diff --git a/lib/csu/Makefile b/lib/csu/Makefile
index dea4fdae9727..68299b387db5 100644
--- a/lib/csu/Makefile
+++ b/lib/csu/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#	$NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.40 2020/04/22 23:32:25 joerg Exp $
+#	$NetBSD: Makefile,v 1.41 2021/04/20 21:42:31 christos Exp $
 
 NOLIBCSANITIZER=	# defined
 NOSANITIZER=		# defined
@@ -18,9 +18,6 @@ ARCHDIR:=	${.CURDIR}/arch/${CSU_MACHINE_CPU}
 .error Architecture (${CSU_MACHINE_ARCH} or ${CSU_MACHINE_CPU}) unsupported
 .endif
 
-# Ownership of globals from crt0.o is shared with libc for historic reasons
-COPTS+=		-fcommon
-
 .PATH:	${ARCHDIR}
 .include "${ARCHDIR}/Makefile.inc"
 .include "${.CURDIR}/common/Makefile.inc"
diff --git a/lib/csu/common/crt0-common.c b/lib/csu/common/crt0-common.c
index 8100acf38004..6c182d8eb2b9 100644
--- a/lib/csu/common/crt0-common.c
+++ b/lib/csu/common/crt0-common.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $NetBSD: crt0-common.c,v 1.23 2018/12/28 20:12:35 christos Exp $ */
+/* $NetBSD: crt0-common.c,v 1.24 2021/04/20 21:42:31 christos Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1998 Christos Zoulas
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: crt0-common.c,v 1.23 2018/12/28 20:12:35 christos Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: crt0-common.c,v 1.24 2021/04/20 21:42:31 christos Exp $");
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/exec.h>
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ __RCSID("$NetBSD: crt0-common.c,v 1.23 2018/12/28 20:12:35 christos Exp $");
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "csu-common.h"
+
 extern int main(int, char **, char **);
 
 typedef void (*fptr_t)(void);
@@ -70,11 +72,11 @@ extern void	_mcleanup(void);
 extern unsigned char __etext, __eprol;
 #endif /* MCRT0 */
 
-char		**environ;
-struct ps_strings *__ps_strings = 0;
-
 static char	 empty_string[] = "";
-char		*__progname = empty_string;
+
+char		**environ __common;
+struct ps_strings *__ps_strings __common = 0;
+char		*__progname __common = empty_string;
 
 __dead __dso_hidden void ___start(void (*)(void), struct ps_strings *);
 
diff --git a/lib/csu/common/csu-common.h b/lib/csu/common/csu-common.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..786ad0355a82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/csu/common/csu-common.h
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/*-
+ * Copyright (c) 2021 The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+ *    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE NETBSD FOUNDATION, INC. AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
+ * TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+ * PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE FOUNDATION OR CONTRIBUTORS
+ * BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+ * CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
+ * SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+ * INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+ * CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+ * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+ * POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * For historical reasons the following symbols are defined both in libc
+ * and csu and need to be common
+ */
+#if __has_attribute(__common__)
+#define	__common	__attribute((__common__))
+#else
+#define	__common
+#endif
+extern char *__progname __common;
+extern char **environ __common;
+extern struct ps_strings *__ps_strings __common;
diff --git a/lib/libc/Makefile.inc b/lib/libc/Makefile.inc
index 2583c815933f..38f76b425e11 100644
--- a/lib/libc/Makefile.inc
+++ b/lib/libc/Makefile.inc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#	$NetBSD: Makefile.inc,v 1.19 2018/06/09 22:41:55 christos Exp $
+#	$NetBSD: Makefile.inc,v 1.20 2021/04/20 21:42:31 christos Exp $
 #	@(#)Makefile	8.2 (Berkeley) 2/3/94
 #
 # All library objects contain sccsid strings by default; they may be
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ CPPFLAGS+=	-D_DIAGNOSTIC
 .if defined(MLIBDIR)
 CPPFLAGS+=	-DMLIBDIR=\"${MLIBDIR}\"
 .endif
+# needed for csu_common.h
+CPPFLAGS+=	-I${NETBSDSRCDIR}/lib/csu/common
 
 .if (${USE_HESIOD} != "no")
 CPPFLAGS+=	-DHESIOD
diff --git a/lib/libc/gen/Makefile.inc b/lib/libc/gen/Makefile.inc
index 85231e88f09d..0e2d46ad779a 100644
--- a/lib/libc/gen/Makefile.inc
+++ b/lib/libc/gen/Makefile.inc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#	$NetBSD: Makefile.inc,v 1.211 2021/04/12 03:57:07 mrg Exp $
+#	$NetBSD: Makefile.inc,v 1.212 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $
 #	from: @(#)Makefile.inc	8.6 (Berkeley) 5/4/95
 
 # gen sources
@@ -207,8 +207,3 @@ errlist.c: errlist.awk ${NETBSDSRCDIR}/sys/sys/errno.h
 	${TOOL_AWK} -f ${.ALLSRC} > ${.TARGET}
 
 CLEANFILES+= errlist.c
-
-# Ownership of globals from crt0.o is shared with libc for historic reasons.
-# __progname is also necessary as global here for the nbcompat case.
-COPTS.getprogname.c+=	-fcommon
-COPTS.setproctitle.c+=	-fcommon
diff --git a/lib/libc/gen/getprogname.c b/lib/libc/gen/getprogname.c
index 6904fad6f4ab..7727437961d7 100644
--- a/lib/libc/gen/getprogname.c
+++ b/lib/libc/gen/getprogname.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $NetBSD: getprogname.c,v 1.4 2011/10/06 20:31:41 christos Exp $ */
+/* $NetBSD: getprogname.c,v 1.5 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2001 Christopher G. Demetriou
@@ -36,19 +36,18 @@
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 #if defined(LIBC_SCCS) && !defined(lint)
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: getprogname.c,v 1.4 2011/10/06 20:31:41 christos Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: getprogname.c,v 1.5 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $");
 #endif /* LIBC_SCCS and not lint */
 
