diff --git a/gcc/doc/invoke.texi b/gcc/doc/invoke.texi
index e67d47af676d..2c514acf2003 100644
--- a/gcc/doc/invoke.texi
+++ b/gcc/doc/invoke.texi
@@ -14782,17 +14782,17 @@ To optimize the program based on the collected profile information, use
 Register the profile information in the specified section instead of using a
 constructor/destructor.  The section name is @var{name} if it is specified,
 otherwise the section name defaults to @code{.gcov_info}.  A pointer to the
-profile information generated by @option{-fprofile-arcs} or
-@option{-ftest-coverage} is placed in the specified section for each
-translation unit.  This option disables the profile information registration
-through a constructor and it disables the profile information processing
-through a destructor.  This option is not intended to be used in hosted
-environments such as GNU/Linux.  It targets systems with limited resources
-which do not support constructors and destructors.  The linker could collect
-the input sections in a continuous memory block and define start and end
-symbols.  The runtime support could dump the profiling information registered
-in this linker set during program termination to a serial line for example.  A
-GNU linker script example which defines a linker output section follows:
+profile information generated by @option{-fprofile-arcs} is placed in the
+specified section for each translation unit.  This option disables the profile
+information registration through a constructor and it disables the profile
+information processing through a destructor.  This option is not intended to be
+used in hosted environments such as GNU/Linux.  It targets free-standing
+environments (for example embedded systems) with limited resources which do not
+support constructors/destructors or the C library file I/O.
+
+The linker could collect the input sections in a continuous memory block and
+define start and end symbols.  A GNU linker script example which defines a
+linker output section follows:
 
 @smallexample
   .gcov_info      :
@@ -14803,6 +14803,64 @@ GNU linker script example which defines a linker output section follows:
   @}
 @end smallexample
 
+The program could dump the profiling information registered in this linker set
+for example like this:
+
+@smallexample
+#include <gcov.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+extern const struct gcov_info *__gcov_info_start[];
+extern const struct gcov_info *__gcov_info_end[];
+
+static void
+filename (const char *f, void *arg)
+@{
+  puts (f);
+@}
+
+static void
+dump (const void *d, unsigned n, void *arg)
+@{
+  const unsigned char *c = d;
+
+  for (unsigned i = 0; i < n; ++i)
+    printf ("%02x", c[i]);
+@}
+
+static void *
+allocate (unsigned length, void *arg)
+@{
+  return malloc (length);
+@}
+
+static void
+dump_gcov_info (void)
+@{
+  const struct gcov_info **info = __gcov_info_start;
+  const struct gcov_info **end = __gcov_info_end;
+
+  /* Obfuscate variable to prevent compiler optimizations.  */
+  __asm__ ("" : "+r" (end));
+
+  while (info != end)
+  @{
+    void *arg = NULL;
+    __gcov_info_to_gcda (*info, filename, dump, allocate, arg);
+    putchar ('\n');
+    ++info;
+  @}
+@}
+
+int
+main()
+@{
+  dump_gcov_info();
+  return 0;
+@}
+@end smallexample
+
 @item -fprofile-note=@var{path}
 @opindex fprofile-note
 
diff --git a/gcc/gcov-io.c b/gcc/gcov-io.c
index 4b1e11d45305..8155cd129f6e 100644
--- a/gcc/gcov-io.c
+++ b/gcc/gcov-io.c
@@ -227,6 +227,16 @@ gcov_magic (gcov_unsigned_t magic, gcov_unsigned_t expected)
 #endif
 
 #if !IN_GCOV
+/* Write DATA of LENGTH characters to coverage file.  */
+
+GCOV_LINKAGE void
+gcov_write (const void *data, unsigned length)
+{
+  gcov_unsigned_t r = fwrite (data, length, 1, gcov_var.file);
+  if (r != 1)
+    gcov_var.error = 1;
+}
+
 /* Write unsigned VALUE to coverage file.  */
 
 GCOV_LINKAGE void
diff --git a/gcc/gcov-io.h b/gcc/gcov-io.h
index 538bee81263a..99e1964c1094 100644
--- a/gcc/gcov-io.h
+++ b/gcc/gcov-io.h
@@ -367,6 +367,7 @@ char *mangle_path (char const *base);
 
