diff --git a/components/esp_system/CMakeLists.txt b/components/esp_system/CMakeLists.txt
index fc4f1397f3a..b5bbfa96635 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/components/esp_system/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,8 +8,18 @@ if(${target} STREQUAL "linux")
                         "port/soc/linux/reset_reason.c"
                         "port/soc/linux/system_internal.c"
                         "port/esp_system_linux.c"
+                        "freertos_hooks.c"
+                        "startup.c"
                         INCLUDE_DIRS "include"
                         PRIV_REQUIRES spi_flash)
+
+    # Add custom ld file (used to place system init functions).
+    # Mach-O (Apple) does not support linker scripts; section bounds are resolved
+    # at runtime via getsectiondata() so no -T flag is needed there.
+    if(NOT CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Darwin")
+        target_link_options(${COMPONENT_TARGET} INTERFACE "-Wl,-T,${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ld/linux/sections.ld")
+    endif()
+
     return()
 endif()
 
diff --git a/components/esp_system/Kconfig b/components/esp_system/Kconfig
index 56165299cd5..6ae836f62c7 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/Kconfig
+++ b/components/esp_system/Kconfig
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ menu "ESP System Settings"
 
     config ESP_SYSTEM_SINGLE_CORE_MODE
         bool
+        default y if IDF_TARGET_LINUX
         default n
         help
             Only initialize and use the main core.
diff --git a/components/esp_system/freertos_hooks.c b/components/esp_system/freertos_hooks.c
index f29f5ba6271..49f0a49271d 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/freertos_hooks.c
+++ b/components/esp_system/freertos_hooks.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2024 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2026 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@
 #include "freertos/FreeRTOS.h"
 #include "esp_attr.h"
 #include "esp_freertos_hooks.h"
-#include "esp_cpu.h"
 
 #include "sdkconfig.h"
+#include "esp_cpu.h"
 
 #if CONFIG_PM_ENABLE
 #include "esp_pm.h"
 #include "esp_private/pm_impl.h"
-#endif
+#endif // CONFIG_PM_ENABLE
 
 //We use just a static array here because it's not expected many components will need
 //an idle or tick hook.
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ void esp_vApplicationIdleHook(void)
 #else
     esp_cpu_wait_for_intr();
 #endif
-
 }
 
