diff --git a/components/esp32/CMakeLists.txt b/components/esp32/CMakeLists.txt
index a6eaa1b31d..376de09d67 100644
--- a/components/esp32/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/components/esp32/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,10 +3,89 @@ if(NOT "${target}" STREQUAL "esp32")
     return()
 endif()
 
-if(NOT BOOTLOADER_BUILD)
-    # [refactor-todo] propagate these requirements for compatibility
-    # remove in the future
-    set(legacy_reqs driver efuse soc)
+idf_build_get_property(sdkconfig_header SDKCONFIG_HEADER)
+
+if(BOOTLOADER_BUILD)
+    # For bootloader, all we need from esp32 is headers
+    idf_component_register(INCLUDE_DIRS include REQUIRES xtensa)
+    target_linker_script(${COMPONENT_LIB} INTERFACE "ld/esp32.peripherals.ld")
+else()
+    # Regular app build
+    set(srcs
+        "cache_sram_mmu.c"
+        "dport_access.c"
+        "esp_himem.c"
+        "spiram.c"
+        "spiram_psram.c")
+
+    set(include_dirs "include")
+
+    set(requires driver efuse soc xtensa) #unfortunately rom/uart uses SOC registers directly
+
+    # app_update is added here because cpu_start.c uses esp_ota_get_app_description() function.
+    # esp_timer is added here because cpu_start.c uses esp_timer
+    set(priv_requires app_trace app_update bootloader_support esp_system log mbedtls nvs_flash pthread
+        spi_flash vfs espcoredump esp_common perfmon esp_timer esp_ipc esp_pm)
+
+    idf_component_register(SRCS "${srcs}"
+                        INCLUDE_DIRS "${include_dirs}"
+                        REQUIRES "${requires}"
+                        PRIV_REQUIRES "${priv_requires}"
+                        REQUIRED_IDF_TARGETS esp32)
+
+    target_linker_script(${COMPONENT_LIB} INTERFACE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/esp32_out.ld")
+
+    if(CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY)
+        # This has to be linked before esp32.project.ld
+        target_linker_script(${COMPONENT_LIB} INTERFACE "ld/esp32.extram.noinit.ld")
+    endif()
+
+    # Process the template file through the linker script generation mechanism, and use the output for linking the
+    # final binary
+    target_linker_script(${COMPONENT_LIB} INTERFACE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/ld/esp32.project.ld.in"
+                        PROCESS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/ld/esp32.project.ld")
+
+    target_linker_script(${COMPONENT_LIB} INTERFACE "ld/esp32.peripherals.ld")
+    target_link_libraries(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC gcc)
+    target_link_libraries(${COMPONENT_LIB} INTERFACE "-u call_user_start_cpu0")
+
+    idf_build_get_property(config_dir CONFIG_DIR)
+    # Preprocess esp32.ld linker script to include configuration, becomes esp32_out.ld
+    set(LD_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/ld)
+    add_custom_command(
+        OUTPUT esp32_out.ld
+        COMMAND "${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}" -C -P -x c -E -o esp32_out.ld -I ${config_dir} ${LD_DIR}/esp32.ld
+        MAIN_DEPENDENCY ${LD_DIR}/esp32.ld
+        DEPENDS ${sdkconfig_header}
+        COMMENT "Generating linker script..."
+        VERBATIM)
+
+    add_custom_target(esp32_linker_script DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/esp32_out.ld)
+    add_dependencies(${COMPONENT_LIB} esp32_linker_script)
+
+    if(CONFIG_SPIRAM_CACHE_WORKAROUND)
+        # Note: Adding as a PUBLIC compile option here causes this option to propagate to all
+        # components that depend on esp32.
+        #
+        # To handle some corner cases, the same flag is set in project_include.cmake
+        target_compile_options(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC -mfix-esp32-psram-cache-issue)
+        # also, make sure we link with this option so correct toolchain libs are pulled in
+        target_link_libraries(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC -mfix-esp32-psram-cache-issue)
+        # set strategy selected
+        # note that we don't need to set link options as the library linked is independent of this
+        if(CONFIG_SPIRAM_CACHE_WORKAROUND_STRATEGY_DUPLDST)
+            target_compile_options(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC -mfix-esp32-psram-cache-strategy=dupldst)
+            target_link_libraries(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC -mfix-esp32-psram-cache-strategy=dupldst)
+        endif()
+        if(CONFIG_SPIRAM_CACHE_WORKAROUND_STRATEGY_MEMW)
+            target_compile_options(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC -mfix-esp32-psram-cache-strategy=memw)
+            target_link_libraries(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC -mfix-esp32-psram-cache-strategy=memw)
+        endif()
+        if(CONFIG_SPIRAM_CACHE_WORKAROUND_STRATEGY_NOPS)
+            target_compile_options(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC -mfix-esp32-psram-cache-strategy=nops)
+            target_link_libraries(${COMPONENT_LIB} PUBLIC -mfix-esp32-psram-cache-strategy=nops)
+        endif()
+    endif()
 endif()
 
