diff --git a/arch/sandbox/cpu/os.c b/arch/sandbox/cpu/os.c
index b9ad341861..0d21827e1b 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/cpu/os.c
+++ b/arch/sandbox/cpu/os.c
@@ -375,7 +375,8 @@ static struct option *long_opts;
 
 int os_parse_args(struct sandbox_state *state, int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	struct sandbox_cmdline_option **sb_opt = __u_boot_sandbox_option_start;
+	struct sandbox_cmdline_option **sb_opt =
+		__u_boot_sandbox_option_start();
 	size_t num_options = __u_boot_sandbox_option_count();
 	size_t i;
 
diff --git a/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c b/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
index e87365e800..63ca514ebd 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
+++ b/arch/sandbox/cpu/start.c
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ static int h_compare_opt(const void *p1, const void *p2)
 int sandbox_early_getopt_check(void)
 {
 	struct sandbox_state *state = state_get_current();
-	struct sandbox_cmdline_option **sb_opt = __u_boot_sandbox_option_start;
+	struct sandbox_cmdline_option **sb_opt =
+		__u_boot_sandbox_option_start();
 	size_t num_options = __u_boot_sandbox_option_count();
 	size_t i;
 	int max_arg_len, max_noarg_len;
diff --git a/arch/sandbox/cpu/u-boot-spl.lds b/arch/sandbox/cpu/u-boot-spl.lds
index 18160436a3..6754f4ef6c 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/cpu/u-boot-spl.lds
+++ b/arch/sandbox/cpu/u-boot-spl.lds
@@ -21,9 +21,11 @@ SECTIONS
 		__priv_data_end = .;
 	}
 
-	__u_boot_sandbox_option_start = .;
-	_u_boot_sandbox_getopt : { KEEP(*(.u_boot_sandbox_getopt)) }
-	__u_boot_sandbox_option_end = .;
+	_u_boot_sandbox_getopt : {
+		*(.u_boot_sandbox_getopt_start)
+		KEEP(*(.u_boot_sandbox_getopt))
+		*(.u_boot_sandbox_getopt_end)
+	}
 }
 
 INSERT AFTER .data;
diff --git a/arch/sandbox/cpu/u-boot.lds b/arch/sandbox/cpu/u-boot.lds
index a1f509c9ab..6d710618f5 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/cpu/u-boot.lds
+++ b/arch/sandbox/cpu/u-boot.lds
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@ SECTIONS
 		KEEP(*(SORT(.u_boot_list*)));
 	}
 
-	__u_boot_sandbox_option_start = .;
-	_u_boot_sandbox_getopt : { *(.u_boot_sandbox_getopt) }
-	__u_boot_sandbox_option_end = .;
+	_u_boot_sandbox_getopt : {
+		*(.u_boot_sandbox_getopt_start)
+		*(.u_boot_sandbox_getopt)
+		*(.u_boot_sandbox_getopt_end)
+	}
 
 	.__efi_runtime_start : {
 		*(.__efi_runtime_start)
diff --git a/arch/sandbox/include/asm/sections.h b/arch/sandbox/include/asm/sections.h
index fbc1bd11a3..f4351ae7db 100644
--- a/arch/sandbox/include/asm/sections.h
+++ b/arch/sandbox/include/asm/sections.h
@@ -13,12 +13,27 @@
 
 struct sandbox_cmdline_option;
 
-extern struct sandbox_cmdline_option *__u_boot_sandbox_option_start[],
-	*__u_boot_sandbox_option_end[];
+static inline struct sandbox_cmdline_option **
+__u_boot_sandbox_option_start(void)
+{
+	static char start[0] __aligned(4) __attribute__((unused))
+		__section(".u_boot_sandbox_getopt_start");
+
+	return (struct sandbox_cmdline_option **)&start;
+}
+
+static inline struct sandbox_cmdline_option **
+__u_boot_sandbox_option_end(void)
+{
+	static char end[0] __aligned(4) __attribute__((unused))
+		__section(".u_boot_sandbox_getopt_end");
+
+	return (struct sandbox_cmdline_option **)&end;
+}
 
 static inline size_t __u_boot_sandbox_option_count(void)
 {
-	return __u_boot_sandbox_option_end - __u_boot_sandbox_option_start;
+	return __u_boot_sandbox_option_end() - __u_boot_sandbox_option_start();
 }
 
 #endif