diff --git a/include/common/ist.h b/include/common/ist.h
index 04b7e00dc..32a11eddf 100644
--- a/include/common/ist.h
+++ b/include/common/ist.h
@@ -35,76 +35,87 @@
 #include <common/config.h>
 
 /* ASCII to lower case conversion table */
-const unsigned char ist_lc[256] __attribute__((__weak__)) = {
-	0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07,
-	0x08, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x0c, 0x0d, 0x0e, 0x0f,
-	0x10, 0x11, 0x12, 0x13, 0x14, 0x15, 0x16, 0x17,
-	0x18, 0x19, 0x1a, 0x1b, 0x1c, 0x1d, 0x1e, 0x1f,
-	0x20, 0x21, 0x22, 0x23, 0x24, 0x25, 0x26, 0x27,
-	0x28, 0x29, 0x2a, 0x2b, 0x2c, 0x2d, 0x2e, 0x2f,
-	0x30, 0x31, 0x32, 0x33, 0x34, 0x35, 0x36, 0x37,
-	0x38, 0x39, 0x3a, 0x3b, 0x3c, 0x3d, 0x3e, 0x3f,
-	0x40, 0x61, 0x62, 0x63, 0x64, 0x65, 0x66, 0x67,
-	0x68, 0x69, 0x6a, 0x6b, 0x6c, 0x6d, 0x6e, 0x6f,
-	0x70, 0x71, 0x72, 0x73, 0x74, 0x75, 0x76, 0x77,
-	0x78, 0x79, 0x7a, 0x5b, 0x5c, 0x5d, 0x5e, 0x5f,
-	0x60, 0x61, 0x62, 0x63, 0x64, 0x65, 0x66, 0x67,
-	0x68, 0x69, 0x6a, 0x6b, 0x6c, 0x6d, 0x6e, 0x6f,
-	0x70, 0x71, 0x72, 0x73, 0x74, 0x75, 0x76, 0x77,
-	0x78, 0x79, 0x7a, 0x7b, 0x7c, 0x7d, 0x7e, 0x7f,
-	0x80, 0x81, 0x82, 0x83, 0x84, 0x85, 0x86, 0x87,
-	0x88, 0x89, 0x8a, 0x8b, 0x8c, 0x8d, 0x8e, 0x8f,
-	0x90, 0x91, 0x92, 0x93, 0x94, 0x95, 0x96, 0x97,
-	0x98, 0x99, 0x9a, 0x9b, 0x9c, 0x9d, 0x9e, 0x9f,
-	0xa0, 0xa1, 0xa2, 0xa3, 0xa4, 0xa5, 0xa6, 0xa7,
-	0xa8, 0xa9, 0xaa, 0xab, 0xac, 0xad, 0xae, 0xaf,
-	0xb0, 0xb1, 0xb2, 0xb3, 0xb4, 0xb5, 0xb6, 0xb7,
-	0xb8, 0xb9, 0xba, 0xbb, 0xbc, 0xbd, 0xbe, 0xbf,
-	0xc0, 0xc1, 0xc2, 0xc3, 0xc4, 0xc5, 0xc6, 0xc7,
-	0xc8, 0xc9, 0xca, 0xcb, 0xcc, 0xcd, 0xce, 0xcf,
-	0xd0, 0xd1, 0xd2, 0xd3, 0xd4, 0xd5, 0xd6, 0xd7,
-	0xd8, 0xd9, 0xda, 0xdb, 0xdc, 0xdd, 0xde, 0xdf,
-	0xe0, 0xe1, 0xe2, 0xe3, 0xe4, 0xe5, 0xe6, 0xe7,
-	0xe8, 0xe9, 0xea, 0xeb, 0xec, 0xed, 0xee, 0xef,
-	0xf0, 0xf1, 0xf2, 0xf3, 0xf4, 0xf5, 0xf6, 0xf7,
-	0xf8, 0xf9, 0xfa, 0xfb, 0xfc, 0xfd, 0xfe, 0xff,
