diff --git a/.cargo/config b/.cargo/config
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7b08c6f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.cargo/config
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+[target.thumbv7em-tock-eabi]
+rustflags = [
+  "-C link-args=-Tlayout.ld",
+]
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 45620a30..042d0c12 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 language: rust
 rust:
-  - nightly-2018-02-23
+  - nightly-2018-03-06
 
 os:
   - linux
@@ -12,12 +12,9 @@ cache:
     - tock/userland/tools/elf2tbf/target
 
 install:
-  - wget -c https://developer.arm.com/-/media/Files/downloads/gnu-rm/6-2016q4/gcc-arm-none-eabi-6_2-2016q4-20161216-linux.tar.bz2
-  - tar -xjf gcc-arm-none-eabi-6_2-2016q4-20161216-linux.tar.bz2
   - rustup component add rust-src
 
 script:
-  - export PATH="$PATH:gcc-arm-none-eabi-6_2-2016q4/bin"
   - export RUSTFLAGS="$RUSTFLAGS -D warnings"
   - cargo test --lib
   - ./build_examples.sh
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 8c31c0de..0c2fc305 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
     "editor.formatOnSave": true,
-    "rust-client.channel": "nightly-2018-02-23",
+    "rust-client.channel": "nightly-2018-03-06",
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 70136178..3206bd73 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -19,4 +19,3 @@ lto = true
 [profile.release]
 panic = "abort"
 lto = true
-debug = true
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b57a6eca..de683b4d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ This project is nascent and still under heavy development, but first steps:
 
 1. Ensure you have a working toolchain available:
 
-    `rustup install nightly-2017-12-16`
+    `rustup install nightly-2018-03-06`
 
 2. Get a copy of this toolchain, in this repo's root:
 
-    `rustup override set nightly-2017-12-16`
+    `rustup override set nightly-2018-03-06`
 
 3. Need to grab a copy of the rust sources:
 
diff --git a/build_examples.sh b/build_examples.sh
index 385a2f0f..485b0322 100755
--- a/build_examples.sh
+++ b/build_examples.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 set -eux
-export RUST_TARGET_PATH=`pwd`
-export CARGO_INCREMENTAL=0
 
-cargo run --manifest-path xargo/Cargo.toml -- build --release --target=thumbv7em-tock-eabi --examples
+RUST_TARGET_PATH=$(pwd) cargo run --manifest-path xargo/Cargo.toml -- build --release --target=thumbv7em-tock-eabi --examples
diff --git a/layout.ld b/layout.ld
index 82575be0..4df68f94 100644
--- a/layout.ld
+++ b/layout.ld
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ STACK_SIZE = 2048;
 APP_HEAP_SIZE = 1024;
 KERNEL_HEAP_SIZE = 1024;
 
-/* Memory Spaces Definitions, 448K flash, 64K ram */
-PROG_LENGTH = 0x00040000;
-RAM_LENGTH  = 0x00010000;
-
 ENTRY(_start)
 
 /* Note: Because apps are relocated, the FLASH address here acts as a sentinel
@@ -19,8 +15,8 @@ ENTRY(_start)
  * actual location in flash where the app is placed.
  */
 MEMORY {
-    FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x80000000, LENGTH = PROG_LENGTH
-    SRAM (RWX) : ORIGIN = 0x00000000, LENGTH = RAM_LENGTH
+    FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x80000000, LENGTH = 0x0040000
+    SRAM (RWX) : ORIGIN = 0x00000000, LENGTH = 0x0010000
 }
 
 SECTIONS {
diff --git a/run_example.sh b/run_example.sh
index 3901858a..c6e7d0ed 100755
--- a/run_example.sh
+++ b/run_example.sh
@@ -4,14 +4,11 @@
 
 set -eux
 
-export RUST_TARGET_PATH=`pwd`
-export CARGO_INCREMENTAL=0
-
 tab_file_name=metadata.toml
 elf_file_name=cortex-m4.elf
 bin_file_name=cortex-m4.bin
 
-cargo run --manifest-path xargo/Cargo.toml -- build --release --target=thumbv7em-tock-eabi --example "$1" 
+RUST_TARGET_PATH=$(pwd) cargo run --manifest-path xargo/Cargo.toml -- build --release --target=thumbv7em-tock-eabi --example "$1"
 cp target/thumbv7em-tock-eabi/release/examples/"$1" "target/$elf_file_name"
 cargo run --manifest-path tock/userland/tools/elf2tbf/Cargo.toml -- -n "$1" -o "target/$bin_file_name" "target/$elf_file_name"
 
@@ -30,7 +27,7 @@ then
         echo "do not delete apps from board."
     else
         tockloader uninstall --jtag --arch cortex-m4 --board nrf52-dk --jtag-device nrf52 --app-address 0x20000 || true
-    fi        
+    fi
 else
     tockloader uninstall --jtag --arch cortex-m4 --board nrf52-dk --jtag-device nrf52 --app-address 0x20000 || true
 fi
diff --git a/rust-toolchain b/rust-toolchain
index 9c049752..b62f117c 100644
--- a/rust-toolchain
+++ b/rust-toolchain
@@ -1 +1 @@
-nightly-2018-02-23
\ No newline at end of file
+nightly-2018-03-06
diff --git a/thumbv7em-tock-eabi.json b/thumbv7em-tock-eabi.json
index 069626d0..51171b2e 100644
--- a/thumbv7em-tock-eabi.json
+++ b/thumbv7em-tock-eabi.json
@@ -11,13 +11,7 @@
   "executables": true,
   "no-compiler-rt": false,
   "relocation-model": "ropi-rwpi",
-  "linker": "arm-none-eabi-ld",
-  "linker-flavor": "ld",
+  "linker-flavor": "ld.lld",
   "linker-is-gnu": true,
-  "disable-redzone": true,
-  "pre-link-args": {
-    "ld": [
-      "-Tlayout.ld"
-    ]
-  }
+  "disable-redzone": true
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/xargo b/xargo
index 3b13437c..e06560b1 160000
--- a/xargo
+++ b/xargo
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 3b13437c131e406b599ec49491394d8941c829ff
+Subproject commit e06560b176c11adb6a869748bf17c0a37cf879a2