diff --git a/arch/arm/core/swap.S b/arch/arm/core/swap.S
index d2aaecbeda6..cfa4f8b54ad 100644
--- a/arch/arm/core/swap.S
+++ b/arch/arm/core/swap.S
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, __svc)
     /* exception return is done in _IntExit(), including _GDB_STUB_EXC_EXIT */
     b _IntExit
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(_context_switch);
+_context_switch:
 #endif
 
     /*
diff --git a/arch/nios2/core/exception.S b/arch/nios2/core/exception.S
index 546cf943033..4b6421954ba 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/core/exception.S
+++ b/arch/nios2/core/exception.S
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(exception.entry, _exception)
 	andi  r15, et, 1
 	beq   r15, zero, not_interrupt
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(is_interrupt)
+is_interrupt:
 	/* If we get here, this is an interrupt */
 
 	/* Grab a reference to _nanokernel in r10 so we can determine the
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(is_interrupt)
 	addi sp, sp, -4
 	stw r12, 0(sp)
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(on_irq_stack)
+on_irq_stack:
 
 	/* Enter C interrupt handling code. Value of ipending will be the
 	 * function parameter since we put it in r4
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(on_irq_stack)
 	call _Swap
 	jmpi _exception_exit
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(not_interrupt)
+not_interrupt:
 
 	/* Since this wasn't an interrupt we're not going to restart the
 	 * faulting instruction.
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(not_interrupt)
 	bne   r11, zero, is_interrupt
 #endif
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(_exception_enter_fault)
+_exception_enter_fault:
 	/* If we get here, the exception wasn't in interrupt or an
 	 * invocation of irq_oflload(). Let _Fault() handle it in
 	 * C domain
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(_exception_enter_fault)
 	call _Fault
 	jmpi _exception_exit
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(no_reschedule)
+no_reschedule:
 
 	/* We put the thread stack pointer on top of the IRQ stack before
 	 * we switched stacks. Restore it to go back to thread stack
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(no_reschedule)
 
 	/* Fall through */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(_exception_exit)
+_exception_exit:
 	/* We are on the thread stack. Restore all saved registers
 	 * and return to the interrupted context */
 
diff --git a/arch/nios2/core/swap.S b/arch/nios2/core/swap.S
index 3d2f8918c4b..c69a1ce9053 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/core/swap.S
+++ b/arch/nios2/core/swap.S
@@ -80,11 +80,11 @@ SECTION_FUNC(exception.other, _Swap)
 	stw r14, __tNANO_fiber_OFFSET(r10)
 	br next_chosen
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(not_fiber)
+not_fiber:
 	/* Fiber was NULL, we'll choose nanokernel.task */
 	ldw r11, __tNANO_task_OFFSET(r10)
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(next_chosen)
+next_chosen:
 	/* Set _nanokernel.current to value we chose for r11 */
 	stw r11, __tNANO_current_OFFSET(r10)
 
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(next_chosen)
 	ori r3, r3, NIOS2_STATUS_PIE_MSK
 	wrctl status, r3
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(no_unlock)
+no_unlock:
 #else
 	wrctl status, r3
 #endif
diff --git a/arch/x86/core/excstub.S b/arch/x86/core/excstub.S
index 07363b0e675..77ff3000a6e 100644
--- a/arch/x86/core/excstub.S
+++ b/arch/x86/core/excstub.S
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, _ExcEnt)
 	 */
 	xchgl	%ecx, (%esp)
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(_ExcEntSetupDone)
+_ExcEntSetupDone:
 
 	/* By the time we get here, the stack should look like this:
 	 * ESP -> ECX (excepting task)
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(_ExcEntSetupDone)
 	jne	alreadyInException
 	movl	%esp, __tTCS_esfPtr_OFFSET(%edx)
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(alreadyInException)
+alreadyInException:
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_GDB_INFO */
 
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(alreadyInException)
 	je	allDone
 	sti
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(allDone)
+allDone:
 #if CONFIG_X86_IAMCU
 	movl	%esp, %eax		/* NANO_ESF * parameter */
 #else
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, _ExcExit)
 
 	andl	$~EXC_ACTIVE, __tTCS_flags_OFFSET (%ecx)
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(nestedException)
+nestedException:
 #endif /* CONFIG_FP_SHARING || CONFIG_GDB_INFO */
 
