diff --git a/arch/arm/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S b/arch/arm/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
index e087a2ed112b..fdca231e150a 100644
--- a/arch/arm/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
+++ b/arch/arm/kernel/vmlinux.lds.S
@@ -12,9 +12,7 @@
 #include <asm/thread_info.h>
 #include <asm/memory.h>
 #include <asm/page.h>
-#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_RODATA
 #include <asm/pgtable.h>
-#endif
 
 #define PROC_INFO							\
 	. = ALIGN(4);							\
@@ -319,6 +317,13 @@ SECTIONS
 	STABS_DEBUG
 }
 
+/*
+ * Without CONFIG_DEBUG_ALIGN_RODATA, __start_rodata_section_aligned will
+ * be the first section-aligned location after __start_rodata. Otherwise,
+ * it will be equal to __start_rodata.
+ */
+__start_rodata_section_aligned = ALIGN(__start_rodata, 1 << SECTION_SHIFT);
+
 /*
  * These must never be empty
  * If you have to comment these two assert statements out, your
diff --git a/arch/arm/mm/init.c b/arch/arm/mm/init.c
index 53f42508025b..370581aeb871 100644
--- a/arch/arm/mm/init.c
+++ b/arch/arm/mm/init.c
@@ -582,6 +582,9 @@ struct section_perm {
 	pmdval_t clear;
 };
 
+/* First section-aligned location at or after __start_rodata. */
+extern char __start_rodata_section_aligned[];
+
 static struct section_perm nx_perms[] = {
 	/* Make pages tables, etc before _stext RW (set NX). */
 	{
@@ -599,16 +602,14 @@ static struct section_perm nx_perms[] = {
 		.mask	= ~PMD_SECT_XN,
 		.prot	= PMD_SECT_XN,
 	},
-#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_ALIGN_RODATA
 	/* Make rodata NX (set RO in ro_perms below). */
 	{
 		.name	= "rodata NX",
-		.start  = (unsigned long)__start_rodata,
+		.start  = (unsigned long)__start_rodata_section_aligned,
 		.end    = (unsigned long)__init_begin,
 		.mask   = ~PMD_SECT_XN,
 		.prot   = PMD_SECT_XN,
 	},
-#endif
 };
 
 static struct section_perm ro_perms[] = {