diff --git a/boards/nxp/mimxrt1170_evk/CMakeLists.txt b/boards/nxp/mimxrt1170_evk/CMakeLists.txt
index c564e77e492..e87e07401d0 100644
--- a/boards/nxp/mimxrt1170_evk/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/boards/nxp/mimxrt1170_evk/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -28,16 +28,16 @@ if(CONFIG_NXP_IMXRT_BOOT_HEADER)
     zephyr_library_sources(${RT1170_BOARD_DIR}/xip/${RT1170_BOARD_NAME}_flexspi_nor_config.c)
     zephyr_library_include_directories(${RT1170_BOARD_DIR}/xip)
   endif()
-  if(CONFIG_DEVICE_CONFIGURATION_DATA)
-    # Include device configuration data block for RT1170 EVK from NXP's HAL.
+  if(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_MEM_CONFIG_DATA)
+    # Include external memory configuration data block for RT1170 EVK from NXP's HAL.
     # This configuration block may need modification if another SDRAM chip
     # is used on your custom board.
-    zephyr_compile_definitions(XIP_BOOT_HEADER_DCD_ENABLE=1)
-    zephyr_library_sources(${RT1170_BOARD_DIR}/dcd.c)
+    zephyr_compile_definitions(XIP_BOOT_HEADER_XMCD_ENABLE=1)
+    zephyr_library_sources(${RT1170_BOARD_DIR}/xmcd/xmcd.c)
   else()
     if(CONFIG_SRAM_BASE_ADDRESS EQUAL 0x80000000)
-      message(WARNING "You are using SDRAM as RAM but no device "
-        "configuration data (DCD) is included. This configuration may not boot")
+      message(WARNING "You are using SDRAM as RAM but no external memory"
+        "configuration data (XMCD) is included. This configuration may not boot")
     endif()
   endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/soc/nxp/imxrt/CMakeLists.txt b/soc/nxp/imxrt/CMakeLists.txt
index 25cd1b81554..b42829869e4 100644
--- a/soc/nxp/imxrt/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/soc/nxp/imxrt/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ if(CONFIG_SOC_SERIES_IMXRT10XX OR CONFIG_SOC_SERIES_IMXRT11XX)
   if(CONFIG_DEVICE_CONFIGURATION_DATA)
     set(boot_hdr_dcd_data_section ".boot_hdr.dcd_data")
   endif()
+  if(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_MEM_CONFIG_DATA)
+    set(boot_hdr_xmcd_data_section ".boot_hdr.xmcd_data")
+  endif()
   zephyr_sources(mpu_regions.c)
   zephyr_linker_section_configure(
     SECTION .rom_start
@@ -26,6 +29,7 @@ if(CONFIG_SOC_SERIES_IMXRT10XX OR CONFIG_SOC_SERIES_IMXRT11XX)
     INPUT ".boot_hdr.ivt"
           ".boot_hdr.data"
           ${boot_hdr_dcd_data_section}
+          ${boot_hdr_xmcd_data_section}
     OFFSET ${CONFIG_IMAGE_VECTOR_TABLE_OFFSET}
     KEEP
     PRIO 11
diff --git a/soc/nxp/imxrt/Kconfig b/soc/nxp/imxrt/Kconfig
index ce96362b49d..2ab29a50ce6 100644
--- a/soc/nxp/imxrt/Kconfig
+++ b/soc/nxp/imxrt/Kconfig
@@ -114,6 +114,25 @@ config DEVICE_CONFIGURATION_DATA
 	  initialized at boot time.
 
 
+config EXTERNAL_MEM_CONFIG_DATA
+	bool "External Memory Configuration Data"
+	depends on !DEVICE_CONFIGURATION_DATA
+	help
+	  External memory configuration data (XMDC) provides an alternative
+	  configuration sequences which allows to intilialize the external memory
+	  at the boot time. This sequence allows to configure
+	  external memories (such as SDRAM) with more advanced option.
+	  This is a new alternative boot header compared to DCD, and DCD must be disabled
+	  in order to select this option.
+
+config EXTERNAL_MEM_CONFIG_OFFSET
+	hex "External memory configuration offset"
+	depends on EXTERNAL_MEM_CONFIG_DATA
+	default 0x1040 if BOOT_FLEXSPI_NOR || BOOT_SEMC_NOR
+	help
+	  As specified by the boot ROM, the External Memory configuration data must be
+	  placed in a specific address location to be pointed by the boot ROM.
+
 endif # NXP_IMXRT_BOOT_HEADER
 
 config NXP_IMX_EXTERNAL_SDRAM
diff --git a/soc/nxp/imxrt/boot_header.ld b/soc/nxp/imxrt/boot_header.ld
index e46fa5789e3..b96e5e58b3f 100644
--- a/soc/nxp/imxrt/boot_header.ld
+++ b/soc/nxp/imxrt/boot_header.ld
@@ -18,4 +18,8 @@ KEEP(*(.boot_hdr.data))
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEVICE_CONFIGURATION_DATA
 	KEEP(*(.boot_hdr.dcd_data))
 #endif /* CONFIG_DEVICE_CONFIGURATION_DATA */
+#ifdef CONFIG_EXTERNAL_MEM_CONFIG_DATA
+	. = CONFIG_EXTERNAL_MEM_CONFIG_OFFSET;
+	KEEP(*(.boot_hdr.xmcd_data))
+#endif
 #endif /* CONFIG_SOC_SERIES_IMXRT10XX || CONFIG_SOC_SERIES_IMXRT11XX */