 	/*
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(nestedException)
 
 
 #if ALL_DYN_EXC_STUBS > 0
-BRANCH_LABEL(_DynExcStubCommon)
+_DynExcStubCommon:
 	call _common_dynamic_exc_handler
 #ifndef CONFIG_X86_IAMCU
 	/* Cleanse the stack of stub_num */
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(_DynExcStubCommon)
  */
 .altmacro
 .macro __EXC_STUB_NUM id
-BRANCH_LABEL(_DynExcStub\id)
+_DynExcStub\id:
 .endm
 .macro EXC_STUB_NUM id
 __EXC_STUB_NUM %id
diff --git a/arch/x86/core/intstub.S b/arch/x86/core/intstub.S
index e9ecd6df3e4..5624b302921 100644
--- a/arch/x86/core/intstub.S
+++ b/arch/x86/core/intstub.S
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, _IntEnt)
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO
 	jmp alreadyOnIntStack
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(nested_save_isf)
+nested_save_isf:
 	movl	__tNANO_isf_OFFSET(%ecx), %edx	/* Get old ISF */
 	movl	%esp, __tNANO_isf_OFFSET(%ecx)	/* Save new ISF */
 	pushl	%edx                            /* Save old ISF */
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(nested_save_isf)
 
 	/* fall through to nested case */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(alreadyOnIntStack)
+alreadyOnIntStack:
 #ifdef CONFIG_INT_LATENCY_BENCHMARK
 	/* preserve eax which contain stub return address */
 	pushl	%eax
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(alreadyOnIntStack)
 	jmp	*%eax		/* "return" back to stub */
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYS_POWER_MANAGEMENT
-BRANCH_LABEL(_HandleIdle)
+_HandleIdle:
 	/* Preserve eax which contains stub return address */
 #if defined(CONFIG_NANOKERNEL) && defined(CONFIG_TICKLESS_IDLE)
 	pushl	%eax
@@ -326,11 +326,11 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, _IntExitWithEoi)
  *
  * void _IntExit (void);
  */
-BRANCH_LABEL(_IntExit)
+_IntExit:
 
 	cli			/* disable interrupts */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(_IntExitWithCli)
+_IntExitWithCli:
 #ifdef CONFIG_INT_LATENCY_BENCHMARK
 	call	_int_latency_start
 #endif
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(_IntExitWithCli)
 	iret
 
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(noReschedule)
+noReschedule:
 
 	/*
 	 * A thread reschedule is not required; switch back to the
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(noReschedule)
 	 * not be performed.
 	 */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(nestedInterrupt)
+nestedInterrupt:
 #ifdef CONFIG_INT_LATENCY_BENCHMARK
 	call	_int_latency_stop
 #endif
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, _SpuriousIntHandler)
 	mov	%esp, %edx
 #endif
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(finishSpuriousInt)
+finishSpuriousInt:
 
 	/* re-enable interrupts */
 
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(finishSpuriousInt)
 	movl	$_NANO_ERR_SPURIOUS_INT, %eax
 #endif
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(callFatalHandler)
+callFatalHandler:
 	/* call the fatal error handler */
 
 	call	_NanoFatalErrorHandler
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(callFatalHandler)
 	/* handler doesn't  return */
 
 #if ALL_DYN_IRQ_STUBS > 0
-BRANCH_LABEL(_DynIntStubCommon)
+_DynIntStubCommon:
 	call _common_dynamic_irq_handler
 	/* Clean up and call IRET */
 	jmp _IntExitWithEoi
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(_DynIntStubCommon)
  */
 .altmacro
 .macro __INT_STUB_NUM id
-BRANCH_LABEL(_DynIntStub\id)
+_DynIntStub\id:
 .endm
 .macro INT_STUB_NUM id
 __INT_STUB_NUM %id
diff --git a/arch/x86/core/swap.S b/arch/x86/core/swap.S
index a853b70ec64..c5faa81a73a 100644
--- a/arch/x86/core/swap.S
+++ b/arch/x86/core/swap.S
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ SECTION_FUNC(TEXT, _Swap)
 	 * (_nanokernel.task).  The 'task' field will _never_ be NULL.
 	 */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(swapTask)
+swapTask:
 	movl	__tNANO_task_OFFSET (%eax), %ecx
 
