diff --git a/arch/s390/boot/compressed/misc.c b/arch/s390/boot/compressed/misc.c
index a97d695..14e0479 100644
--- a/arch/s390/boot/compressed/misc.c
+++ b/arch/s390/boot/compressed/misc.c
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@
 /* Symbols defined by linker scripts */
 extern char input_data[];
 extern int input_len;
-extern int _text;
-extern int _end;
+extern char _text, _end;
+extern char _bss, _ebss;
 
 static void error(char *m);
 
@@ -129,12 +129,12 @@
 	unsigned long output_addr;
 	unsigned char *output;
 
+	check_ipl_parmblock((void *) 0, (unsigned long) output + SZ__bss_start);
+	memset(&_bss, 0, &_ebss - &_bss);
 	free_mem_ptr = (unsigned long)&_end;
 	free_mem_end_ptr = free_mem_ptr + HEAP_SIZE;
 	output = (unsigned char *) ((free_mem_end_ptr + 4095UL) & -4096UL);
 
-	check_ipl_parmblock((void *) 0, (unsigned long) output + SZ__bss_start);
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD
 	/*
 	 * Move the initrd right behind the end of the decompressed