 idf_component_register(INCLUDE_DIRS include
diff --git a/components/esp32/component.mk b/components/esp32/component.mk
index ebd7a7d59b..1b831fd21f 100644
--- a/components/esp32/component.mk
+++ b/components/esp32/component.mk
@@ -1,3 +1,39 @@
 #
 # Component Makefile
 #
+
+COMPONENT_SRCDIRS := .
+
+ifdef CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
+   # This linker script must come before esp32.project.ld
+   LINKER_SCRIPTS += esp32.extram.noinit.ld
+endif
+
+#Linker scripts used to link the final application.
+#Warning: These linker scripts are only used when the normal app is compiled; the bootloader
+#specifies its own scripts.
+LINKER_SCRIPTS += $(COMPONENT_BUILD_DIR)/esp32.project.ld esp32.peripherals.ld
+
+#ld_include_panic_highint_hdl is added as an undefined symbol because otherwise the
+#linker will ignore panic_highint_hdl.S as it has no other files depending on any
+#symbols in it.
+COMPONENT_ADD_LDFLAGS += -L $(COMPONENT_PATH)/ld \
+                         -T esp32_out.ld \
+                         -u ld_include_panic_highint_hdl \
+                         $(addprefix -T ,$(LINKER_SCRIPTS)) \
+
+# final linking of project ELF depends on all binary libraries, and
+# all linker scripts (except esp32_out.ld, as this is code generated here.)
+COMPONENT_ADD_LINKER_DEPS := $(addprefix ld/, $(filter-out $(COMPONENT_BUILD_DIR)/esp32.project.ld, $(LINKER_SCRIPTS))) \
+                            $(COMPONENT_BUILD_DIR)/esp32.project.ld
+
+# Preprocess esp32.ld linker script into esp32_out.ld
+#
+# The library doesn't really depend on esp32_out.ld, but it
+# saves us from having to add the target to a Makefile.projbuild
+$(COMPONENT_LIBRARY): esp32_out.ld
+
+esp32_out.ld: $(COMPONENT_PATH)/ld/esp32.ld ../include/sdkconfig.h
+	$(CC) -I ../include -C -P -x c -E $< -o $@
+
+COMPONENT_EXTRA_CLEAN := esp32_out.ld $(COMPONENT_BUILD_DIR)/esp32.project.ld
diff --git a/components/esp_common/include/esp_attr.h b/components/esp_common/include/esp_attr.h
index 21e52bd67b..6be0d4e678 100644
--- a/components/esp_common/include/esp_attr.h
+++ b/components/esp_common/include/esp_attr.h
@@ -72,6 +72,14 @@ extern "C" {
 #define EXT_RAM_ATTR
 #endif
 
