diff --git a/software/common/demos/self_reset_demo.c b/software/common/demos/self_reset_demo.c
index 697b3ec6c28cd60911c6fab5527efb8042c8742c..c696340909e2dacea966b285dcbd371fc3ef5838 100644
--- a/software/common/demos/self_reset_demo.c
+++ b/software/common/demos/self_reset_demo.c
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ void main_prog_part_3(void)
 /* ----------------------------------------------------------------- */
 void HardFault_Handler(void)
 {
-  unsigned int dummy; /* dummy variable for read that trigger hardfault */
+  unsigned int volatile dummy; /* dummy variable for read that trigger hardfault */
 
   puts("[Hard fault handler]");
   puts("- trigger fault again to enter lockup");
diff --git a/software/common/validation/default_slaves_tests.c b/software/common/validation/default_slaves_tests.c
index 3d5e82654b1058bc46fdd6ac9507030093ca59d8..a9333c73e8f4bee5371e5096d1a2a38c91b8b78e 100644
--- a/software/common/validation/default_slaves_tests.c
+++ b/software/common/validation/default_slaves_tests.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ volatile int temp_data;
 int main (void)
 {
   int err_code = 0;
-  int rdata; /* dummy variable for read data in bus fault testing */
+  int volatile rdata; /* dummy variable for read data in bus fault testing */
 
   // UART init
   UartStdOutInit();