diff --git a/Kconfig.zephyr b/Kconfig.zephyr
index b623b2892c0..289abc2194c 100644
--- a/Kconfig.zephyr
+++ b/Kconfig.zephyr
@@ -266,6 +266,32 @@ config LINKER_GENERIC_SECTIONS_PRESENT_AT_BOOT
 
 	  If unsure, say Y.
 
+config LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID
+	bool "Last section identifier"
+	default y
+	depends on ARM || ARM64 || RISCV
+	help
+	  If enabled, the last section will contain an identifier.
+	  This ensures that the '_flash_used' linker symbol will always be
+	  correctly calculated, even in cases where the location counter may
+	  have been incremented for alignment purposes but no data is placed
+	  after alignment.
+
+	  Note: in cases where the flash is fully used, for example application
+	  specific data is written at the end of the flash area, then writing a
+	  last section identifier may cause rom region overflow.
+	  In such cases this setting should be disabled.
+
+config LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID_PATTERN
+	hex "Last section identifier pattern"
+	default "0xE015E015"
+	depends on LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID
+	help
+	  Pattern to fill into last section as identifier.
+	  Default pattern is 0xE015 (end of last section), but any pattern can
+	  be used.
+	  The size of the pattern must not exceed 4 bytes.
+
 endmenu # "Linker Sections"
 
 endmenu
diff --git a/include/zephyr/arch/arm/aarch32/cortex_a_r/scripts/linker.ld b/include/zephyr/arch/arm/aarch32/cortex_a_r/scripts/linker.ld
index f56548f3bca..2a3d7a2d39e 100644
--- a/include/zephyr/arch/arm/aarch32/cortex_a_r/scripts/linker.ld
+++ b/include/zephyr/arch/arm/aarch32/cortex_a_r/scripts/linker.ld
@@ -385,12 +385,17 @@ GROUP_END(OCM)
     LINKER_DT_SECTIONS()
 
     /* Must be last in romable region */
-    SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,(NOLOAD),)
+    SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,,)
     {
+#ifdef CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID
+      /* Fill last section with a word to ensure location counter and actual rom
+       * region data usage match. */
+      LONG(CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID_PATTERN)
+#endif
     } GROUP_LINK_IN(ROMABLE_REGION)
 
     /* To provide the image size as a const expression,
      * calculate this value here. */
-    _flash_used = LOADADDR(.last_section) - __rom_region_start;
+    _flash_used = LOADADDR(.last_section) + SIZEOF(.last_section) - __rom_region_start;
 
 }
diff --git a/include/zephyr/arch/arm/aarch32/cortex_m/scripts/linker.ld b/include/zephyr/arch/arm/aarch32/cortex_m/scripts/linker.ld
index e6341d587b6..9620f96f406 100644
--- a/include/zephyr/arch/arm/aarch32/cortex_m/scripts/linker.ld
+++ b/include/zephyr/arch/arm/aarch32/cortex_m/scripts/linker.ld
@@ -440,12 +440,17 @@ GROUP_END(DTCM)
     LINKER_DT_SECTIONS()
 
 /* Must be last in romable region */
-SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,(NOLOAD),)
+SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,,)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID
+  /* Fill last section with a word to ensure location counter and actual rom
+   * region data usage match. */
+  LONG(CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID_PATTERN)
+#endif
 } GROUP_LINK_IN(ROMABLE_REGION)
 
 /* To provide the image size as a const expression,
  * calculate this value here. */
-_flash_used = LOADADDR(.last_section) - __rom_region_start;
+_flash_used = LOADADDR(.last_section) + SIZEOF(.last_section) - __rom_region_start;
 
     }
diff --git a/include/zephyr/arch/arm64/scripts/linker.ld b/include/zephyr/arch/arm64/scripts/linker.ld
index 05ae9464fe6..1a608150ef5 100644
--- a/include/zephyr/arch/arm64/scripts/linker.ld
+++ b/include/zephyr/arch/arm64/scripts/linker.ld
@@ -322,12 +322,17 @@ SECTIONS
 
 
     /* Must be last in romable region */
-    SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,(NOLOAD),)
+    SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,,)
     {
+#ifdef CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID
+      /* Fill last section with a word to ensure location counter and actual rom
+       * region data usage match. */
+      LONG(CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID_PATTERN)
+#endif
     } GROUP_ROM_LINK_IN(RAMABLE_REGION, ROMABLE_REGION)
 
     /* To provide the image size as a const expression,
      * calculate this value here. */
-    _flash_used = LOADADDR(.last_section) - __rom_region_start;
+    _flash_used = LOADADDR(.last_section) + SIZEOF(.last_section) - __rom_region_start;
 
 }
diff --git a/include/zephyr/arch/riscv/common/linker.ld b/include/zephyr/arch/riscv/common/linker.ld
index e5b623e0506..52f0a2b97e8 100644
--- a/include/zephyr/arch/riscv/common/linker.ld
+++ b/include/zephyr/arch/riscv/common/linker.ld
@@ -399,13 +399,18 @@ GROUP_END(DTCM)
  */
 #ifdef CONFIG_XIP
 /* Must be last in romable region */
-SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,(NOLOAD),)
+SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,,)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID
+  /* Fill last section with a word to ensure location counter and actual rom
+   * region data usage match. */
+  LONG(CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID_PATTERN)
+#endif
 } GROUP_LINK_IN(ROMABLE_REGION)
 
 /* To provide the image size as a const expression,
  * calculate this value here. */
-__rom_region_end = LOADADDR(.last_section);
+__rom_region_end = LOADADDR(.last_section) + SIZEOF(.last_section);
 __rom_region_size = __rom_region_end - __rom_region_start;
 #endif
 
diff --git a/soc/riscv/riscv-privilege/andes_v5/ae350/linker.ld b/soc/riscv/riscv-privilege/andes_v5/ae350/linker.ld
index 9245971c6d3..0db410ca997 100644
--- a/soc/riscv/riscv-privilege/andes_v5/ae350/linker.ld
+++ b/soc/riscv/riscv-privilege/andes_v5/ae350/linker.ld
@@ -360,13 +360,18 @@ GROUP_END(DTCM)
 	}
 
 /* Must be last in romable region */
-SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,(NOLOAD),)
+SECTION_PROLOGUE(.last_section,,)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID
+  /* Fill last section with a word to ensure location counter and actual rom
+   * region data usage match. */
+  LONG(CONFIG_LINKER_LAST_SECTION_ID_PATTERN)
+#endif
 } GROUP_LINK_IN(ROMABLE_REGION)
 
 /* To provide the image size as a const expression,
  * calculate this value here. */
-__rom_region_end = LOADADDR(.last_section);
+__rom_region_end = LOADADDR(.last_section) + SIZEOF(.last_section);
 __rom_region_size = __rom_region_end - __rom_region_start;
 
 }