-};
+#define _IST_LC ((const unsigned char[256]){            \
+	0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07, \
+	0x08, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x0c, 0x0d, 0x0e, 0x0f, \
+	0x10, 0x11, 0x12, 0x13, 0x14, 0x15, 0x16, 0x17, \
+	0x18, 0x19, 0x1a, 0x1b, 0x1c, 0x1d, 0x1e, 0x1f, \
+	0x20, 0x21, 0x22, 0x23, 0x24, 0x25, 0x26, 0x27, \
+	0x28, 0x29, 0x2a, 0x2b, 0x2c, 0x2d, 0x2e, 0x2f, \
+	0x30, 0x31, 0x32, 0x33, 0x34, 0x35, 0x36, 0x37, \
+	0x38, 0x39, 0x3a, 0x3b, 0x3c, 0x3d, 0x3e, 0x3f, \
+	0x40, 0x61, 0x62, 0x63, 0x64, 0x65, 0x66, 0x67, \
+	0x68, 0x69, 0x6a, 0x6b, 0x6c, 0x6d, 0x6e, 0x6f, \
+	0x70, 0x71, 0x72, 0x73, 0x74, 0x75, 0x76, 0x77, \
+	0x78, 0x79, 0x7a, 0x5b, 0x5c, 0x5d, 0x5e, 0x5f, \
+	0x60, 0x61, 0x62, 0x63, 0x64, 0x65, 0x66, 0x67, \
+	0x68, 0x69, 0x6a, 0x6b, 0x6c, 0x6d, 0x6e, 0x6f, \
+	0x70, 0x71, 0x72, 0x73, 0x74, 0x75, 0x76, 0x77, \
+	0x78, 0x79, 0x7a, 0x7b, 0x7c, 0x7d, 0x7e, 0x7f, \
+	0x80, 0x81, 0x82, 0x83, 0x84, 0x85, 0x86, 0x87, \
+	0x88, 0x89, 0x8a, 0x8b, 0x8c, 0x8d, 0x8e, 0x8f, \
+	0x90, 0x91, 0x92, 0x93, 0x94, 0x95, 0x96, 0x97, \
+	0x98, 0x99, 0x9a, 0x9b, 0x9c, 0x9d, 0x9e, 0x9f, \
+	0xa0, 0xa1, 0xa2, 0xa3, 0xa4, 0xa5, 0xa6, 0xa7, \
+	0xa8, 0xa9, 0xaa, 0xab, 0xac, 0xad, 0xae, 0xaf, \
+	0xb0, 0xb1, 0xb2, 0xb3, 0xb4, 0xb5, 0xb6, 0xb7, \
+	0xb8, 0xb9, 0xba, 0xbb, 0xbc, 0xbd, 0xbe, 0xbf, \
+	0xc0, 0xc1, 0xc2, 0xc3, 0xc4, 0xc5, 0xc6, 0xc7, \
+	0xc8, 0xc9, 0xca, 0xcb, 0xcc, 0xcd, 0xce, 0xcf, \
+	0xd0, 0xd1, 0xd2, 0xd3, 0xd4, 0xd5, 0xd6, 0xd7, \
+	0xd8, 0xd9, 0xda, 0xdb, 0xdc, 0xdd, 0xde, 0xdf, \
+	0xe0, 0xe1, 0xe2, 0xe3, 0xe4, 0xe5, 0xe6, 0xe7, \
+	0xe8, 0xe9, 0xea, 0xeb, 0xec, 0xed, 0xee, 0xef, \
+	0xf0, 0xf1, 0xf2, 0xf3, 0xf4, 0xf5, 0xf6, 0xf7, \
+	0xf8, 0xf9, 0xfa, 0xfb, 0xfc, 0xfd, 0xfe, 0xff, \
+})
 
 /* ASCII to upper case conversion table */
-const unsigned char ist_uc[256] __attribute__((__weak__)) = {
-	0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07,
