diff --git a/arch/nds32/include/asm/cache.h b/arch/nds32/include/asm/cache.h
index d769196213..fc22c7bc05 100644
--- a/arch/nds32/include/asm/cache.h
+++ b/arch/nds32/include/asm/cache.h
@@ -51,4 +51,15 @@ DEFINE_GET_SYS_REG(DCM_CFG);
 #define DCM_CFG_OFF_DSZ	6	/* D-cache line size */
 #define DCM_CFG_MSK_DSZ	(0x7UL << DCM_CFG_OFF_DSZ)
 
+/*
+ * The current upper bound for NDS32 L1 data cache line sizes is 32 bytes.
+ * We use that value for aligning DMA buffers unless the board config has
+ * specified an alternate cache line size.
+ */
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYS_CACHELINE_SIZE
+#define ARCH_DMA_MINALIGN	CONFIG_SYS_CACHELINE_SIZE
+#else
+#define ARCH_DMA_MINALIGN	32
+#endif
+
 #endif /* _ASM_CACHE_H */
diff --git a/arch/nds32/include/asm/io.h b/arch/nds32/include/asm/io.h
index 2504c2b7f1..2c105f7fab 100644
--- a/arch/nds32/include/asm/io.h
+++ b/arch/nds32/include/asm/io.h
@@ -98,13 +98,59 @@ extern void __raw_readsl(unsigned int addr, void *data, int longlen);
 #define __raw_readw(a)			__arch_getw(a)
 #define __raw_readl(a)			__arch_getl(a)
 
-#define writeb(v, a)			__arch_putb(v, a)
-#define writew(v, a)			__arch_putw(v, a)
-#define writel(v, a)			__arch_putl(v, a)
+/*
+ * TODO: The kernel offers some more advanced versions of barriers, it might
+ * have some advantages to use them instead of the simple one here.
+ */
+#define dmb()		__asm__ __volatile__ ("" : : : "memory")
+#define __iormb()	dmb()
+#define __iowmb()	dmb()
 
-#define readb(a)			__arch_getb(a)
-#define readw(a)			__arch_getw(a)
-#define readl(a)			__arch_getl(a)
+static inline void writeb(unsigned char val, unsigned char *addr)
+{
+	__iowmb();
+	__arch_putb(val, addr);
+}
+
+static inline void writew(unsigned short val, unsigned short *addr)
+{
+	__iowmb();
+	__arch_putw(val, addr);
+
+}
+
+static inline void writel(unsigned int val, unsigned int *addr)
+{
+	__iowmb();
+	__arch_putl(val, addr);
+}
+
+static inline unsigned char readb(unsigned char *addr)
+{
+	u8	val;
+
+	val = __arch_getb(addr);
+	__iormb();
+	return val;
+}
+
+static inline unsigned short readw(unsigned short *addr)
+{
+	u16	val;
+
+	val = __arch_getw(addr);
+	__iormb();
+	return val;
+}
+
+static inline unsigned int readl(unsigned int *addr)
+{
+	u32	val;
+
+	val = __arch_getl(addr);
+	__iormb();
+	return val;
+}
 
 /*
  * The compiler seems to be incapable of optimising constants
@@ -338,20 +384,6 @@ check_signature(unsigned long io_addr, const unsigned char *signature,
 out:
 	return retval;
 }
-
-#elif !defined(readb)
-
-#define readb(addr)			(__readwrite_bug("readb"), 0)
-#define readw(addr)			(__readwrite_bug("readw"), 0)
-#define readl(addr)			(__readwrite_bug("readl"), 0)
-#define writeb(v, addr)			__readwrite_bug("writeb")
-#define writew(v, addr)			__readwrite_bug("writew")
-#define writel(v, addr)			__readwrite_bug("writel")
-
-#define eth_io_copy_and_sum(a, b, c, d)	__readwrite_bug("eth_io_copy_and_sum")
-
-#define check_signature(io, sig, len)	(0)
-
 #endif	/* __mem_pci */
 
 /*
diff --git a/arch/nds32/lib/board.c b/arch/nds32/lib/board.c
index 1776a72572..2fd0e93d45 100644
--- a/arch/nds32/lib/board.c
+++ b/arch/nds32/lib/board.c
@@ -50,13 +50,7 @@ ulong monitor_flash_len;
 #endif
 static int init_baudrate(void)
 {
-	char tmp[64];	/* long enough for environment variables */
-	int i = getenv_f("baudrate", tmp, sizeof(tmp));
-
-	gd->bd->bi_baudrate = gd->baudrate = (i > 0)
-			? (int) simple_strtoul(tmp, NULL, 10)
-			: CONFIG_BAUDRATE;
-
+	gd->baudrate = getenv_ulong("baudrate", 10, CONFIG_BAUDRATE);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -400,9 +394,7 @@ void board_init_r(gd_t *id, ulong dest_addr)
 #endif
 
 	/* Initialize from environment */
-	s = getenv("loadaddr");
-	if (s != NULL)
-		load_addr = simple_strtoul(s, NULL, 16);
+	load_addr = getenv_ulong("loadaddr", 16, load_addr);
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_CMD_NET)
 	s = getenv("bootfile");