 esp_err_t esp_register_freertos_idle_hook_for_cpu(esp_freertos_idle_cb_t new_idle_cb, UBaseType_t cpuid)
diff --git a/components/esp_system/include/esp_private/startup_internal.h b/components/esp_system/include/esp_private/startup_internal.h
index ed1b03e6028..c86a1701860 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/include/esp_private/startup_internal.h
+++ b/components/esp_system/include/esp_private/startup_internal.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2024 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2026 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -69,14 +69,14 @@ typedef struct {
  * discarded if the related feature is not used.
  */
 #define ESP_SYSTEM_INIT_FN(f, stage_, c, priority, ...) \
-    static esp_err_t __VA_ARGS__ __esp_system_init_fn_##f(void); \
-    static __attribute__((used)) _SECTION_ATTR_IMPL(".esp_system_init_fn", priority) \
-        esp_system_init_fn_t esp_system_init_fn_##f = { \
-            .fn = ( __esp_system_init_fn_##f), \
+    static esp_err_t __VA_ARGS__ __esp_sys_init_fn_##f(void); \
+    static _SECTION_ATTR_IMPL_GENERIC("esp_sys_init_fn", priority) \
+        esp_system_init_fn_t esp_sys_init_fn_##f = { \
+            .fn = ( __esp_sys_init_fn_##f), \
             .cores = (c), \
             .stage = ESP_SYSTEM_INIT_STAGE_##stage_ \
         }; \
-    static esp_err_t __esp_system_init_fn_##f(void)
+    static esp_err_t __esp_sys_init_fn_##f(void)
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ESP_SYSTEM_SINGLE_CORE_MODE
 #define ESP_SYSTEM_INIT_ALL_CORES BIT(0)
diff --git a/components/esp_system/ld/esp32/sections.ld.in b/components/esp_system/ld/esp32/sections.ld.in
index 62793100e81..f420b9ed9c4 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/ld/esp32/sections.ld.in
+++ b/components/esp_system/ld/esp32/sections.ld.in
@@ -368,9 +368,9 @@ SECTIONS
     soc_reserved_memory_region_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
     /* System init functions registered via ESP_SYSTEM_INIT_FN */
-    ALIGNED_SYMBOL(4, _esp_system_init_fn_array_start)
-    KEEP (*(SORT_BY_INIT_PRIORITY(.esp_system_init_fn.*)))
-    _esp_system_init_fn_array_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
+    ALIGNED_SYMBOL(4, _esp_sys_init_fn_start)
+    KEEP (*(SORT_BY_INIT_PRIORITY(.esp_sys_init_fn.*)))
+    _esp_sys_init_fn_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
     _rodata_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
diff --git a/components/esp_system/ld/esp32s2/sections.ld.in b/components/esp_system/ld/esp32s2/sections.ld.in
index 158df7fb8a2..0f67740208b 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/ld/esp32s2/sections.ld.in
+++ b/components/esp_system/ld/esp32s2/sections.ld.in
@@ -372,9 +372,9 @@ SECTIONS
     soc_reserved_memory_region_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
     /* System init functions registered via ESP_SYSTEM_INIT_FN */
-    ALIGNED_SYMBOL(4, _esp_system_init_fn_array_start)
-    KEEP (*(SORT_BY_INIT_PRIORITY(.esp_system_init_fn.*)))
-    _esp_system_init_fn_array_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
+    ALIGNED_SYMBOL(4, _esp_sys_init_fn_start)
+    KEEP (*(SORT_BY_INIT_PRIORITY(.esp_sys_init_fn.*)))
+    _esp_sys_init_fn_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
     _rodata_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
diff --git a/components/esp_system/ld/esp32s3/sections.ld.in b/components/esp_system/ld/esp32s3/sections.ld.in
index b7facdb8c5e..ab323eee536 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/ld/esp32s3/sections.ld.in
+++ b/components/esp_system/ld/esp32s3/sections.ld.in
@@ -381,9 +381,9 @@ SECTIONS
     soc_reserved_memory_region_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
     /* System init functions registered via ESP_SYSTEM_INIT_FN */
-    ALIGNED_SYMBOL(4, _esp_system_init_fn_array_start)
-    KEEP (*(SORT_BY_INIT_PRIORITY(.esp_system_init_fn.*)))
-    _esp_system_init_fn_array_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
+    ALIGNED_SYMBOL(4, _esp_sys_init_fn_start)
+    KEEP (*(SORT_BY_INIT_PRIORITY(.esp_sys_init_fn.*)))
+    _esp_sys_init_fn_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
     _rodata_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
diff --git a/components/esp_system/ld/ld.flash.sections b/components/esp_system/ld/ld.flash.sections
index 16ef50b63c3..8d06bde52ab 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/ld/ld.flash.sections
+++ b/components/esp_system/ld/ld.flash.sections
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@
     soc_reserved_memory_region_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
     /* System init functions registered via ESP_SYSTEM_INIT_FN */
-    ALIGNED_SYMBOL(4, _esp_system_init_fn_array_start)
-    KEEP (*(SORT_BY_INIT_PRIORITY(.esp_system_init_fn.*)))
-    _esp_system_init_fn_array_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
+    ALIGNED_SYMBOL(4, _esp_sys_init_fn_start)
+    KEEP (*(SORT_BY_INIT_PRIORITY(.esp_sys_init_fn.*)))
+    _esp_sys_init_fn_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
 
     _rodata_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
     . = ALIGN(ALIGNOF(SECTION_AFTER_FLASH_RODATA));
diff --git a/components/esp_system/ld/linux/sections.ld b/components/esp_system/ld/linux/sections.ld
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..512d72e9f67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_system/ld/linux/sections.ld
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+SECTIONS
+{
+    .esp_sys_init_fn :
+    {
+        PROVIDE(_esp_sys_init_fn_start = .);
+        KEEP(*(SORT(.esp_sys_init_fn*)))
+        PROVIDE(_esp_sys_init_fn_end = .);
+    }
+}
+INSERT AFTER .data;
diff --git a/components/esp_system/startup.c b/components/esp_system/startup.c
index d0887f02e7b..91ba435c431 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/startup.c
+++ b/components/esp_system/startup.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2025 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2015-2026 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -34,14 +34,41 @@ uint64_t g_startup_time = 0;
 extern void esp_startup_start_app(void);
 
