diff --git a/mongoose.c b/mongoose.c
index ec4d17e79c..44539e818c 100644
--- a/mongoose.c
+++ b/mongoose.c
@@ -19869,10 +19869,16 @@ struct ETH_GLOBAL_TypeDef {
 #define ETH_DESC_CNT 4     // Descriptors count
 #define ETH_DS 4           // Descriptor size (words)
 
-static uint8_t s_rxbuf[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_PKT_SIZE];
-static uint8_t s_txbuf[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_PKT_SIZE];
-static uint32_t s_rxdesc[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_DS];  // RX descriptors
-static uint32_t s_txdesc[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_DS];  // TX descriptors
+#ifndef ETH_RAM_SECTION
+// if no section is specified, then the data will be placed in the default
+// bss section
+#define ETH_RAM_SECTION
+#endif
+
+static uint8_t s_rxbuf[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_PKT_SIZE] ETH_RAM_SECTION;
+static uint8_t s_txbuf[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_PKT_SIZE] ETH_RAM_SECTION;
+static uint32_t s_rxdesc[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_DS] ETH_RAM_SECTION;  // RX descriptors
+static uint32_t s_txdesc[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_DS] ETH_RAM_SECTION;  // TX descriptors
 static uint8_t s_txno;                           // Current TX descriptor
 static uint8_t s_rxno;                           // Current RX descriptor
 
@@ -20021,8 +20027,8 @@ static bool mg_tcpip_driver_xmc_up(struct mg_tcpip_if *ifp) {
   return up;
 }
 
-void ETH0_IRQHandler(void);
-void ETH0_IRQHandler(void) {
+void ETH0_0_IRQHandler(void);
+void ETH0_0_IRQHandler(void) {
   uint32_t irq_status = ETH0->STATUS;
 
   // check if a frame was received
diff --git a/src/drivers/xmc.c b/src/drivers/xmc.c
index a71e921373..ef621573c0 100644
--- a/src/drivers/xmc.c
+++ b/src/drivers/xmc.c
@@ -35,10 +35,16 @@ struct ETH_GLOBAL_TypeDef {
 #define ETH_DESC_CNT 4     // Descriptors count
 #define ETH_DS 4           // Descriptor size (words)
 
-static uint8_t s_rxbuf[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_PKT_SIZE];
-static uint8_t s_txbuf[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_PKT_SIZE];
-static uint32_t s_rxdesc[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_DS];  // RX descriptors
-static uint32_t s_txdesc[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_DS];  // TX descriptors
+#ifndef ETH_RAM_SECTION
+// if no section is specified, then the data will be placed in the default
+// bss section
+#define ETH_RAM_SECTION
+#endif
+
+static uint8_t s_rxbuf[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_PKT_SIZE] ETH_RAM_SECTION;
+static uint8_t s_txbuf[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_PKT_SIZE] ETH_RAM_SECTION;
+static uint32_t s_rxdesc[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_DS] ETH_RAM_SECTION;  // RX descriptors
+static uint32_t s_txdesc[ETH_DESC_CNT][ETH_DS] ETH_RAM_SECTION;  // TX descriptors
 static uint8_t s_txno;                           // Current TX descriptor
 static uint8_t s_rxno;                           // Current RX descriptor
 
@@ -187,8 +193,8 @@ static bool mg_tcpip_driver_xmc_up(struct mg_tcpip_if *ifp) {
   return up;
 }
 
-void ETH0_IRQHandler(void);
-void ETH0_IRQHandler(void) {
+void ETH0_0_IRQHandler(void);
+void ETH0_0_IRQHandler(void) {
   uint32_t irq_status = ETH0->STATUS;
 
   // check if a frame was received