diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 23a1b0a37..d487eae7f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@ $(eval $(call add_define,PSCI_EXTENDED_STATE_ID))
 $(eval $(call add_define,RAS_EXTENSION))
 $(eval $(call add_define,RESET_TO_BL31))
 $(eval $(call add_define,SEPARATE_CODE_AND_RODATA))
+$(eval $(call add_define,RECLAIM_INIT_CODE))
 $(eval $(call add_define,SMCCC_MAJOR_VERSION))
 $(eval $(call add_define,SPD_${SPD}))
 $(eval $(call add_define,SPIN_ON_BL1_EXIT))
diff --git a/docs/firmware-design.rst b/docs/firmware-design.rst
index 79bdec98f..7cc74855d 100644
--- a/docs/firmware-design.rst
+++ b/docs/firmware-design.rst
@@ -2336,6 +2336,29 @@ implement:
 
    SUBSCRIBE_TO_EVENT(foo, foo_handler);
 
+
+Reclaiming the BL31 initialization code
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+A significant amount of the code used for the initialization of BL31 is never
+needed again after boot time. In order to reduce the runtime memory
+footprint, the memory used for this code can be reclaimed after initialization
+has finished and be used for runtime data.
+
+The build option ``RECLAIM_INIT_CODE`` can be set to mark this boot time code
+with a ``.text.init.*`` attribute which can be filtered and placed suitably
+within the BL image for later reclaimation by the platform. The platform can
+specify the fiter and the memory region for this init section in BL31 via the
+plat.ld.S linker script. For example, on the FVP, this section is placed
+overlapping the secondary CPU stacks so that after the cold boot is done, this
+memory can be reclaimed for the stacks. The init memory section is initially
+mapped with ``RO``, ``EXECUTE`` attributes. After BL31 initilization has
+completed, the FVP changes the attributes of this section to ``RW``,
+``EXECUTE_NEVER`` allowing it to be used for runtime data. The memory attributes
+are changed within the ``bl31_plat_runtime_setup`` platform hook. The init
+section section can be reclaimed for any data which is accessed after cold
+boot initialization and it is upto the platform to make the decision.
+
 Performance Measurement Framework
 ---------------------------------
 
diff --git a/include/lib/libc/cdefs.h b/include/lib/libc/cdefs.h
index b1d10ccce..0d0072254 100644
--- a/include/lib/libc/cdefs.h
+++ b/include/lib/libc/cdefs.h
@@ -14,6 +14,15 @@
 #define __unused	__attribute__((__unused__))
 #define __aligned(x)	__attribute__((__aligned__(x)))
 #define __section(x)	__attribute__((__section__(x)))
+#if RECLAIM_INIT_CODE
+/*
+ * Add each function to a section that is unique so the functions can still
+ * be garbage collected
+ */
+#define __init		__section(".text.init." __FILE__ "." __XSTRING(__LINE__))
+#else
+#define __init
+#endif
 
 #define __printflike(fmtarg, firstvararg) \
 		__attribute__((__format__ (__printf__, fmtarg, firstvararg)))
diff --git a/make_helpers/defaults.mk b/make_helpers/defaults.mk
index 7df4cd286..435de20e3 100644
--- a/make_helpers/defaults.mk
+++ b/make_helpers/defaults.mk
@@ -146,6 +146,10 @@ SDEI_SUPPORT            	:= 0
 # platform Makefile is free to override this value.
 SEPARATE_CODE_AND_RODATA	:= 0
 
+# If the BL31 image initialisation code is recalimed after use for the secondary
+# cores stack
+RECLAIM_INIT_CODE		:= 0
+
 # Default to SMCCC Version 1.X
 SMCCC_MAJOR_VERSION		:= 1