 #include "namespace.h"
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include "csu-common.h"
 
 #ifdef __weak_alias
 __weak_alias(getprogname,_getprogname)
 #endif
 
-const char *__progname;
-
 const char *
 getprogname(void)
 {
diff --git a/lib/libc/gen/setproctitle.c b/lib/libc/gen/setproctitle.c
index 5138922648c9..fac164b8de7b 100644
--- a/lib/libc/gen/setproctitle.c
+++ b/lib/libc/gen/setproctitle.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $NetBSD: setproctitle.c,v 1.22 2008/01/03 04:26:27 christos Exp $ */
+/* $NetBSD: setproctitle.c,v 1.23 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1994, 1995 Christopher G. Demetriou
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 #if defined(LIBC_SCCS) && !defined(lint)
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: setproctitle.c,v 1.22 2008/01/03 04:26:27 christos Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: setproctitle.c,v 1.23 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $");
 #endif /* LIBC_SCCS and not lint */
 
 #include "namespace.h"
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ __RCSID("$NetBSD: setproctitle.c,v 1.22 2008/01/03 04:26:27 christos Exp $");
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include "csu-common.h"
 
 #ifdef __weak_alias
 __weak_alias(setproctitle,_setproctitle)
@@ -54,12 +55,6 @@ __weak_alias(setproctitle,_setproctitle)
 
 #define	MAX_PROCTITLE	2048
 
-/*
- * For compatibility with old versions of crt0 that didn't define __ps_strings,
- * define it as a common here.
- */
-struct ps_strings *__ps_strings;
-
 void
 setproctitle(const char *fmt, ...)
 {
diff --git a/lib/libc/misc/Makefile.inc b/lib/libc/misc/Makefile.inc
index 21ba1b0a1be5..ac4c795e8396 100644
--- a/lib/libc/misc/Makefile.inc
+++ b/lib/libc/misc/Makefile.inc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#	$NetBSD: Makefile.inc,v 1.4 2020/04/22 23:32:25 joerg Exp $
+#	$NetBSD: Makefile.inc,v 1.5 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $
 #	@(#)Makefile.inc	8.3 (Berkeley) 10/24/94
 
 .PATH: ${ARCHDIR}/misc ${.CURDIR}/misc
@@ -13,6 +13,3 @@ SRCS+=	initfini.c
 
 # for -fstack-protector
 SRCS+=	stack_protector.c
-
-# Ownership of globals from crt0.o is shared with libc for historic reasons
-COPTS.initfini.c+=		-fcommon
diff --git a/lib/libc/misc/initfini.c b/lib/libc/misc/initfini.c
index c24c7cdda3a8..9f5cec1d2cce 100644
--- a/lib/libc/misc/initfini.c
+++ b/lib/libc/misc/initfini.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* 	$NetBSD: initfini.c,v 1.14 2017/06/17 15:26:44 joerg Exp $	 */
+/* 	$NetBSD: initfini.c,v 1.15 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $	 */
 
 /*-
  * Copyright (c) 2007 The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: initfini.c,v 1.14 2017/06/17 15:26:44 joerg Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: initfini.c,v 1.15 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $");
 
 #ifdef _LIBC
 #include "namespace.h"
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ __RCSID("$NetBSD: initfini.c,v 1.14 2017/06/17 15:26:44 joerg Exp $");
 #include <sys/exec.h>
 #include <sys/tls.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include "csu-common.h"
 
 void	_libc_init(void) __attribute__((__constructor__, __used__));
 
@@ -75,7 +76,9 @@ void _libc_init(void);
  * Declare as common symbol to allow new libc with older binaries to
  * not trigger an undefined reference.
  */
-struct ps_strings *__ps_strings;
+struct ps_strings *__ps_strings __common;
+char *__progname __common;
+char **environ __common;
 
 /*
  * _libc_init is called twice.  One call comes explicitly from crt0.o
diff --git a/lib/libc/stdlib/_env.c b/lib/libc/stdlib/_env.c
index bade54e6b175..627db85ca41b 100644
--- a/lib/libc/stdlib/_env.c
+++ b/lib/libc/stdlib/_env.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: _env.c,v 1.10 2020/02/22 10:05:12 kamil Exp $ */
+/*	$NetBSD: _env.c,v 1.11 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $ */
 
 /*-
  * Copyright (c) 2010 The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 #if defined(LIBC_SCCS) && !defined(lint)
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: _env.c,v 1.10 2020/02/22 10:05:12 kamil Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: _env.c,v 1.11 2021/04/20 21:42:32 christos Exp $");
 #endif /* LIBC_SCCS and not lint */
 
 #include "namespace.h"
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ __RCSID("$NetBSD: _env.c,v 1.10 2020/02/22 10:05:12 kamil Exp $");
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include "csu-common.h"
 
 #include "env.h"
 #include "local.h"
@@ -94,8 +95,6 @@ __warn_references(__findenv,
 /* Our initialization function. */
 void __libc_env_init(void);
 
-char **environ;
-
 /*ARGSUSED*/
 static signed int
 env_tree_compare_nodes(void *ctx, const void *node_a, const void *node_b)