diff --git a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/CMakeLists.txt b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/CMakeLists.txt
index ff7731e6bac..88c1c2a528c 100644
--- a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,74 @@ if(SEPARATE_DBG)
     set(CMAKE_LDR_PE_HELPER_STANDARD_LIBRARIES "-lgcc" CACHE STRING "Standard C Libraries")
 endif()
 
+if(NOT MSVC)
+###
+### For GCC
+###
+function(add_linker_script _target _linker_script_file)
+    get_filename_component(_file_full_path ${_linker_script_file} ABSOLUTE)
+    add_target_link_flags(${_target} "-Wl,-T,${_file_full_path}")
+
+    # Unfortunately LINK_DEPENDS is ignored in non-Makefile generators (for now...)
+    # See also http://www.cmake.org/pipermail/cmake/2010-May/037206.html
+    add_target_property(${_target} LINK_DEPENDS ${_file_full_path})
+endfunction()
+
+else()
+###
+### For MSVC
+###
+function(add_linker_script _target _linker_script_file)
+    get_filename_component(_file_full_path ${_linker_script_file} ABSOLUTE)
+    get_filename_component(_file_name ${_linker_script_file} NAME)
+    set(_generated_file_path_prefix "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}${CMAKE_FILES_DIRECTORY}/${_target}.dir/${_file_name}")
+
+    # Generate the ASM module containing sections specifications and layout.
+    set(_generated_file "${_generated_file_path_prefix}.S")
+    add_custom_command(
+        OUTPUT ${_generated_file}
+        COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy_if_different "${_file_full_path}" "${_generated_file}"
+        DEPENDS ${_file_full_path})
+    set_source_files_properties(${_generated_file} PROPERTIES LANGUAGE "ASM" GENERATED TRUE)
+    add_asm_files(freeldr_linker_file ${_generated_file})
+
+    # Generate the C module containing extra sections specifications and layout,
+    # as well as comment-type linker #pragma directives.
+    set(_generated_file "${_generated_file_path_prefix}.c")
+    add_custom_command(
+        OUTPUT ${_generated_file}
+        COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy_if_different "${_file_full_path}" "${_generated_file}"
+        DEPENDS ${_file_full_path})
+    set_source_files_properties(${_generated_file} PROPERTIES LANGUAGE "C" GENERATED TRUE)
+    list(APPEND freeldr_linker_file ${_generated_file})
+
+    # Add both files to the sources of the target.
+    target_sources(${_target} PRIVATE ${freeldr_linker_file})
+
+    # Create the additional linker response file.
+    set(_generated_file "${_generated_file_path_prefix}.rsp")
+    if(USE_CLANG_CL)
+        set(_no_std_includes_flag "-nostdinc")
+    else()
+        set(_no_std_includes_flag "/X")
+    endif()
+    add_custom_command(
+        #OUTPUT ${_generated_file}
+        TARGET ${_target} PRE_LINK
+        COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} /nologo ${_no_std_includes_flag} /D__LINKER__ /EP /c "${_file_full_path}" > "${_generated_file}"
+        DEPENDS ${_file_full_path}
+        VERBATIM)
+    set_source_files_properties(${_generated_file} PROPERTIES GENERATED TRUE)
+    add_target_link_flags(${_target} "@${_generated_file}")
+
+    # Unfortunately LINK_DEPENDS is ignored in non-Makefile generators (for now...)
+    # See also http://www.cmake.org/pipermail/cmake/2010-May/037206.html
+    add_target_property(${_target} LINK_DEPENDS ${_generated_file})
+endfunction()
+
+endif()
+
+
 if(MSVC)
     # We don't need hotpatching
     replace_compile_flags("/hotpatch" " ")
@@ -238,12 +306,16 @@ if(MSVC)
         add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe "/ignore:4078 /ignore:4254 /DRIVER")
         add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe_dbg "/ignore:4078 /ignore:4254 /DRIVER")
     else()
-        add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe "/ignore:4078 /ignore:4254 /DRIVER /FIXED /ALIGN:0x400 /SECTION:.text,ERW /SECTION:.data,RW /MERGE:.text16=.text /MERGE:INIT=.text /MERGE:.data=.text /MERGE:.rdata=.text /MERGE:.bss=.text")
-        add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe_dbg "/ignore:4078 /ignore:4254 /DRIVER /FIXED /ALIGN:0x400 /SECTION:.text,ERW /SECTION:.data,RW /MERGE:.text16=.text /MERGE:INIT=.text /MERGE:.data=.text /MERGE:.rdata=.text /MERGE:.bss=.text")
+        add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe "/ignore:4078 /ignore:4254 /DRIVER /FIXED /FILEALIGN:0x200 /ALIGN:0x200")
+        add_linker_script(freeldr_pe freeldr_i386.msvc.lds)
+        add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe_dbg "/ignore:4078 /ignore:4254 /DRIVER /FIXED /FILEALIGN:0x200 /ALIGN:0x200")
+        add_linker_script(freeldr_pe_dbg freeldr_i386.msvc.lds)
     endif()
 else()
-    add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe "-Wl,--strip-all,--exclude-all-symbols,--file-alignment,0x1000,-T,${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/freeldr_i386.lds")
-    add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe_dbg "-Wl,--exclude-all-symbols,--file-alignment,0x1000,-T,${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/freeldr_i386.lds")
+    add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe "-Wl,--strip-all,--exclude-all-symbols,--file-alignment,0x200,--section-alignment,0x200")
+    add_linker_script(freeldr_pe freeldr_i386.lds)
+    add_target_link_flags(freeldr_pe_dbg "-Wl,--exclude-all-symbols,--file-alignment,0x200,--section-alignment,0x200")
+    add_linker_script(freeldr_pe_dbg freeldr_i386.lds)
 endif()
 