 #if !IN_GCOV
 /* Available outside gcov */
+GCOV_LINKAGE void gcov_write (const void *, unsigned) ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
 GCOV_LINKAGE void gcov_write_unsigned (gcov_unsigned_t) ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN;
 #endif
 
diff --git a/libgcc/Makefile.in b/libgcc/Makefile.in
index 2c8be561eb53..7ec975845544 100644
--- a/libgcc/Makefile.in
+++ b/libgcc/Makefile.in
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ LIBGCOV_INTERFACE = _gcov_dump _gcov_fork				\
 	_gcov_execl _gcov_execlp					\
 	_gcov_execle _gcov_execv _gcov_execvp _gcov_execve _gcov_reset  \
 	_gcov_lock_unlock
-LIBGCOV_DRIVER = _gcov
+LIBGCOV_DRIVER = _gcov _gcov_info_to_gcda
 
 libgcov-merge-objects = $(patsubst %,%$(objext),$(LIBGCOV_MERGE))
 libgcov-profiler-objects = $(patsubst %,%$(objext),$(LIBGCOV_PROFILER))
diff --git a/libgcc/gcov.h b/libgcc/gcov.h
index e6492cdd31ea..eea97fb8e9c9 100644
--- a/libgcc/gcov.h
+++ b/libgcc/gcov.h
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 #ifndef GCC_GCOV_H
 #define GCC_GCOV_H
 
+struct gcov_info;
+
 /* Set all counters to zero.  */
 
 extern void __gcov_reset (void);
@@ -33,4 +35,19 @@ extern void __gcov_reset (void);
 
 extern void __gcov_dump (void);
 
+/* Convert the gcov information to a gcda data stream.  The first callback is
+   called exactly once with the filename associated with the gcov information.
+   The filename may be NULL.  Afterwards, the second callback is subsequently
+   called with chunks (the begin and length of the chunk are passed as the
+   first two callback parameters) of the gcda data stream.  The third callback
+   shall allocate memory with a size in characters specified by the first
+   callback parameter.  The fifth parameter is a user-provided argument passed
+   as the last argument to the callback functions.  */
+
+extern void __gcov_info_to_gcda (const struct gcov_info *,
+				 void (*) (const char *, void *),
+				 void (*) (const void *, unsigned, void *),
+				 void *(*) (unsigned, void *),
+				 void *);
+
 #endif /* GCC_GCOV_H */
diff --git a/libgcc/libgcov-driver.c b/libgcc/libgcov-driver.c
index df7ccb235677..4109f15e7ddb 100644
--- a/libgcc/libgcov-driver.c
+++ b/libgcc/libgcov-driver.c
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@ see the files COPYING3 and COPYING.RUNTIME respectively.  If not, see
 #include "libgcov.h"
 #include "gcov-io.h"
 
+/* Return 1, if all counter values are zero, otherwise 0. */
+
+static inline int
+are_all_counters_zero (const struct gcov_ctr_info *ci_ptr)
+{
+  for (unsigned i = 0; i < ci_ptr->num; i++)
+    if (ci_ptr->values[i] != 0)
+	return 0;
+
+  return 1;
+}
+
 #if defined(inhibit_libc)
 /* If libc and its header files are not available, provide dummy functions.  */
 
@@ -51,8 +63,10 @@ void __gcov_init (struct gcov_info *p __attribute__ ((unused))) {}
 #include <sys/mman.h>
 #endif
 
-#ifdef L_gcov
+#endif /* inhibit_libc */
 
+#ifdef L_gcov
+#if !defined(inhibit_libc)
 /* A utility function for outputting errors.  */
 static int gcov_error (const char *, ...);
 
@@ -343,6 +357,44 @@ read_error:
   return -1;
 }
 
+static void
+dump_handler (const void *data, unsigned length, void *unused)
+{
+  (void)unused;
+  gcov_write (data, length);
+}
+
+static void *
+allocate_handler (unsigned size, void *unused)
+{
+  (void)unused;
+  return xmalloc (size);
+}
+#endif /* inhibit_libc */
+#endif /* L_gcov */
+
+#if defined(L_gcov) || defined(L_gcov_info_to_gcda)
+static inline void
+dump_unsigned (gcov_unsigned_t word,
+	       void (*dump) (const void *, unsigned, void *),
+	       void *arg)
+{
+  (*dump) (&word, sizeof (word), arg);
+}
+
+static inline void
+dump_counter (gcov_type counter,
+	      void (*dump) (const void *, unsigned, void *),
+	      void *arg)
+{
+  dump_unsigned ((gcov_unsigned_t)counter, dump, arg);
+
+  if (sizeof (counter) > sizeof (gcov_unsigned_t))
+    dump_unsigned ((gcov_unsigned_t)(counter >> 32), dump, arg);
+  else
+    dump_unsigned (0, dump, arg);
+}
+
 #define MAX(X,Y) ((X) > (Y) ? (X) : (Y))
 
