diff --git a/arch/arm/boot/Makefile b/arch/arm/boot/Makefile
index 4a590f4113e2af044ea1764aeb0681ad7f50a74c..4d26f2c52a7553c1f0c6f387c2e7f5ad9a25328c 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boot/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/boot/Makefile
@@ -70,12 +70,7 @@ else
 $(obj)/uImage: LOADADDR=$(ZRELADDR)
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_THUMB2_KERNEL),y)
-# Set bit 0 to 1 so that "mov pc, rx" switches to Thumb-2 mode
-$(obj)/uImage: STARTADDR=$(shell echo $(LOADADDR) | sed -e "s/.$$/1/")
-else
 $(obj)/uImage: STARTADDR=$(LOADADDR)
-endif
 
 $(obj)/uImage:	$(obj)/zImage FORCE
 	$(call if_changed,uimage)
diff --git a/arch/arm/boot/compressed/head.S b/arch/arm/boot/compressed/head.S
index be97e0832d73addac6933028dee6f89fd7fa1c5e..7193884ed8b06c4452b6fe57f3c38821013d0af0 100644
--- a/arch/arm/boot/compressed/head.S
+++ b/arch/arm/boot/compressed/head.S
@@ -125,9 +125,13 @@ wait:		mrc	p14, 0, pc, c0, c1, 0
  * sort out different calling conventions
  */
 		.align
+		.arm				@ Always enter in ARM state
 start:
 		.type	start,#function
-		.rept	8
+ THUMB(		adr	r12, BSYM(1f)	)
+ THUMB(		bx	r12		)
+ THUMB(		.rept	6		)
+ ARM(		.rept	8		)
 		mov	r0, r0
 		.endr
 
@@ -135,6 +139,7 @@ start:
 		.word	0x016f2818		@ Magic numbers to help the loader
 		.word	start			@ absolute load/run zImage address
 		.word	_edata			@ zImage end address
+ THUMB(		.thumb			)
 1:		mov	r7, r1			@ save architecture ID
 		mov	r8, r2			@ save atags pointer