-	0x08, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x0c, 0x0d, 0x0e, 0x0f,
-	0x10, 0x11, 0x12, 0x13, 0x14, 0x15, 0x16, 0x17,
-	0x18, 0x19, 0x1a, 0x1b, 0x1c, 0x1d, 0x1e, 0x1f,
-	0x20, 0x21, 0x22, 0x23, 0x24, 0x25, 0x26, 0x27,
-	0x28, 0x29, 0x2a, 0x2b, 0x2c, 0x2d, 0x2e, 0x2f,
-	0x30, 0x31, 0x32, 0x33, 0x34, 0x35, 0x36, 0x37,
-	0x38, 0x39, 0x3a, 0x3b, 0x3c, 0x3d, 0x3e, 0x3f,
-	0x40, 0x41, 0x42, 0x43, 0x44, 0x45, 0x46, 0x47,
-	0x48, 0x49, 0x4a, 0x4b, 0x4c, 0x4d, 0x4e, 0x4f,
-	0x50, 0x51, 0x52, 0x53, 0x54, 0x55, 0x56, 0x57,
-	0x58, 0x59, 0x5a, 0x5b, 0x5c, 0x5d, 0x5e, 0x5f,
-	0x60, 0x41, 0x42, 0x43, 0x44, 0x45, 0x46, 0x47,
-	0x48, 0x49, 0x4a, 0x4b, 0x4c, 0x4d, 0x4e, 0x4f,
-	0x50, 0x51, 0x52, 0x53, 0x54, 0x55, 0x56, 0x57,
-	0x58, 0x59, 0x5a, 0x7b, 0x7c, 0x7d, 0x7e, 0x7f,
-	0x80, 0x81, 0x82, 0x83, 0x84, 0x85, 0x86, 0x87,
-	0x88, 0x89, 0x8a, 0x8b, 0x8c, 0x8d, 0x8e, 0x8f,
-	0x90, 0x91, 0x92, 0x93, 0x94, 0x95, 0x96, 0x97,
-	0x98, 0x99, 0x9a, 0x9b, 0x9c, 0x9d, 0x9e, 0x9f,
-	0xa0, 0xa1, 0xa2, 0xa3, 0xa4, 0xa5, 0xa6, 0xa7,
-	0xa8, 0xa9, 0xaa, 0xab, 0xac, 0xad, 0xae, 0xaf,
-	0xb0, 0xb1, 0xb2, 0xb3, 0xb4, 0xb5, 0xb6, 0xb7,
-	0xb8, 0xb9, 0xba, 0xbb, 0xbc, 0xbd, 0xbe, 0xbf,
-	0xc0, 0xc1, 0xc2, 0xc3, 0xc4, 0xc5, 0xc6, 0xc7,
-	0xc8, 0xc9, 0xca, 0xcb, 0xcc, 0xcd, 0xce, 0xcf,
-	0xd0, 0xd1, 0xd2, 0xd3, 0xd4, 0xd5, 0xd6, 0xd7,
-	0xd8, 0xd9, 0xda, 0xdb, 0xdc, 0xdd, 0xde, 0xdf,
-	0xe0, 0xe1, 0xe2, 0xe3, 0xe4, 0xe5, 0xe6, 0xe7,
-	0xe8, 0xe9, 0xea, 0xeb, 0xec, 0xed, 0xee, 0xef,
-	0xf0, 0xf1, 0xf2, 0xf3, 0xf4, 0xf5, 0xf6, 0xf7,
-	0xf8, 0xf9, 0xfa, 0xfb, 0xfc, 0xfd, 0xfe, 0xff,
-};
+#define _IST_UC ((const unsigned char[256]){            \
+	0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07, \
+	0x08, 0x09, 0x0a, 0x0b, 0x0c, 0x0d, 0x0e, 0x0f, \
+	0x10, 0x11, 0x12, 0x13, 0x14, 0x15, 0x16, 0x17, \
+	0x18, 0x19, 0x1a, 0x1b, 0x1c, 0x1d, 0x1e, 0x1f, \
+	0x20, 0x21, 0x22, 0x23, 0x24, 0x25, 0x26, 0x27, \
