diff --git a/src/arch/x86/Makefile.inc b/src/arch/x86/Makefile.inc
index c408cd297f..28f81052cb 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/Makefile.inc
+++ b/src/arch/x86/Makefile.inc
@@ -211,9 +211,10 @@ endif # CONFIG_ROMCC
 $(objcbfs)/romstage_null.debug: $$(romstage-objs) $(LIBGCC_FILE_NAME_romstage) $(objgenerated)/romstage_null.ld
 	@printf "    LINK       $(subst $(obj)/,,$(@))\n"
 	$(call link,romstage,$(filter %.o %.a,$(^)),-o $(@) -L$(obj) -T $(objgenerated)/romstage_null.ld,$(LIBGCC_WRAP_LDFLAGS))
-	$(NM_romstage) $@ | grep -q " [DdBb] "; if [ $$? -eq 0 ]; then \
+	$(OBJCOPY_romstage) --only-section .illegal_globals $(@) $(objcbfs)/romstage_null.offenders && \
+		$(NM_romstage) $(objcbfs)/romstage_null.offenders | grep -q ""; if [ $$? -eq 0 ]; then \
 		echo "Forbidden global variables in romstage:"; \
-		$(NM_romstage) $@ | grep " [DdBb] "; test "$(CONFIG_CPU_AMD_AGESA)" = y; \
+		$(NM_romstage) $(objcbfs)/romstage_null.offenders; test "$(CONFIG_CPU_AMD_AGESA)" = y; \
 		else true; fi
 
 $(objcbfs)/romstage_xip.debug: $$(romstage-objs) $(LIBGCC_FILE_NAME_romstage) $(objgenerated)/romstage_xip.ld
diff --git a/src/arch/x86/init/romstage.ld b/src/arch/x86/init/romstage.ld
index aa5bf447de..fb7e8771df 100644
--- a/src/arch/x86/init/romstage.ld
+++ b/src/arch/x86/init/romstage.ld
@@ -42,6 +42,21 @@ SECTIONS
 		_erom = .;
 	}
 
+#if !IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_CPU_AMD_AGESA)
+	/* Global variables are not allowed in romstage
+	 * This section is checked during stage creation to ensure
+	 * that there are no global variables present
+	 */
+	.illegal_globals . : {
+		*(.data)
+		*(.data.*)
+		*(.bss)
+		*(.bss.*)
+		*(.sbss)
+		*(.sbss.*)
+	}
+#endif
+
 	/DISCARD/ : {
 		*(.comment)
 		*(.note)