+#if CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
+// Forces data into external memory noinit section to avoid initialization after restart.
+#define EXT_RAM_NOINIT_ATTR _SECTION_ATTR_IMPL(".ext_ram.noinit", __COUNTER__)
+#else
+// Place in internal noinit section
+#define EXT_RAM_NOINIT_ATTR __NOINIT_ATTR
+#endif
+
 // Forces data into RTC slow memory. See "docs/deep-sleep-stub.rst"
 // Any variable marked with this attribute will keep its value
 // during a deep sleep / wake cycle.
@@ -155,4 +163,3 @@ FORCE_INLINE_ATTR TYPE& operator<<=(TYPE& a, int b) { a <<= b; return a; }
 }
 #endif
 #endif /* __ESP_ATTR_H__ */
-
diff --git a/components/esp_hw_support/Kconfig.spiram.common b/components/esp_hw_support/Kconfig.spiram.common
index e10d5cf588..adc7872332 100644
--- a/components/esp_hw_support/Kconfig.spiram.common
+++ b/components/esp_hw_support/Kconfig.spiram.common
@@ -101,3 +101,11 @@ config SPIRAM_ALLOW_BSS_SEG_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
         linker fragment scheme `extram_bss`.
 
         Note that the variables placed in SPIRAM using EXT_RAM_ATTR will be zero initialized.
+
+config SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
+    bool "Enable placement of noinit segments in external memory"
+    default n
+    depends on SPIRAM
+    help
+        If enabled, noinit variables can be placed in PSRAM using EXT_RAM_NOINIT_ATTR.
+        If disabled, EXT_RAM_NOINIT_ATTR will act like __NOINIT_ATTR.
diff --git a/components/esp_hw_support/include/soc/esp32/spiram.h b/components/esp_hw_support/include/soc/esp32/spiram.h
index e58712d1fa..b931cb79b0 100644
--- a/components/esp_hw_support/include/soc/esp32/spiram.h
+++ b/components/esp_hw_support/include/soc/esp32/spiram.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ void esp_spiram_init_cache(void);
  *
  * @return true on success, false on failed memory test
  */
-bool esp_spiram_test(void);
+bool esp_spiram_test(const void* keepout_addr_low, const void* keepout_addr_high);
 
 
 /**
diff --git a/components/esp_hw_support/port/esp32/spiram.c b/components/esp_hw_support/port/esp32/spiram.c
index eea2a49bc5..8c6da9afe2 100644
--- a/components/esp_hw_support/port/esp32/spiram.c
+++ b/components/esp_hw_support/port/esp32/spiram.c
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ static const char* TAG = "spiram";
 #if CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_BSS_SEG_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
 extern uint8_t _ext_ram_bss_start, _ext_ram_bss_end;
 #endif
+#if CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
+extern uint8_t _ext_ram_noinit_start, _ext_ram_noinit_end;
+#endif
+
 static bool spiram_inited=false;
 
