diff --git a/components/bootloader/src/main/component.mk b/components/bootloader/src/main/component.mk
index 01b07b9498..e98545fc47 100644
--- a/components/bootloader/src/main/component.mk
+++ b/components/bootloader/src/main/component.mk
@@ -5,5 +5,8 @@
 # we pull in bootloader-specific linker arguments.
 #
 
-COMPONENT_ADD_LDFLAGS := -L $(COMPONENT_PATH) -lmain -T esp32.bootloader.ld -T $(IDF_PATH)/components/esp32/ld/esp32.rom.ld
+LINKER_SCRIPTS := esp32.bootloader.ld $(IDF_PATH)/components/esp32/ld/esp32.rom.ld
 
+COMPONENT_ADD_LDFLAGS := -L $(COMPONENT_PATH) -lmain $(addprefix -T ,$(LINKER_SCRIPTS))
+
+COMPONENT_ADD_LINKER_DEPS := $(LINKER_SCRIPTS)
diff --git a/components/bt/component.mk b/components/bt/component.mk
index 6d1bac3c8b..a51478af93 100644
--- a/components/bt/component.mk
+++ b/components/bt/component.mk
@@ -33,8 +33,10 @@ COMPONENT_ADD_INCLUDEDIRS :=	bluedroid/bta/include			\
 LIBS := btdm_app
 
 COMPONENT_ADD_LDFLAGS := -lbt -L $(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib \
-                           $(addprefix -l,$(LIBS)) \
-                          $(LINKER_SCRIPTS)
+                           $(addprefix -l,$(LIBS))
+
+# re-link program if BT binary libs change
+COMPONENT_ADD_LINKER_DEPS := $(patsubst %,$(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib/lib%.a,$(LIBS))
 
 COMPONENT_SRCDIRS := 	bluedroid/bta/dm			\
 			bluedroid/bta/gatt			\
@@ -68,7 +70,4 @@ COMPONENT_SRCDIRS := 	bluedroid/bta/dm			\
 			bluedroid				\
 			.
 
-ALL_LIB_FILES := $(patsubst %,$(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib/lib%.a,$(LIBS))
-$(COMPONENT_LIBRARY): $(ALL_LIB_FILES)
-
 COMPONENT_SUBMODULES += lib
diff --git a/components/esp32/component.mk b/components/esp32/component.mk
index 858b5471b9..4ceb13e837 100644
--- a/components/esp32/component.mk
+++ b/components/esp32/component.mk
@@ -6,31 +6,27 @@ COMPONENT_SRCDIRS := . hwcrypto
 
 LIBS := core net80211 phy rtc pp wpa smartconfig coexist wps wpa2
 
-LINKER_SCRIPTS += -T esp32_out.ld -T esp32.common.ld -T esp32.rom.ld -T esp32.peripherals.ld
+LINKER_SCRIPTS += esp32.common.ld esp32.rom.ld esp32.peripherals.ld
 
 ifeq ("$(CONFIG_NEWLIB_NANO_FORMAT)","y")
-LINKER_SCRIPTS += -T esp32.rom.nanofmt.ld
+LINKER_SCRIPTS += esp32.rom.nanofmt.ld
 endif
 
 COMPONENT_ADD_LDFLAGS := -lesp32 \
-                           $(COMPONENT_PATH)/libhal.a \
-                           -L$(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib \
-                           $(addprefix -l,$(LIBS)) \
-                          -L $(COMPONENT_PATH)/ld \
-                          $(LINKER_SCRIPTS)
+                         $(COMPONENT_PATH)/libhal.a \
+                         -L$(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib \
+                         $(addprefix -l,$(LIBS)) \
+                         -L $(COMPONENT_PATH)/ld \
+                         -T esp32_out.ld \
+                         $(addprefix -T ,$(LINKER_SCRIPTS))
 
 ALL_LIB_FILES := $(patsubst %,$(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib/lib%.a,$(LIBS))
 
 COMPONENT_SUBMODULES += lib
 
-# this is a hack to make sure the app is re-linked if the binary
-# libraries change or are updated. If they change, the main esp32
-# library will be rebuild by AR andthis will trigger a re-linking of
-# the entire app.
-#
-# It would be better for components to be able to expose any of these
-# non-standard dependencies via get_variable, but this will do for now.
-$(COMPONENT_LIBRARY): $(ALL_LIB_FILES)
+# 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 := $(ALL_LIB_FILES) $(addprefix ld/,$(LINKER_SCRIPTS))
 
 # Preprocess esp32.ld linker script into esp32_out.ld
 #
diff --git a/components/newlib/component.mk b/components/newlib/component.mk
index 432780f650..8715c475a4 100644
--- a/components/newlib/component.mk
+++ b/components/newlib/component.mk
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ else
 LIBC_PATH := $(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib/libc.a
 endif
 
-COMPONENT_ADD_LDFLAGS := $(LIBC_PATH) $(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib/libm.a -lnewlib
+LIBM_PATH := $(COMPONENT_PATH)/lib/libm.a
+
+COMPONENT_ADD_LDFLAGS := $(LIBC_PATH) $(LIBM_PATH) -lnewlib
+
+COMPONENT_ADD_LINKER_DEPS := $(LIBC_PATH) $(LIBM_PATH)
 
 COMPONENT_ADD_INCLUDEDIRS := include platform_include
diff --git a/docs/build_system.rst b/docs/build_system.rst
index 75f48bb248..6687fa69ed 100644
--- a/docs/build_system.rst
+++ b/docs/build_system.rst
@@ -188,6 +188,10 @@ The following variables can be set inside ``component.mk`` to control build sett
   are available at all times. It is necessary if one component
   generates an include file which you then want to include in another
   component. Most components do not need to set this variable.
+- ``COMPONENT_ADD_LINKER_DEPS``: Optional list of component-relative paths
+  to files which should trigger a re-link of the ELF file if they change.
+  Typically used for linker script files and binary libraries. Most components do
+  not need to set this variable.
 