 set_image_base(freeldr_pe 0x10000)
diff --git a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/arch/amd64/entry.S b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/arch/amd64/entry.S
index 075778f8847..e5620bd3005 100644
--- a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/arch/amd64/entry.S
+++ b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/arch/amd64/entry.S
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 #include <arch/pc/x86common.h>
 
 EXTERN BootMain:PROC
+// EXTERN cmdline:DWORD
+
+#ifdef _USE_ML
+EXTERN __bss_start__:FWORD
+EXTERN __bss_end__:FWORD
+#endif
 
 .code64
 
@@ -40,13 +46,24 @@ FrldrStartup:
     mov eax, dword ptr [BSS_RealModeEntry]
     mov dword ptr [AddressOfRealModeEntryPoint], eax
 
-    /* GO! */
+    /* Clean out BSS */
+    xor rax, rax
+    mov rdi, offset __bss_start__
+    mov rcx, offset __bss_end__ + 7
+    sub rcx, rdi
+    shr rcx, 3
+    rep stosq
+
+    /* Pass the command line to BootMain */
+    // mov rcx, offset cmdline
     xor rcx, rcx
+
+    /* GO! */
     call BootMain
 
     /* We should never get here */
 stop:
-    jmp stop
+    jmp short stop
     nop
     nop
 
diff --git a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/arch/i386/entry.S b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/arch/i386/entry.S
index 90a40272d4f..6e2b1826de0 100644
--- a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/arch/i386/entry.S
+++ b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/arch/i386/entry.S
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ EXTERN _BootMain:PROC
 EXTERN _InitIdt:PROC
 EXTERN _i386Idt:DWORD
 //EXTERN _i386idtptr:FWORD
+// EXTERN cmdline:DWORD
+
+#ifdef _USE_ML
+EXTERN __bss_start__:DWORD
+EXTERN __bss_end__:DWORD
+#endif
 
 .code32
 
@@ -59,6 +65,8 @@ ContinueAddress:
 
 _FrldrStartup:
 
+ASSUME /*CS:_TEXT,*/ DS:_DATA, ES:_DATA, FS:_DATA, GS:_DATA, SS:_DATA
+
     /* Store BootDrive and BootPartition */
     mov byte ptr ds:[_FrldrBootDrive], dl
     xor eax, eax
@@ -69,11 +77,7 @@ _FrldrStartup:
     mov eax, dword ptr ds:[BSS_RealModeEntry]
     mov dword ptr ds:[SwitchToReal16Address], eax
 
-    /* Initialize the idt */
-    call _InitIdt
-
-#ifndef _USE_ML
-    /* Clean out bss */
+    /* Clean out BSS */
     xor eax, eax
     mov edi, offset __bss_start__
     mov ecx, offset __bss_end__ + 3
@@ -81,11 +85,12 @@ _FrldrStartup:
     shr ecx, 2
     rep stosd
 
+    /* Initialize the idt */
+    call _InitIdt
+
     /* Pass the command line to BootMain */
-    mov eax, offset cmdline
-#else
+    // mov eax, offset cmdline
     xor eax, eax
-#endif
 
     /* GO! */
     push eax
@@ -93,7 +98,7 @@ _FrldrStartup:
 
     /* We should never get here */
 stop:
-    jmp stop
+    jmp short stop
     nop
     nop
 
@@ -181,7 +186,7 @@ SwitchToReal:
     mov ss, ax
 
     /* Save 32-bit stack pointer */
-    mov dword ptr [stack32], esp
+    mov dword ptr ds:[stack32], esp
 