 /* Store all TOP N counters where each has a dynamic length.  */
@@ -350,7 +402,10 @@ read_error:
 static void
 write_topn_counters (const struct gcov_ctr_info *ci_ptr,
 		     unsigned t_ix,
-		     gcov_unsigned_t n_counts)
+		     gcov_unsigned_t n_counts,
+		     void (*dump) (const void *, unsigned, void *),
+		     void *(*allocate)(unsigned, void *),
+		     void *arg)
 {
   unsigned counters = n_counts / GCOV_TOPN_MEM_COUNTERS;
   gcc_assert (n_counts % GCOV_TOPN_MEM_COUNTERS == 0);
@@ -365,14 +420,15 @@ write_topn_counters (const struct gcov_ctr_info *ci_ptr,
   if (list_sizes == NULL || counters > list_size_length)
     {
       list_size_length = MAX (LIST_SIZE_MIN_LENGTH, 2 * counters);
-#if HAVE_SYS_MMAN_H
+#if !defined(inhibit_libc) && HAVE_SYS_MMAN_H
       list_sizes
 	= (unsigned *)malloc_mmap (list_size_length * sizeof (unsigned));
 #endif
 
       /* Malloc fallback.  */
       if (list_sizes == NULL)
-	list_sizes = (unsigned *)xmalloc (list_size_length * sizeof (unsigned));
+	list_sizes =
+	  (unsigned *)(*allocate) (list_size_length * sizeof (unsigned), arg);
     }
 
   memset (list_sizes, 0, counters * sizeof (unsigned));
@@ -390,21 +446,21 @@ write_topn_counters (const struct gcov_ctr_info *ci_ptr,
     }
 
   unsigned disk_size = GCOV_TOPN_DISK_COUNTERS * counters + 2 * pair_total;
-  gcov_write_tag_length (GCOV_TAG_FOR_COUNTER (t_ix),
-			 GCOV_TAG_COUNTER_LENGTH (disk_size));
+  dump_unsigned (GCOV_TAG_FOR_COUNTER (t_ix), dump, arg),
+  dump_unsigned (GCOV_TAG_COUNTER_LENGTH (disk_size), dump, arg);
 
   for (unsigned i = 0; i < counters; i++)
     {
-      gcov_write_counter (ci_ptr->values[GCOV_TOPN_MEM_COUNTERS * i]);
-      gcov_write_counter (list_sizes[i]);
+      dump_counter (ci_ptr->values[GCOV_TOPN_MEM_COUNTERS * i], dump, arg);
+      dump_counter (list_sizes[i], dump, arg);
       gcov_type start = ci_ptr->values[GCOV_TOPN_MEM_COUNTERS * i + 2];
 
       unsigned j = 0;
       for (struct gcov_kvp *node = (struct gcov_kvp *)(intptr_t)start;
 	   j < list_sizes[i]; node = node->next, j++)
 	{
-	  gcov_write_counter (node->value);
-	  gcov_write_counter (node->count);
+	  dump_counter (node->value, dump, arg);
+	  dump_counter (node->count, dump, arg);
 	}
     }
 }
@@ -415,25 +471,36 @@ write_topn_counters (const struct gcov_ctr_info *ci_ptr,
 
 static void
 write_one_data (const struct gcov_info *gi_ptr,
-		const struct gcov_summary *prg_p)
+		const struct gcov_summary *prg_p,
+		void (*dump) (const void *, unsigned, void *),
+		void *(*allocate) (unsigned, void *),
+		void *arg)
 {
   unsigned f_ix;
 
-  gcov_write_tag_length (GCOV_DATA_MAGIC, GCOV_VERSION);
-  gcov_write_unsigned (gi_ptr->stamp);
+  dump_unsigned (GCOV_DATA_MAGIC, dump, arg);
+  dump_unsigned (GCOV_VERSION, dump, arg);
+  dump_unsigned (gi_ptr->stamp, dump, arg);
 
+#if defined(L_gcov) && !defined(inhibit_libc)
   /* Generate whole program statistics.  */
   gcov_write_summary (GCOV_TAG_OBJECT_SUMMARY, prg_p);
+#else
+  (void)prg_p;
+#endif
 
   /* Write execution counts for each function.  */
   for (f_ix = 0; f_ix != gi_ptr->n_functions; f_ix++)
     {
+#if defined(L_gcov) && !defined(inhibit_libc)
       unsigned buffered = 0;
+#endif
       const struct gcov_fn_info *gfi_ptr;
       const struct gcov_ctr_info *ci_ptr;
       gcov_unsigned_t length;
       unsigned t_ix;
 
+#if defined(L_gcov) && !defined(inhibit_libc)
       if (fn_buffer && fn_buffer->fn_ix == f_ix)
         {
           /* Buffered data from another program.  */
@@ -442,6 +509,7 @@ write_one_data (const struct gcov_info *gi_ptr,
           length = GCOV_TAG_FUNCTION_LENGTH;
         }
       else
+#endif
         {
           gfi_ptr = gi_ptr->functions[f_ix];
           if (gfi_ptr && gfi_ptr->key == gi_ptr)
@@ -450,13 +518,14 @@ write_one_data (const struct gcov_info *gi_ptr,
                 length = 0;
         }
 
