diff --git a/docs/build.txt b/docs/build.txt
index df6c2be..fa64cf8 100644
--- a/docs/build.txt
+++ b/docs/build.txt
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Linux 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus) or Ubuntu Linux 14.04 LTS (Trusty
 Tahr), there are precompiled ia16-elf-gcc packages at
 https://launchpad.net/~tkchia/+archive/ubuntu/build-ia16/.
 Otherwise, for now ia16-elf-gcc needs to be compiled from source.
-Only releases 20171210 and later are supported.
+Only releases 20180419 and later are supported.
 
 Notes:
 ======
diff --git a/kernel/init-dat.h b/kernel/init-dat.h
index 53cbfe2..7d91716 100644
--- a/kernel/init-dat.h
+++ b/kernel/init-dat.h
@@ -28,9 +28,8 @@ extern __segment DosTextSeg;
 #elif defined(__GNUC__)
 
 #define DosTextSeg 0x70
-/* XXX not supported yet */
-#define DOSFAR
-#define DOSTEXTFAR
+#define DOSFAR FAR
+#define DOSTEXTFAR FAR
 #undef DOSDATA
 #undef DOSTEXT
 #define DOSDATA(x) (*(typeof(x) FAR *)MK_FP(DosDataSeg, (size_t)&(x)))
diff --git a/kernel/init-mod.h b/kernel/init-mod.h
index f04e178..3a65120 100644
--- a/kernel/init-mod.h
+++ b/kernel/init-mod.h
@@ -265,38 +265,21 @@ extern char master_env[128];
 extern struct lol FAR *LoL;
 
 extern struct dhdr DOSTEXTFAR ASM blk_dev; /* Block device (Disk) driver           */
-#define blk_dev DOSTEXT(blk_dev)
 
 extern struct buffer FAR *DOSFAR firstAvailableBuf; /* first 'available' buffer   */
-#define firstAvailableBuf DOSDATA(firstAvailableBuf)
-#ifdef __GNUC__
-extern struct lol ASM DATASTART;
-#else
 extern struct lol ASM FAR DATASTART;
-#endif
-#define DATASTART DOSDATA(DATASTART)
 
 extern BYTE DOSFAR ASM _HMATextAvailable;    /* first byte of available CODE area    */
-#ifdef __GNUC__
-extern BYTE ASM _HMATextStart[];          /* first byte of HMAable CODE area      */
-extern BYTE ASM _HMATextEnd[];
-#else
 extern BYTE FAR ASM _HMATextStart[];          /* first byte of HMAable CODE area      */
 extern BYTE FAR ASM _HMATextEnd[];
-#endif
 extern BYTE DOSFAR ASM break_ena;  /* break enabled flag                   */
-#define break_ena DOSDATA(break_ena)
-extern BYTE DOSFAR ASM _InitTextStart[],     /* first available byte of ram          */
-  DOSFAR ASM _InitTextEnd[],
-  DOSFAR ASM ReturnAnyDosVersionExpected,
-  DOSFAR ASM HaltCpuWhileIdle;
-#define ReturnAnyDosVersionExpected DOSDATA(ReturnAnyDosVersionExpected)
-#define HaltCpuWhileIdle DOSDATA(HaltCpuWhileIdle)
+extern BYTE DOSFAR ASM _InitTextStart[];     /* first available byte of ram          */
+extern BYTE DOSFAR ASM _InitTextEnd[];
+extern BYTE DOSFAR ASM ReturnAnyDosVersionExpected;
+extern BYTE DOSFAR ASM HaltCpuWhileIdle;
 
 extern BYTE DOSFAR ASM internal_data[];
-#define internal_data DOSDATA(internal_data)
 extern unsigned char DOSTEXTFAR ASM kbdType;
-#define kbdType DOSTEXT(kbdType)
 
 extern struct {
   char  ThisIsAConstantOne;
@@ -305,29 +288,23 @@ extern struct {
   struct CountrySpecificInfo C;
   
 } DOSFAR ASM nlsCountryInfoHardcoded;
-#define nlsCountryInfoHardcoded DOSDATA(nlsCountryInfoHardcoded)
-#define nlsPackageHardcoded DOSDATA(nlsPackageHardcoded)
 
 /*
     data shared between DSK.C and INITDISK.C
 */
 
 extern UWORD DOSFAR LBA_WRITE_VERIFY;
-#define LBA_WRITE_VERIFY DOSDATA(LBA_WRITE_VERIFY)
 
 /* original interrupt vectors, at 70:xxxx */
 extern struct lowvec {
   unsigned char intno;
   intvec isv;
 } DOSTEXTFAR ASM intvec_table[5];
-#define intvec_table DOSTEXT(intvec_table)
 
 /* floppy parameter table, at 70:xxxx */
 extern unsigned char DOSTEXTFAR ASM int1e_table[0xe];
-#define int1e_table DOSTEXT(int1e_table)
 
 extern char DOSFAR DiskTransferBuffer[/*MAX_SEC_SIZE*/]; /* in dsk.c */
-#define DiskTransferBuffer DOSDATA(DiskTransferBuffer)
 
 struct RelocationTable {
   UBYTE jmpFar;
@@ -345,14 +322,10 @@ struct RelocatedEntry {
   UWORD jmpSegment;
 };
 
-extern struct RelocationTable
-   DOSFAR ASM _HMARelocationTableStart[],
-   DOSFAR ASM _HMARelocationTableEnd[];
-#define _HMARelocationTableStart DOSDATA(_HMARelocationTableStart)
-#define _HMARelocationTableEnd DOSDATA(_HMARelocationTableEnd)
+extern struct RelocationTable DOSFAR ASM _HMARelocationTableStart[];
+extern struct RelocationTable DOSFAR ASM _HMARelocationTableEnd[];
 
 extern void FAR *DOSFAR ASM XMSDriverAddress;
-#define XMSDriverAddress DOSDATA(XMSDriverAddress)
 #ifdef __GNUC__
 extern VOID _EnableA20(VOID);
 extern VOID _DisableA20(VOID);
diff --git a/kernel/main.c b/kernel/main.c
index e609750..1d2ec22 100644
--- a/kernel/main.c
+++ b/kernel/main.c
@@ -68,12 +68,7 @@ __segment DosTextSeg = 0;
 
 #endif
 
-struct lol FAR *LoL
-#ifndef __GNUC__
-/* cannot initialize from far data with GCC */
-= &DATASTART;
-#endif
-;
+struct lol FAR *LoL = &DATASTART;
 
 VOID ASMCFUNC FreeDOSmain(void)
 {
@@ -95,9 +90,6 @@ VOID ASMCFUNC FreeDOSmain(void)
                             at 50:e0
                         */
 
-#ifdef __GNUC__
-  LoL = &DATASTART;
-#endif
   drv = LoL->BootDrive + 1;
   p = MK_FP(0, 0x5e0);
   if (fmemcmp(p+2,"CONFIG",6) == 0)      /* UPX */