diff --git a/ast.go b/ast.go
index 99aeaee..d194c9b 100644
--- a/ast.go
+++ b/ast.go
@@ -223,8 +223,7 @@ type Global struct {
 
 func NewGlobal(sym operand.Symbol) *Global {
 	return &Global{
-		Symbol:     sym,
-		Attributes: RODATA,
+		Symbol: sym,
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/build/context.go b/build/context.go
index 75a11b7..50aa33a 100644
--- a/build/context.go
+++ b/build/context.go
@@ -107,6 +107,10 @@ func (c *Context) StaticGlobal(name string) operand.Mem {
 	return c.global.Base()
 }
 
+func (c *Context) DataAttributes(a avo.Attribute) {
+	c.activeglobal().Attributes = a
+}
+
 func (c *Context) AddDatum(offset int, v operand.Constant) {
 	if err := c.activeglobal().AddDatum(avo.NewDatum(offset, v)); err != nil {
 		c.AddError(err)
diff --git a/build/global.go b/build/global.go
index 03e8847..b0491fe 100644
--- a/build/global.go
+++ b/build/global.go
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ func TEXT(name, signature string) {
 
 func LABEL(name string) { ctx.Label(avo.Label(name)) }
 
-func GLOBL(name string) operand.Mem {
-	return ctx.StaticGlobal(name)
+func GLOBL(name string, a avo.Attribute) operand.Mem {
+	g := ctx.StaticGlobal(name)
+	ctx.DataAttributes(a)
+	return g
 }
 
 func DATA(offset int, v operand.Constant) {
diff --git a/build/pseudo.go b/build/pseudo.go
index f394c40..0e1252f 100644
--- a/build/pseudo.go
+++ b/build/pseudo.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package build
 
 import (
+	"github.com/mmcloughlin/avo"
 	"github.com/mmcloughlin/avo/operand"
 	"github.com/mmcloughlin/avo/reg"
 
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ func (c *Context) Store(src reg.Register, dst gotypes.Component) {
 
 func (c *Context) ConstData(name string, v operand.Constant) operand.Mem {
 	g := c.StaticGlobal(name)
+	c.DataAttributes(avo.RODATA | avo.NOPTR)
 	c.AppendDatum(v)
 	return g
 }
diff --git a/examples/data/asm.go b/examples/data/asm.go
index 91ff81a..58e4ebe 100644
--- a/examples/data/asm.go
+++ b/examples/data/asm.go
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@ package main
 import (
 	"math"
 
+	"github.com/mmcloughlin/avo"
 	. "github.com/mmcloughlin/avo/build"
 	. "github.com/mmcloughlin/avo/operand"
 )
 
 func main() {
-	bytes := GLOBL("bytes")
+	bytes := GLOBL("bytes", avo.RODATA|avo.NOPTR)
 	DATA(0, U64(0x0011223344556677))
 	DATA(8, String("strconst"))
 	DATA(16, F32(math.Pi))
diff --git a/examples/data/data.s b/examples/data/data.s
index 8962ddb..fb528c1 100644
--- a/examples/data/data.s
+++ b/examples/data/data.s
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ DATA bytes<>+32(SB)/4, $0x00112233
 DATA bytes<>+36(SB)/2, $0x4455
 DATA bytes<>+38(SB)/1, $0x66
 DATA bytes<>+39(SB)/1, $0x77
-GLOBL bytes<>(SB), RODATA, $40
+GLOBL bytes<>(SB), RODATA|NOPTR, $40
 
 // func DataAt(i int) byte
 TEXT ·DataAt(SB), $0-9
diff --git a/examples/geohash/geohash.s b/examples/geohash/geohash.s
index dc62e25..494192e 100644
--- a/examples/geohash/geohash.s
+++ b/examples/geohash/geohash.s
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ TEXT ·EncodeInt(SB), $0-24
 	RET
 
 DATA reciprocal180<>(SB)/8, $(0.005555555555555556)
-GLOBL reciprocal180<>(SB), RODATA, $8
+GLOBL reciprocal180<>(SB), RODATA|NOPTR, $8
 
 DATA onepointfive<>(SB)/8, $(1.5)
-GLOBL onepointfive<>(SB), RODATA, $8
+GLOBL onepointfive<>(SB), RODATA|NOPTR, $8
 
 DATA reciprocal360<>(SB)/8, $(0.002777777777777778)
-GLOBL reciprocal360<>(SB), RODATA, $8
+GLOBL reciprocal360<>(SB), RODATA|NOPTR, $8
 
 DATA mask<>(SB)/8, $0x5555555555555555
-GLOBL mask<>(SB), RODATA, $8
+GLOBL mask<>(SB), RODATA|NOPTR, $8
diff --git a/examples/returns/returns.s b/examples/returns/returns.s
index 515e013..fe48055 100644
--- a/examples/returns/returns.s
+++ b/examples/returns/returns.s
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ TEXT ·CriticalLine(SB), $0-24
 	RET
 
 DATA half<>(SB)/8, $(0.5)
-GLOBL half<>(SB), RODATA, $8
+GLOBL half<>(SB), RODATA|NOPTR, $8
 
 // func NewStruct(w uint16, p [2]float64, q uint64) Struct
 TEXT ·NewStruct(SB), $0-64