 
@@ -79,7 +83,7 @@ static size_t spiram_size_usable_for_malloc(void)
  true when RAM seems OK, false when test fails. WARNING: Do not run this before the 2nd cpu has been
  initialized (in a two-core system) or after the heap allocator has taken ownership of the memory.
 */
-bool esp_spiram_test(void)
+bool esp_spiram_test(const void* keepout_addr_low, const void* keepout_addr_high)
 {
     volatile int *spiram=(volatile int*)SOC_EXTRAM_DATA_LOW;
     size_t p;
@@ -87,9 +91,19 @@ bool esp_spiram_test(void)
     int errct=0;
     int initial_err=-1;
     for (p=0; p<(s/sizeof(int)); p+=8) {
+        if ((keepout_addr_low <= (const void*)&spiram[p]) && ((const void*)&spiram[p] < keepout_addr_high)) {
+            continue;
+        } else if ((keepout_addr_low < (const void*)&spiram[p+1]) && ((const void*)&spiram[p+1] <= keepout_addr_high)) {
+            continue;
+        }
         spiram[p]=p^0xAAAAAAAA;
     }
     for (p=0; p<(s/sizeof(int)); p+=8) {
+        if ((keepout_addr_low <= (const void*)&spiram[p]) && ((const void*)&spiram[p] < keepout_addr_high)) {
+            continue;
+        } else if ((keepout_addr_low < (const void*)&spiram[p+1]) && ((const void*)&spiram[p+1] <= keepout_addr_high)) {
+            continue;
+        }
         if (spiram[p]!=(p^0xAAAAAAAA)) {
             errct++;
             if (errct==1) initial_err=p*4;
@@ -172,13 +186,20 @@ esp_err_t esp_spiram_add_to_heapalloc(void)
 {
     //Add entire external RAM region to heap allocator. Heap allocator knows the capabilities of this type of memory, so there's
     //no need to explicitly specify them.
+    intptr_t mallocable_ram_start = (intptr_t)SOC_EXTRAM_DATA_LOW;
 #if CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_BSS_SEG_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
-    ESP_EARLY_LOGI(TAG, "Adding pool of %dK of external SPI memory to heap allocator", (spiram_size_usable_for_malloc() - (&_ext_ram_bss_end - &_ext_ram_bss_start))/1024);
-    return heap_caps_add_region((intptr_t)&_ext_ram_bss_end, (intptr_t)SOC_EXTRAM_DATA_LOW + spiram_size_usable_for_malloc()-1);
-#else
-    ESP_EARLY_LOGI(TAG, "Adding pool of %dK of external SPI memory to heap allocator", spiram_size_usable_for_malloc()/1024);
-    return heap_caps_add_region((intptr_t)SOC_EXTRAM_DATA_LOW, (intptr_t)SOC_EXTRAM_DATA_LOW + spiram_size_usable_for_malloc()-1);
+    if (mallocable_ram_start < (intptr_t)&_ext_ram_bss_end) {
+        mallocable_ram_start = (intptr_t)&_ext_ram_bss_end;
+    }
 #endif
+#if CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
+    if (mallocable_ram_start < (intptr_t)&_ext_ram_noinit_end) {
+        mallocable_ram_start = (intptr_t)&_ext_ram_noinit_end;
+    }
+#endif
+    intptr_t mallocable_ram_end = (intptr_t)SOC_EXTRAM_DATA_LOW + spiram_size_usable_for_malloc() - 1;
+    ESP_EARLY_LOGI(TAG, "Adding pool of %dK of external SPI memory to heap allocator", (mallocable_ram_end - mallocable_ram_start)/1024);
+    return heap_caps_add_region(mallocable_ram_start, mallocable_ram_end);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/components/esp_system/ld/esp32/esp32.extram.noinit.ld b/components/esp_system/ld/esp32/esp32.extram.noinit.ld
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..86c7b5341c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/components/esp_system/ld/esp32/esp32.extram.noinit.ld
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/* This section is only included if CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
+   is set, to link some NOINIT sections in PSRAM */
+
+SECTIONS
+{
+   /* external memory bss, from any global variable with EXT_RAM_NOINIT_ATTR attribute*/
+  .ext_ram.noinit (NOLOAD) :
+  {
+    _ext_ram_noinit_start = ABSOLUTE(.);
+    *(.ext_ram.noinit*)
+    . = ALIGN(4);
+    _ext_ram_noinit_end = ABSOLUTE(.);
+  } > extern_ram_seg
+}
diff --git a/components/esp_system/port/cpu_start.c b/components/esp_system/port/cpu_start.c
index faf2a38eac..3258bdbe6c 100644
--- a/components/esp_system/port/cpu_start.c
+++ b/components/esp_system/port/cpu_start.c
@@ -129,6 +129,10 @@ static const char *TAG = "cpu_start";
 extern int _ext_ram_bss_start;
 extern int _ext_ram_bss_end;
 #endif
+#if CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
+extern int _ext_ram_noinit_start;
+extern int _ext_ram_noinit_end;
+#endif
 #ifdef CONFIG_ESP32_IRAM_AS_8BIT_ACCESSIBLE_MEMORY
 extern int _iram_bss_start;
 extern int _iram_bss_end;
@@ -419,7 +423,11 @@ void IRAM_ATTR call_start_cpu0(void)
 
 #if CONFIG_SPIRAM_MEMTEST
     if (g_spiram_ok) {
-        bool ext_ram_ok = esp_spiram_test();
+#if CONFIG_SPIRAM_ALLOW_NOINIT_EXTERNAL_MEMORY
+        bool ext_ram_ok = esp_spiram_test(&_ext_ram_noinit_start, &_ext_ram_noinit_end);
+#else
+        bool ext_ram_ok = esp_spiram_test(0, 0);
+#endif
         if (!ext_ram_ok) {
             ESP_EARLY_LOGE(TAG, "External RAM failed memory test!");
             abort();