 // Entry point for core 0 from hardware init (port layer)
+#if defined(__APPLE__) && defined(__MACH__)
+static void start_cpu0_default(void);
+__attribute__((weak, noreturn)) void start_cpu0(void)
+{
+    start_cpu0_default();
+    __builtin_unreachable();
+}
+#else
 void start_cpu0(void) __attribute__((weak, alias("start_cpu0_default"))) __attribute__((noreturn));
+#endif
 
 #if !CONFIG_ESP_SYSTEM_SINGLE_CORE_MODE
 // Entry point for core [1..X] from hardware init (port layer)
+#if defined(__APPLE__) && defined(__MACH__)
+static void start_cpu_other_cores_default(void);
+__attribute__((weak, noreturn)) void start_cpu_other_cores(void)
+{
+    start_cpu_other_cores_default();
+    __builtin_unreachable();
+}
+#else
 void start_cpu_other_cores(void) __attribute__((weak, alias("start_cpu_other_cores_default"))) __attribute__((noreturn));
+#endif
 
 // App entry point for core [1..X]
+#if defined(__APPLE__) && defined(__MACH__)
+static void esp_startup_start_app_other_cores_default(void);
+__attribute__((weak, noreturn)) void esp_startup_start_app_other_cores(void)
+{
+    esp_startup_start_app_other_cores_default();
+    __builtin_unreachable();
+}
+#else
 void esp_startup_start_app_other_cores(void) __attribute__((weak, alias("esp_startup_start_app_other_cores_default"))) __attribute__((noreturn));
+#endif
 
 static volatile bool s_system_inited[SOC_CPU_CORES_NUM] = { false };
 
@@ -79,10 +106,14 @@ static void __do_global_ctors_1(void)
 }
 #endif // CONFIG_COMPILER_CXX_EXCEPTIONS
 
+/* declare the start and stop symbols surrounding the array of init functions
+ * registered by calling the system init function macros */
+_SECTION_ATTR_SYMBOL_DECL_GENERIC(esp_system_init_fn_t, esp_sys_init_fn)
+
 /**
- * @brief Call component init functions defined using ESP_SYSTEM_INIT_Fn macros.
+ * @brief Call component init functions defined using the system init function macros.
  * The esp_system_init_fn_t structures describing these functions are collected into
- * an array [_esp_system_init_fn_array_start, _esp_system_init_fn_array_end) by the
+ * an array [_esp_sys_init_fn_start, _esp_sys_init_fn_end) by the
  * linker. The functions are sorted by their priority value.
  * The sequence of the init function calls (sorted by priority) is documented in
  * system_init_fn.txt file.
@@ -91,13 +122,10 @@ static void __do_global_ctors_1(void)
 __attribute__((no_sanitize_undefined)) /* TODO: IDF-8133 */
 static void do_system_init_fn(uint32_t stage_num)
 {
-    extern esp_system_init_fn_t _esp_system_init_fn_array_start;
-    extern esp_system_init_fn_t _esp_system_init_fn_array_end;
-
-    esp_system_init_fn_t *p;
+    const esp_system_init_fn_t *p;
 
     int core_id = esp_cpu_get_core_id();
-    for (p = &_esp_system_init_fn_array_start; p < &_esp_system_init_fn_array_end; ++p) {
+    for (p = _SECTION_START(esp_sys_init_fn); p < _SECTION_END(esp_sys_init_fn); ++p) {
         if (p->stage == stage_num && (p->cores & BIT(core_id)) != 0) {
             // During core init, stdout is not initialized yet, so use early logging.
             ESP_EARLY_LOGD(TAG, "calling init function: %p on core: %d", p->fn, core_id);
@@ -171,7 +199,6 @@ static void do_secondary_init(void)
 
 static void start_cpu0_default(void)
 {
-    extern void __libc_init_array(void);
     // Initialize core components and services.
     // Operations that needs the cache to be disabled have to be done here.
     do_core_init();
@@ -180,7 +207,10 @@ static void start_cpu0_default(void)
 #ifdef CONFIG_COMPILER_CXX_EXCEPTIONS
     __do_global_ctors_1();
 #endif
+#if !CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_LINUX
+    extern void __libc_init_array(void);
     __libc_init_array();
+#endif // !CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_LINUX
 
     /* ----------------------------------Separator-----------------------------
      * After this stage, other CPU start running with the cache, however the scheduler (and ipc service) is not available.