diff --git a/artiq/firmware/runtime/runtime.ld b/artiq/firmware/runtime/runtime.ld
index 67841f91e..a0a884dd2 100644
--- a/artiq/firmware/runtime/runtime.ld
+++ b/artiq/firmware/runtime/runtime.ld
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ SECTIONS
         _ebss = .;
     } > runtime
 
-    .stack ALIGN(0x1000) :
+    .stack :
     {
         . += 0x4000;
         _fstack = . - 4;