 	/* fall through to 'restoreContext' */
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(swapTask)
 	 * contains &_nanokernel.
 	 */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(restoreContext)
+restoreContext:
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_FP_SHARING
 	/*
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(restoreContext)
 	fninit
 	jmp	floatSaveDone
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(x87FloatSave)
+x87FloatSave:
 #endif /* CONFIG_SSE */
 
 	/* 'fnsave' performs an implicit 'fninit' after saving state! */
@@ -259,8 +259,8 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(x87FloatSave)
 
 	/* fall through to 'floatSaveDone' */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(floatSaveDone)
-BRANCH_LABEL(restoreContext_NoFloatSave)
+floatSaveDone:
+restoreContext_NoFloatSave:
 
 	/*********************************************************
 	 * Restore floating point context of the incoming thread.
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(restoreContext_NoFloatSave)
 	fxrstor	__tTCS_preempFloatReg_OFFSET (%ecx)
 	jmp	floatRestoreDone
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(x87FloatRestore)
+x87FloatRestore:
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_SSE */
 
@@ -290,8 +290,8 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(x87FloatRestore)
 
 	/* fall through to 'floatRestoreDone' */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(floatRestoreDone)
-BRANCH_LABEL(restoreContext_NoFloatRestore)
+floatRestoreDone:
+restoreContext_NoFloatRestore:
 
 	/* record that the incoming thread "owns" the non-integer registers */
 
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(restoreContext_NoFloatRestore)
 	 * the last thread that utilized the non-integer registers.
 	 */
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(restoreContext_NoFloatSwap)
+restoreContext_NoFloatSwap:
 
 	/*
 	 * Leave CR0[TS] clear if incoming thread utilizes "floating point"
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(restoreContext_NoFloatSwap)
 	orl $0x8, %edx
 	movl %edx, %cr0
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(CROHandlingDone)
+CROHandlingDone:
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_FP_SHARING */
 
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ BRANCH_LABEL(CROHandlingDone)
 	/* restore _Swap's %eax */
 	popl	%eax
 
-BRANCH_LABEL(skipIntLatencyStop)
+skipIntLatencyStop:
 #endif
 	popfl
 #if CONFIG_X86_IAMCU
diff --git a/include/toolchain/common.h b/include/toolchain/common.h
index d02d986447a..c506a40945a 100644
--- a/include/toolchain/common.h
+++ b/include/toolchain/common.h
@@ -55,26 +55,6 @@
   #define SECTION .section
 #endif
 
-/*
- * The following definitions are used for symbol name compatibility.
- *
- * When #if 1, sources are assembled assuming the compiler
- * you are using does not generate global symbols prefixed by "_".
- * (e.g. elf/dwarf)
- *
- * When #if 0, sources are assembled assuming the compiler
- * you are using generates global symbols prefixed by "_".
- * (e.g. coff/stabs)
- */
-
-#ifdef _ASMLANGUAGE
-  #ifndef TOOL_PREPENDS_UNDERSCORE
-    #define FUNC(sym) sym
-  #else
-    #define FUNC(sym) _##sym
-  #endif
-#endif
-
 /*
  * If the project is being built for speed (i.e. not for minimum size) then
  * align functions and branches in executable sections to improve performance.
@@ -112,10 +92,7 @@
 
   #endif
 
-  #define GC_SECTION(sym) SECTION .text.FUNC(sym), "ax"
-
-  #define BRANCH_LABEL(sym) FUNC(sym) :
-  #define VAR(sym)          FUNC(sym)
+  #define GC_SECTION(sym) SECTION .text.##sym, "ax"
 
