diff --git a/ld/ChangeLog b/ld/ChangeLog
index 36e548b803..e292ea4590 100644
--- a/ld/ChangeLog
+++ b/ld/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2012-06-07  Georg-Johann Lay  <avr@gjlay.de>
+
+	PR 13697
+	* scripttempl/avr.sc (.data): Keep it.
+
 2012-06-02  Andreas Schwab  <schwab@linux-m68k.org>
 
 	* Makefile.am (TEXINFO_TEX): Remove $(top_srcdir) prefix.
diff --git a/ld/scripttempl/avr.sc b/ld/scripttempl/avr.sc
index c11de86273..478da38541 100644
--- a/ld/scripttempl/avr.sc
+++ b/ld/scripttempl/avr.sc
@@ -161,7 +161,10 @@ SECTIONS
   .data	${RELOCATING-0} : ${RELOCATING+AT (ADDR (.text) + SIZEOF (.text))}
   {
     ${RELOCATING+ PROVIDE (__data_start = .) ; }
-    *(.data)
+    /* --gc-sections will delete empty .data. This leads to wrong start
+       addresses for subsequent sections because -Tdata= from the command
+       line will have no effect, see PR13697.  Thus, keep .data  */
+    KEEP (*(.data))    
     *(.data*)
     *(.rodata)  /* We need to include .rodata here if gcc is used */
     *(.rodata*) /* with -fdata-sections.  */