-      gcov_write_tag_length (GCOV_TAG_FUNCTION, length);
+      dump_unsigned (GCOV_TAG_FUNCTION, dump, arg);
+      dump_unsigned (length, dump, arg);
       if (!length)
         continue;
 
-      gcov_write_unsigned (gfi_ptr->ident);
-      gcov_write_unsigned (gfi_ptr->lineno_checksum);
-      gcov_write_unsigned (gfi_ptr->cfg_checksum);
+      dump_unsigned (gfi_ptr->ident, dump, arg);
+      dump_unsigned (gfi_ptr->lineno_checksum, dump, arg);
+      dump_unsigned (gfi_ptr->cfg_checksum, dump, arg);
 
       ci_ptr = gfi_ptr->ctrs;
       for (t_ix = 0; t_ix < GCOV_COUNTERS; t_ix++)
@@ -469,39 +538,37 @@ write_one_data (const struct gcov_info *gi_ptr,
 	  n_counts = ci_ptr->num;
 
 	  if (t_ix == GCOV_COUNTER_V_TOPN || t_ix == GCOV_COUNTER_V_INDIR)
-	    write_topn_counters (ci_ptr, t_ix, n_counts);
+	    write_topn_counters (ci_ptr, t_ix, n_counts, dump, allocate, arg);
 	  else
 	    {
-	      /* Do not stream when all counters are zero.  */
-	      int all_zeros = 1;
-	      for (unsigned i = 0; i < n_counts; i++)
-		if (ci_ptr->values[i] != 0)
-		  {
-		    all_zeros = 0;
-		    break;
-		  }
-
-	      if (all_zeros)
-		gcov_write_tag_length (GCOV_TAG_FOR_COUNTER (t_ix),
-				       GCOV_TAG_COUNTER_LENGTH (-n_counts));
+	      dump_unsigned (GCOV_TAG_FOR_COUNTER (t_ix), dump, arg);
+	      if (are_all_counters_zero (ci_ptr))
+		/* Do not stream when all counters are zero.  */
+		dump_unsigned (GCOV_TAG_COUNTER_LENGTH (-n_counts), dump, arg);
 	      else
 		{
-		  gcov_write_tag_length (GCOV_TAG_FOR_COUNTER (t_ix),
-					 GCOV_TAG_COUNTER_LENGTH (n_counts));
+		  dump_unsigned (GCOV_TAG_COUNTER_LENGTH (n_counts),
+				 dump,
+				 arg);
 		  for (unsigned i = 0; i < n_counts; i++)
-		    gcov_write_counter (ci_ptr->values[i]);
+		    dump_counter (ci_ptr->values[i], dump, arg);
 		}
 	    }
 
 	  ci_ptr++;
 	}
+#if defined(L_gcov) && !defined(inhibit_libc)
       if (buffered)
         fn_buffer = free_fn_data (gi_ptr, fn_buffer, GCOV_COUNTERS);
+#endif
     }
 
-  gcov_write_unsigned (0);
+  dump_unsigned (0, dump, arg);
 }
+#endif /* L_gcov || L_gcov_info_to_gcda */
 
+#if defined(L_gcov)
+#if !defined(inhibit_libc)
 /* Dump the coverage counts for one gcov_info object. We merge with existing
    counts when possible, to avoid growing the .da files ad infinitum. We use
    this program's checksum to make sure we only accumulate whole program
@@ -550,7 +617,7 @@ dump_one_gcov (struct gcov_info *gi_ptr, struct gcov_filename *gf,
   summary = gi_ptr->summary;
 #endif
 
-  write_one_data (gi_ptr, &summary);
+  write_one_data (gi_ptr, &summary, dump_handler, allocate_handler, NULL);
   /* fall through */
 
 read_fatal:;
@@ -682,3 +749,21 @@ __gcov_init (struct gcov_info *info)
 #endif /* !IN_GCOV_TOOL */
 #endif /* L_gcov */
 #endif /* inhibit_libc */
+
+#if !IN_GCOV_TOOL
+#ifdef L_gcov_info_to_gcda
+/* Convert the gcov info to a gcda data stream.  It is intended for
+   free-standing environments which do not support the C library file I/O.  */
+
+void
+__gcov_info_to_gcda (const struct gcov_info *gi_ptr,
+		     void (*filename) (const char *, void *),
+		     void (*dump) (const void *, unsigned, void *),
+		     void *(*allocate) (unsigned, void *),
+		     void *arg)
+{
+  (*filename) (gi_ptr->filename, arg);
+  write_one_data (gi_ptr, NULL, dump, allocate, arg);
+}
+#endif /* L_gcov_info_to_gcda */
+#endif /* !IN_GCOV_TOOL */
