diff --git a/docs/datasheet/software.adoc b/docs/datasheet/software.adoc
index 0fa88c52..0b43a155 100644
--- a/docs/datasheet/software.adoc
+++ b/docs/datasheet/software.adoc
@@ -265,6 +265,8 @@ The following default compiler flags are used for compiling an application. Thes
 | `-lgcc`               | Make sure we have no unresolved references to internal GCC library subroutines.
 | `-mno-fdiv`           | Use built-in software functions for floating-point divisions and square roots (since the according instructions are not supported yet).
 | `-g`                  | Include debugging information/symbols in ELF.
+| `-mstrict-align`      | Unaligned memory accesses cannot be resolved by the hardware and require emulation.
+| `-mbranch-cost=...`   | Branches cost a lot cycles on a multi-cycle architecture.
 |=======================
 
 :sectnums:
diff --git a/sw/common/common.mk b/sw/common/common.mk
index a4ff9cfb..b051161f 100644
--- a/sw/common/common.mk
+++ b/sw/common/common.mk
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ IMAGE_GEN = $(NEORV32_EXG_PATH)/image_gen
 
 # Compiler & linker flags
 CC_OPTS  = -march=$(MARCH) -mabi=$(MABI) $(EFFORT) -Wall -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -nostartfiles -mno-fdiv
-CC_OPTS += -g -Wl,--gc-sections
+CC_OPTS += -mstrict-align -mbranch-cost=10 -g -Wl,--gc-sections
 CC_OPTS += $(USER_FLAGS)
 LD_LIBS =  -lm -lc -lgcc
 LD_LIBS += $(USER_LIBS)