diff --git a/compiler/aggas.pas b/compiler/aggas.pas
index 8f163f8d49..ecec817614 100644
--- a/compiler/aggas.pas
+++ b/compiler/aggas.pas
@@ -447,9 +447,14 @@ implementation
         writer.AsmLn;
         case target_info.system of
          system_i386_OS2,
-         system_i386_EMX,
+         system_i386_EMX: ;
          system_m68k_atari, { atari tos/mint GNU AS also doesn't seem to like .section (KB) }
-         system_m68k_amiga: ; { amiga has old GNU AS (2.14), which blews up from .section (KB) }
+         system_m68k_amiga: { amiga has old GNU AS (2.14), which blews up from .section (KB) }
+           begin
+             { ... but vasm is GAS compatible on amiga/atari, and supports named sections }
+             if create_smartlink_sections then
+               writer.AsmWrite('.section ');
+           end;
          system_powerpc_darwin,
          system_i386_darwin,
          system_i386_iphonesim,
diff --git a/compiler/m68k/ag68kgas.pas b/compiler/m68k/ag68kgas.pas
index 5dff4af16d..fc8f44bc57 100644
--- a/compiler/m68k/ag68kgas.pas
+++ b/compiler/m68k/ag68kgas.pas
@@ -320,13 +320,29 @@ interface
             idtxt  : 'AS';
             asmbin : 'as';
             asmcmd : '$ARCH -o $OBJ $EXTRAOPT $ASM';
-            supported_targets : [system_m68k_Amiga,system_m68k_Atari,system_m68k_Mac,system_m68k_linux,system_m68k_PalmOS,system_m68k_netbsd,system_m68k_openbsd,system_m68k_embedded];
+            supported_targets : [system_m68k_Mac,system_m68k_linux,system_m68k_PalmOS,system_m68k_netbsd,system_m68k_openbsd,system_m68k_embedded];
             flags : [af_needar,af_smartlink_sections];
             labelprefix : '.L';
             comment : '# ';
             dollarsign: '$';
           );
 
+       as_m68k_as_aout_info : tasminfo =
+          (
+            id     : as_m68k_as_aout;
+            idtxt  : 'AS';
+            asmbin : 'as';
+            asmcmd : '$ARCH -o $OBJ $EXTRAOPT $ASM';
+            supported_targets : [system_m68k_Amiga,system_m68k_Atari];
+            flags : [af_needar];
+            labelprefix : '.L';
+            comment : '# ';
+            dollarsign: '$';
+          );
+
+
+
 initialization
   RegisterAssembler(as_m68k_as_info,Tm68kGNUAssembler);
+  RegisterAssembler(as_m68k_as_aout_info,Tm68kGNUAssembler);
 end.
diff --git a/compiler/m68k/ag68kvasm.pas b/compiler/m68k/ag68kvasm.pas
index 754c57bfc1..d1a840680f 100644
--- a/compiler/m68k/ag68kvasm.pas
+++ b/compiler/m68k/ag68kvasm.pas
@@ -67,8 +67,10 @@ unit ag68kvasm;
         result:=asminfo^.asmcmd;
 
         case target_info.system of
+          { a.out doesn't support named sections }
           system_m68k_amiga: objtype:='-Fhunk';
-          system_m68k_atari: objtype:='-Fvobj'; // fix me?
+          { atari never had a standard object format, a.out is limited, vasm/vlink author recommends vobj }
+          system_m68k_atari: objtype:='-Fvobj';
           system_m68k_linux: objtype:='-Felf';
         else
           internalerror(2016052601);
diff --git a/compiler/systems.inc b/compiler/systems.inc
index e0ff83b5c6..0d1cad99ba 100644
--- a/compiler/systems.inc
+++ b/compiler/systems.inc
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@
              ,as_clang
              ,as_solaris_as
              ,as_m68k_vasm
+             ,as_m68k_as_aout
        );
 
        tlink = (ld_none,
diff --git a/compiler/systems/i_amiga.pas b/compiler/systems/i_amiga.pas
index 6d108e88a4..5d51903c52 100644
--- a/compiler/systems/i_amiga.pas
+++ b/compiler/systems/i_amiga.pas
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ unit i_amiga;
             system       : system_m68k_Amiga;
             name         : 'Commodore Amiga';
             shortname    : 'amiga';
-            flags        : [tf_files_case_aware,tf_requires_proper_alignment,tf_has_winlike_resources];
+            flags        : [tf_files_case_aware,tf_requires_proper_alignment,tf_has_winlike_resources,tf_smartlink_sections];
             cpu          : cpu_m68k;
             unit_env     : 'AMIGAUNITS';
             extradefines : 'HASAMIGA;AMIGA68K';
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ unit i_amiga;
             Cprefix      : '';
             newline      : #10;
             dirsep       : '/';
-            assem        : as_gas;
-            assemextern  : as_gas;
+            assem        : as_m68k_as_aout;
+            assemextern  : as_m68k_as_aout;
             link         : ld_none;
             linkextern   : ld_amiga;
             ar           : ar_gnu_ar;
diff --git a/compiler/systems/i_atari.pas b/compiler/systems/i_atari.pas
index 89e0eca252..498f1e2199 100644
--- a/compiler/systems/i_atari.pas
+++ b/compiler/systems/i_atari.pas
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ unit i_atari;
             system       : system_m68k_Atari;
             name         : 'Atari ST/STE';
             shortname    : 'atari';
-            flags        : [tf_use_8_3,tf_requires_proper_alignment];
+            flags        : [tf_use_8_3,tf_requires_proper_alignment,tf_smartlink_sections];
             cpu          : cpu_m68k;
             unit_env     : '';
             extradefines : '';
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ unit i_atari;
             Cprefix      : '_';
             newline      : #10;
             dirsep       : '/';
-            assem        : as_gas;
-            assemextern  : as_gas;
+            assem        : as_m68k_as_aout;
+            assemextern  : as_m68k_as_aout;
             link         : ld_atari;
             linkextern   : ld_atari;
             ar           : ar_gnu_ar;