diff --git a/ports/renesas-ra/Makefile b/ports/renesas-ra/Makefile
index bcfae8555e..85ffd9a1e9 100644
--- a/ports/renesas-ra/Makefile
+++ b/ports/renesas-ra/Makefile
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ SYSTEM_FILE ?= lib/fsp/ra/fsp/src/bsp/cmsis/Device/RENESAS/Source/system.o
 # Select the cross compile prefix
 CROSS_COMPILE ?= arm-none-eabi-
 
+INC += -imacros boards/compiler_barrier.h
 INC += -I.
 INC += -I$(TOP)
 INC += -I$(BUILD)
diff --git a/ports/renesas-ra/boards/compiler_barrier.h b/ports/renesas-ra/boards/compiler_barrier.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c1145b1b9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ports/renesas-ra/boards/compiler_barrier.h
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+// we need to provide a definition of __COMPILER_BARRIER() defined in cmsis/cmsis_gcc.h V5.4.1 for FSP v4.4.0
+#ifndef   __COMPILER_BARRIER
+  #define __COMPILER_BARRIER()                   __ASM volatile ("" ::: "memory")
+#endif