 The following variable only works for components that are part of esp-idf itself:
 
diff --git a/make/common.mk b/make/common.mk
index 4d40f7abc3..c0487d2737 100644
--- a/make/common.mk
+++ b/make/common.mk
@@ -52,5 +52,5 @@ endef
 #
 # example $(call resolvepath,$(CONFIG_PATH),$(CONFIG_DIR))
 define resolvepath
-$(if $(filter /%,$(1)),$(1),$(subst //,/,$(2)/$(1)))
+$(foreach dir,$(1),$(if $(filter /%,$(dir)),$(dir),$(subst //,/,$(2)/$(dir))))
 endef
diff --git a/make/component_wrapper.mk b/make/component_wrapper.mk
index 75bb4b1a03..a84208267a 100644
--- a/make/component_wrapper.mk
+++ b/make/component_wrapper.mk
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ COMPONENT_INCLUDES := $(OWN_INCLUDES) $(filter-out $(OWN_INCLUDES),$(COMPONENT_I
 #
 # This means if directories move (breaking absolute paths), don't need to 'make clean'
 define MakeVariablePath
-$(subst $(IDF_PATH),$$(IDF_PATH),$(subst $(PROJECT_PATH),$$(PROJECT_PATH),$(subst $(BUILD_DIR_BASE),\$$(BUILD_DIR_BASE),$(1))))
+$(subst $(IDF_PATH),$$(IDF_PATH),$(subst $(PROJECT_PATH),$$(PROJECT_PATH),$(subst $(BUILD_DIR_BASE),$$(BUILD_DIR_BASE),$(1))))
 endef
 
 # component_project_vars.mk target for the component. This is used to
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ component_project_vars.mk::
 	@echo '# Automatically generated build file. Do not edit.' > $@
 	@echo 'COMPONENT_INCLUDES += $(call MakeVariablePath,$(addprefix $(COMPONENT_PATH)/,$(COMPONENT_ADD_INCLUDEDIRS)))' >> $@
 	@echo 'COMPONENT_LDFLAGS += $(call MakeVariablePath,$(COMPONENT_ADD_LDFLAGS))' >> $@
+	@echo 'COMPONENT_LINKER_DEPS += $(call MakeVariablePath,$(call resolvepath,$(COMPONENT_ADD_LINKER_DEPS),$(COMPONENT_PATH)))' >> $@
 	@echo 'COMPONENT_SUBMODULES += $(call MakeVariablePath,$(addprefix $(COMPONENT_PATH)/,$(COMPONENT_SUBMODULES)))' >> $@
 	@echo '$(COMPONENT_NAME)-build: $(addsuffix -build,$(COMPONENT_DEPENDS))' >> $@
 
diff --git a/make/project.mk b/make/project.mk
index 7472d63017..9eee3bf8bd 100644
--- a/make/project.mk
+++ b/make/project.mk
@@ -150,8 +150,6 @@ endif
 # Set default LDFLAGS
 
 LDFLAGS ?= -nostdlib \
-	-L$(IDF_PATH)/lib \
-	-L$(IDF_PATH)/ld \
 	$(addprefix -L$(BUILD_DIR_BASE)/,$(COMPONENTS) $(TEST_COMPONENT_NAMES) $(SRCDIRS) ) \
 	-u call_user_start_cpu0	\
 	$(EXTRA_LDFLAGS) \
@@ -273,7 +271,10 @@ COMPONENT_LIBRARIES = $(filter $(notdir $(COMPONENT_PATHS_BUILDABLE)) $(TEST_COM
 
 # ELF depends on the library archive files for COMPONENT_LIBRARIES
 # the rules to build these are emitted as part of GenerateComponentTarget below
-$(APP_ELF): $(foreach libcomp,$(COMPONENT_LIBRARIES),$(BUILD_DIR_BASE)/$(libcomp)/lib$(libcomp).a)
+#
+# also depends on additional dependencies (linker scripts & binary libraries)
+# stored in COMPONENT_LINKER_DEPS, built via component.mk files' COMPONENT_ADD_LINKER_DEPS variable
+$(APP_ELF): $(foreach libcomp,$(COMPONENT_LIBRARIES),$(BUILD_DIR_BASE)/$(libcomp)/lib$(libcomp).a) $(COMPONENT_LINKER_DEPS)
 	$(summary) LD $(notdir $@)
 	$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ -Wl,-Map=$(APP_MAP)
 
diff --git a/make/test_build_system.sh b/make/test_build_system.sh
index d08ae6c8a2..d449fa9614 100755
--- a/make/test_build_system.sh
+++ b/make/test_build_system.sh
@@ -141,6 +141,19 @@ function run_tests()
     assert_built ${APP_BINS} ${BOOTLOADER_BINS} partitions_singleapp.bin
     [ -f ${BUILD}/partition*.bin ] || failure "A partition table should have been built in CRLF mode"
 
+    print_status "Touching rom ld file should re-link app and bootloader"
+    make
+    take_build_snapshot
+    touch ${IDF_PATH}/components/esp32/ld/esp32.rom.ld
+    make
+    assert_rebuilt ${APP_BINS} ${BOOTLOADER_BINS}
+
+    print_status "Touching peripherals ld file should only re-link app"
+    take_build_snapshot
+    touch ${IDF_PATH}/components/esp32/ld/esp32.peripherals.ld
+    make
+    assert_rebuilt ${APP_BINS}
+    assert_not_rebuilt ${BOOTLOADER_BINS}
 
     print_status "All tests completed"
     if [ -n "${FAILURES}" ]; then