diff --git a/Makefile.rules_generic b/Makefile.rules_generic
index d5300fc6f..00cca1f69 100644
--- a/Makefile.rules_generic
+++ b/Makefile.rules_generic
@@ -151,7 +151,14 @@ debug/app.map debug/app.asm: debug/app.%: $(DBG_DIR)/app.%
 # link_cmdline(objects,dest)		Macro that is used to format arguments for the linker
 link_cmdline = $(LD) $(LDFLAGS) -o $(2) $(1)
 ifneq ($(APP_STACK_SIZE),)
-link_cmdline += -Wl,--defsym=stack_size=$(APP_STACK_SIZE)
+ifneq ($(ENABLE_SDK_WERROR),0)
+$(error Deprecated APP_STACK_SIZE define, use APP_STACK_MIN_SIZE if really needed)
+else
+$(warn Deprecated APP_STACK_SIZE define, use APP_STACK_MIN_SIZE if really needed)
+endif
+endif
+ifneq ($(APP_STACK_MIN_SIZE),)
+link_cmdline += -Wl,--defsym=stack_min_size=$(APP_STACK_MIN_SIZE)
 endif
 
 # cc_cmdline(include,defines,src,dest)	Macro that is used to format arguments for the compiler
diff --git a/target/nanos/script.ld b/target/nanos/script.ld
index 88c311626..f9446822d 100644
--- a/target/nanos/script.ld
+++ b/target/nanos/script.ld
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ MEMORY
 }
 
 PAGE_SIZE  = 64;
-STACK_SIZE = DEFINED(stack_size) ? stack_size : 1024;
+STACK_MIN_SIZE = DEFINED(stack_min_size) ? stack_min_size : 1024;
 END_STACK  = ORIGIN(SRAM) + LENGTH(SRAM);
 
 /*
@@ -125,15 +125,14 @@ SECTIONS
     app_stack_canary = .;
     PROVIDE(app_stack_canary = .);
     . += 4;
-    _stack_validation = .;
-    . = _stack_validation + STACK_SIZE;
-    _stack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) - STACK_SIZE;
-    PROVIDE( _stack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) - STACK_SIZE);
+    _stack = .;
+    PROVIDE( _stack = .);
     _estack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK);
     PROVIDE( _estack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) );
 
   } > SRAM = 0x00
 
+  ASSERT( (_estack - _stack) >= STACK_MIN_SIZE, "stack section too small" )
 
 
   /****************************************************************/
diff --git a/target/nanos2/script.ld b/target/nanos2/script.ld
index 8fd537a6b..8f9b2f308 100644
--- a/target/nanos2/script.ld
+++ b/target/nanos2/script.ld
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ MEMORY
 }
 
 PAGE_SIZE  = 512;
-STACK_SIZE = 1500;
+STACK_MIN_SIZE = DEFINED(stack_min_size) ? stack_min_size : 1500;
 END_STACK  = ORIGIN(SRAM) + LENGTH(SRAM);
 
 ENTRY(main);
@@ -113,15 +113,15 @@ SECTIONS
     app_stack_canary = .;
     PROVIDE(app_stack_canary = .);
     . += 4;
-    _stack_validation = .;
-    . = _stack_validation + STACK_SIZE;
-    _stack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) - STACK_SIZE;
-    PROVIDE( _stack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) - STACK_SIZE);
+    _stack = .;
+    PROVIDE( _stack = .);
     _estack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK);
     PROVIDE( _estack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) );
 
   } > SRAM = 0x00
 
+  ASSERT( (_estack - _stack) >= STACK_MIN_SIZE, "stack section too small" )
+
   /****************************************************************/
   /* DEBUG                                                        */
   /****************************************************************/
diff --git a/target/nanox/script.ld b/target/nanox/script.ld
index 82b459121..8c42cc4c2 100644
--- a/target/nanox/script.ld
+++ b/target/nanox/script.ld
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ MEMORY
 }
 
 PAGE_SIZE  = 256;
-STACK_SIZE = 1500;
+STACK_MIN_SIZE = DEFINED(stack_min_size) ? stack_min_size : 1500;
 END_STACK  = ORIGIN(SRAM) + LENGTH(SRAM);
 
 ENTRY(main);
@@ -124,15 +124,15 @@ SECTIONS
     app_stack_canary = .;
     PROVIDE(app_stack_canary = .);
     . += 4;
-    _stack_validation = .;
-    . = _stack_validation + STACK_SIZE;
-    _stack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) - STACK_SIZE;
-    PROVIDE( _stack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) - STACK_SIZE);
+    _stack = .;
+    PROVIDE( _stack = .);
     _estack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK);
     PROVIDE( _estack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) );
 
   } > SRAM
 
+  ASSERT( (_estack - _stack) >= STACK_MIN_SIZE, "stack section too small" )
+
   /****************************************************************/
   /* DEBUG                                                        */
   /****************************************************************/
diff --git a/target/stax/script.ld b/target/stax/script.ld
index 19b296a05..bbe3afade 100644
--- a/target/stax/script.ld
+++ b/target/stax/script.ld
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ MEMORY
 }
 
 PAGE_SIZE  = 512;
-STACK_SIZE = 1500;
+STACK_MIN_SIZE = DEFINED(stack_min_size) ? stack_min_size : 1500;
 END_STACK  = ORIGIN(SRAM) + LENGTH(SRAM);
 
 ENTRY(main);
@@ -114,15 +114,15 @@ SECTIONS
     app_stack_canary = .;
     PROVIDE(app_stack_canary = .);
     . += 4;
-    _stack_validation = .;
-    . = _stack_validation + STACK_SIZE;
-    _stack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) - STACK_SIZE;
-    PROVIDE( _stack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) - STACK_SIZE);
+    _stack = .;
+    PROVIDE( _stack = .);
     _estack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK);
     PROVIDE( _estack = ABSOLUTE(END_STACK) );
 
   } > SRAM = 0x00
 
+  ASSERT( (_estack - _stack) >= STACK_MIN_SIZE, "stack section too small" )
+
   /****************************************************************/
   /* DEBUG                                                        */
   /****************************************************************/