environment.h>
 # define CONFIG_BUILD_ENVCRC 1
 #endif
 
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ extern uint32_t crc32 (uint32_t, const unsigned char *, unsigned int);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_BUILD_ENVCRC
 extern unsigned int env_size;
-extern unsigned char environment;
+extern env_t environment;
 #endif	/* CONFIG_BUILD_ENVCRC */
 
 int main (int argc, char **argv)
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 #ifdef CONFIG_BUILD_ENVCRC
 	unsigned char pad = 0x00;
 	uint32_t crc;
-	unsigned char *envptr = &environment,
+	unsigned char *envptr = (unsigned char *)&environment,
 		*dataptr = envptr + ENV_HEADER_SIZE;
 	unsigned int datasize = ENV_SIZE;
 	unsigned int eoe;