diff --git a/sql/mysqld.cc b/sql/mysqld.cc
index 219e28403ac..4b18dca226f 100644
--- a/sql/mysqld.cc
+++ b/sql/mysqld.cc
@@ -628,8 +628,8 @@ Le_creator le_creator;
 Rpl_filter* rpl_filter;
 Rpl_filter* binlog_filter;
 
-struct system_variables global_system_variables;
-struct system_variables max_system_variables;
+struct system_variables global_system_variables __attribute((section (".data.global_vars")));
+struct system_variables max_system_variables __attribute((section (".data.global_vars")));
 struct system_status_var global_status_var;
 
 MY_TMPDIR mysql_tmpdir_list;
diff --git a/sql/mysqld.ld b/sql/mysqld.ld
index b7bdc64ea24..1f1a8fa5750 100644
--- a/sql/mysqld.ld
+++ b/sql/mysqld.ld
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ SECTIONS
 {
     .data.read_mostly : {
       *(.data.read_mostly)
+      *(.data.global_vars)
       . = ALIGN(256);
     }
 }