+	0x28, 0x29, 0x2a, 0x2b, 0x2c, 0x2d, 0x2e, 0x2f, \
+	0x30, 0x31, 0x32, 0x33, 0x34, 0x35, 0x36, 0x37, \
+	0x38, 0x39, 0x3a, 0x3b, 0x3c, 0x3d, 0x3e, 0x3f, \
+	0x40, 0x41, 0x42, 0x43, 0x44, 0x45, 0x46, 0x47, \
+	0x48, 0x49, 0x4a, 0x4b, 0x4c, 0x4d, 0x4e, 0x4f, \
+	0x50, 0x51, 0x52, 0x53, 0x54, 0x55, 0x56, 0x57, \
+	0x58, 0x59, 0x5a, 0x5b, 0x5c, 0x5d, 0x5e, 0x5f, \
+	0x60, 0x41, 0x42, 0x43, 0x44, 0x45, 0x46, 0x47, \
+	0x48, 0x49, 0x4a, 0x4b, 0x4c, 0x4d, 0x4e, 0x4f, \
+	0x50, 0x51, 0x52, 0x53, 0x54, 0x55, 0x56, 0x57, \
+	0x58, 0x59, 0x5a, 0x7b, 0x7c, 0x7d, 0x7e, 0x7f, \
+	0x80, 0x81, 0x82, 0x83, 0x84, 0x85, 0x86, 0x87, \
+	0x88, 0x89, 0x8a, 0x8b, 0x8c, 0x8d, 0x8e, 0x8f, \
+	0x90, 0x91, 0x92, 0x93, 0x94, 0x95, 0x96, 0x97, \
+	0x98, 0x99, 0x9a, 0x9b, 0x9c, 0x9d, 0x9e, 0x9f, \
+	0xa0, 0xa1, 0xa2, 0xa3, 0xa4, 0xa5, 0xa6, 0xa7, \
+	0xa8, 0xa9, 0xaa, 0xab, 0xac, 0xad, 0xae, 0xaf, \
+	0xb0, 0xb1, 0xb2, 0xb3, 0xb4, 0xb5, 0xb6, 0xb7, \
+	0xb8, 0xb9, 0xba, 0xbb, 0xbc, 0xbd, 0xbe, 0xbf, \
+	0xc0, 0xc1, 0xc2, 0xc3, 0xc4, 0xc5, 0xc6, 0xc7, \
+	0xc8, 0xc9, 0xca, 0xcb, 0xcc, 0xcd, 0xce, 0xcf, \
+	0xd0, 0xd1, 0xd2, 0xd3, 0xd4, 0xd5, 0xd6, 0xd7, \
+	0xd8, 0xd9, 0xda, 0xdb, 0xdc, 0xdd, 0xde, 0xdf, \
+	0xe0, 0xe1, 0xe2, 0xe3, 0xe4, 0xe5, 0xe6, 0xe7, \
+	0xe8, 0xe9, 0xea, 0xeb, 0xec, 0xed, 0xee, 0xef, \
+	0xf0, 0xf1, 0xf2, 0xf3, 0xf4, 0xf5, 0xf6, 0xf7, \
+	0xf8, 0xf9, 0xfa, 0xfb, 0xfc, 0xfd, 0xfe, 0xff, \
+})
+
+#ifdef USE_OBSOLETE_LINKER
+/* some old linkers and some non-ELF platforms have issues with the weak
+ * attribute so we turn these arrays to literals there.
+ */
+#define ist_lc _IST_LC
+#define ist_uc _IST_UC
+#else
+const unsigned char ist_lc[256] __attribute__((weak)) = _IST_LC;
+const unsigned char ist_uc[256] __attribute__((weak)) = _IST_UC;
+#endif
 
 /* This string definition will most often be used to represent a read-only
  * string returned from a function, based on the starting point and its length