diff --git a/rust/pvimg/boot/stage3a.h b/rust/pvimg/boot/stage3a.h
index 538c876d..aae565b6 100644
--- a/rust/pvimg/boot/stage3a.h
+++ b/rust/pvimg/boot/stage3a.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #include "lib/zt_common.h"
 #include "boot/loaders_layout.h"
 
+#define STAGE3A_BSS_ADDRESS  _AC(0xc000, UL)
+#define STAGE3A_BSS_SIZE     _AC(0x1000, UL)
 #define STAGE3A_INIT_ENTRY   IMAGE_ENTRY
 #define STAGE3A_ENTRY	     (STAGE3A_INIT_ENTRY + _AC(0x1000, UL))
 #define STAGE3A_LOAD_ADDRESS IMAGE_LOAD_ADDRESS
diff --git a/rust/pvimg/boot/stage3a.lds.S b/rust/pvimg/boot/stage3a.lds.S
index cc50948d..9b77c6ea 100644
--- a/rust/pvimg/boot/stage3a.lds.S
+++ b/rust/pvimg/boot/stage3a.lds.S
@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@ SECTIONS
 	}
 	__heap_stop = .;
 
+	. = STAGE3A_BSS_ADDRESS;
+	__bss_start = .;
+	.bss : {
+		*(.bss .bss.*)
+		. = ALIGN(4096);
+		ASSERT(__bss_stop - __bss_start == STAGE3A_BSS_SIZE,
+		       "Stack section doesn't conform to the described memory layout");
+	}
+	__bss_stop = .;
+
 	. = STACK_ADDRESS;
 	__stack_start = .;
 	.stack : {
@@ -64,12 +74,6 @@ SECTIONS
 		__ex_table_stop = .;
 	}
 
-	.bss ALIGN(16) : {
-		__bss_start = .;
-		*(.bss)
-		__bss_stop = .;
-	}
-
 	.rodata ALIGN(16) : {
 		*(.rodata)
 		*(.rodata*)