diff --git a/arch/arc/include/asm/arcregs.h b/arch/arc/include/asm/arcregs.h
index 56ec11f..9920d2e 100644
--- a/arch/arc/include/asm/arcregs.h
+++ b/arch/arc/include/asm/arcregs.h
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@
 #define ARC_AUX_IDENTITY	0x04
 #define ARC_AUX_STATUS32	0x0a
 
+/* STATUS32 Bits Positions */
+#define STATUS_AD_BIT		19	/* Enable unaligned access */
+
 /* Instruction cache related auxiliary registers */
 #define ARC_AUX_IC_IVIC		0x10
 #define ARC_AUX_IC_CTRL		0x11
diff --git a/arch/arc/lib/start.S b/arch/arc/lib/start.S
index e573ce7..84959b4 100644
--- a/arch/arc/lib/start.S
+++ b/arch/arc/lib/start.S
@@ -61,6 +61,15 @@ ENTRY(_start)
 1:
 #endif
 
+#ifdef __ARC_UNALIGNED__
+	/*
+	 * Enable handling of unaligned access in the CPU as by default
+	 * this HW feature is disabled while GCC starting from 8.1.0
+	 * unconditionally uses it for ARC HS cores.
+	 */
+	flag	1 << STATUS_AD_BIT
+#endif
+
 	/* Establish C runtime stack and frame */
 	mov	%sp, CONFIG_SYS_INIT_SP_ADDR
 	mov	%fp, %sp