     /* jmp to 16-bit segment to set the limit correctly */
     .byte HEX(0ea) // jmp far RMODE_CS:switch_to_real16
@@ -236,11 +241,7 @@ gdtptr:
     .word HEX(27)       /* Limit */
     .long gdt           /* Base Address */
 
-/* Real-mode IDT pointer */
-rmode_idtptr:
-    .word HEX(3ff)      /* Limit */
-    .long 0             /* Base Address */
-
+// See _i386IdtDescriptor
 PUBLIC i386idtptr
 i386idtptr:
     .word 255           /* Limit */
diff --git a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/freeldr_i386.lds b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/freeldr_i386.lds
index 5cb2cb6c7be..56df8f63ee1 100644
--- a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/freeldr_i386.lds
+++ b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/freeldr_i386.lds
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@ SECTIONS
     *(SORT(.rdata*))
   }
 
+  /*
+   * LD needs an explicit .edata block to make the binary correctly export
+   * symbols, otherwise, if .edata is merged with another section (e.g. .rdata)
+   * the exports are not exported!
+   */
   .edata BLOCK(__file_alignment__) :
   {
     *(.edata)
diff --git a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/freeldr_i386.msvc.lds b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/freeldr_i386.msvc.lds
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..061221f2b86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/freeldr_i386.msvc.lds
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/*****************************************************************************\
+ ***      MSVC Linker Script File -- Sections specifications & layout      ***
+\*****************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef _MSC_VER
+#error This file must be used only with the MSVC compiler and linker.
+#endif
+
+#if defined(__LINKER__)
+/*********************************\
+ **    Linker response file     **
+\*********************************/
+
+// /LAST:.bss
+/LAST:.data
+
+#elif !defined(_USE_ML)
+/*********************************\
+ ** C Linker #pragma directives **
+\*********************************/
+
+/*
+ * Notes about automatic LINK.EXE behaviour that cannot be changed:
+ *
+ * - If a .data section is present, the .bss section is appended to it in case
+ *   both of these have either Initialized or Uninitialized data (which is the
+ *   case, unless one has manually modified the attributes).
+ *
+ * - If the /DRIVER flag is NOT used, and if both the .rdata and the .edata
+ *   sections (read-only data and exports, respectively) have the same
+ *   attributes, the .edata section is appended to the .rdata section.
+ *   Otherwise they are kept separated, unless an explicit /MERGE is used.
+ */
+
+#pragma comment(linker, "/SECTION:.text,ERW /SECTION:.data,RW /MERGE:INIT=.text /MERGE:.edata=.rdata")
+
+#endif
+
+
+#if defined(_USE_ML) // && !defined(__LINKER__)
+/************************\
+ **  ASM definitions   **
+\************************/
+
+#include <asm.inc>
+
+/*
+#pragma bss_seg(".bss")
+// __declspec(allocate(".bss"))
+void* __bss_start__;
+#pragma bss_seg()
+*/
+_BSS1   SEGMENT 'BSS' ALIAS('.bss')
+PUBLIC __bss_start__
+__bss_start__:
+    .long ?
+_BSS1   ENDS
+
+/*
+#pragma bss_seg(".bss$ZZZ")
+// __declspec(allocate(".bss$ZZZ"))
+void* __bss_end__;
+#pragma bss_seg()
+*/
+_BSS2   SEGMENT 'BSS' ALIAS('.bss$ZZZ')
+PUBLIC __bss_end__
+__bss_end__:
+    .long ?
+_BSS2   ENDS
+
+END
+
+#elif !defined(__LINKER__)
+/************************\
+ **   C definitions    **
+\************************/
+
+#endif
diff --git a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/include/mm.h b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/include/mm.h
index adc13d0ebf5..e86424f17ad 100644
--- a/boot/freeldr/freeldr/include/mm.h
+++ b/boot/freeldr/freeldr/include/mm.h
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@
 
 extern char __ImageBase;
 #ifdef __GNUC__
-/* .text, .edata and .bss */
+/* .text/.data/.rdata, .edata and .bss */
 #define FREELDR_SECTION_COUNT 3
 #else
 #ifdef _M_AMD64
-/* .text and .pdata */
-#define FREELDR_SECTION_COUNT 2
+/* .text, .rdata/.edata, .pdata and .data/.bss */
+#define FREELDR_SECTION_COUNT 4
 #else
-/* .text and .edata */
-#define FREELDR_SECTION_COUNT 2
+/* .text, .rdata/.edata and .data/.bss */
+#define FREELDR_SECTION_COUNT 3
 #endif
 #endif