 #endif /* _ASMLANGUAGE */
 
diff --git a/include/toolchain/gcc.h b/include/toolchain/gcc.h
index 977ed41ccd8..2d93a4fdce2 100644
--- a/include/toolchain/gcc.h
+++ b/include/toolchain/gcc.h
@@ -134,10 +134,10 @@ A##a:
 #if defined(_ASMLANGUAGE) && !defined(_LINKER)
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_ARM) || defined(CONFIG_NIOS2)
-#define GTEXT(sym) .global FUNC(sym); .type FUNC(sym), %function
-#define GDATA(sym) .global FUNC(sym); .type FUNC(sym), %object
-#define WTEXT(sym) .weak FUNC(sym); .type FUNC(sym), %function
-#define WDATA(sym) .weak FUNC(sym); .type FUNC(sym), %object
+#define GTEXT(sym) .global sym; .type sym, %function
+#define GDATA(sym) .global sym; .type sym, %object
+#define WTEXT(sym) .weak sym; .type sym, %function
+#define WDATA(sym) .weak sym; .type sym, %object
 #elif defined(CONFIG_ARC)
 /*
  * Need to use assembly macros because ';' is interpreted as the start of
@@ -145,18 +145,18 @@ A##a:
  */
 
 .macro glbl_text symbol
-	.globl FUNC(\symbol)
-	.type FUNC(\symbol), %function
+	.globl \symbol
+	.type \symbol, %function
 .endm
 
 .macro glbl_data symbol
-	.globl FUNC(\symbol)
-	.type FUNC(\symbol), %object
+	.globl \symbol
+	.type \symbol, %object
 .endm
 
 .macro weak_data symbol
-	.weak FUNC(\symbol)
-	.type FUNC(\symbol), %object
+	.weak \symbol
+	.type \symbol, %object
 .endm
 
 #define GTEXT(sym) glbl_text sym
@@ -164,8 +164,8 @@ A##a:
 #define WDATA(sym) weak_data sym
 
 #else  /* !CONFIG_ARM && !CONFIG_ARC */
-#define GTEXT(sym) .globl FUNC(sym); .type FUNC(sym), @function
-#define GDATA(sym) .globl FUNC(sym); .type FUNC(sym), @object
+#define GTEXT(sym) .globl sym; .type sym, @function
+#define GDATA(sym) .globl sym; .type sym, @object
 #endif
 
 /*
@@ -188,22 +188,22 @@ A##a:
  */
 
 .macro section_var section, symbol
-	.section .\section\().FUNC(\symbol)
-	FUNC(\symbol) :
+	.section .\section\().\symbol
+	\symbol :
 .endm
 
 .macro section_func section, symbol
-	.section .\section\().FUNC(\symbol), "ax"
+	.section .\section\().\symbol, "ax"
 	FUNC_CODE()
 	PERFOPT_ALIGN
-	FUNC(\symbol) :
+	\symbol :
 	FUNC_INSTR(\symbol)
 .endm
 
 .macro section_subsec_func section, subsection, symbol
 	.section .\section\().\subsection, "ax"
 	PERFOPT_ALIGN
-	FUNC(\symbol) :
+	\symbol :
 .endm
 
 #define SECTION_VAR(sect, sym) section_var sect, sym
@@ -212,14 +212,14 @@ A##a:
 	section_subsec_func sect, subsec, sym
 #else /* !CONFIG_ARC */
 
-#define SECTION_VAR(sect, sym)  .section .sect.FUNC(sym); FUNC(sym) :
+#define SECTION_VAR(sect, sym)  .section .sect.##sym; sym :
 #define SECTION_FUNC(sect, sym)						\
-	.section .sect.FUNC(sym), "ax";					\
+	.section .sect.sym, "ax";					\
 				FUNC_CODE()				\
-				PERFOPT_ALIGN; FUNC(sym) :		\
+				PERFOPT_ALIGN; sym :		\
 							FUNC_INSTR(sym)
 #define SECTION_SUBSEC_FUNC(sect, subsec, sym)				\
-		.section .sect.subsec, "ax"; PERFOPT_ALIGN; FUNC(sym) :
+		.section .sect.subsec, "ax"; PERFOPT_ALIGN; sym :
 
 #endif /* CONFIG_ARC */