diff --git a/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-gcs.c b/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-gcs.c
index 4961ad75eb..213ed01382 100644
--- a/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-gcs.c
+++ b/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-gcs.c
@@ -18,18 +18,6 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <ldsodefs.h>
 
-/* GCS is disabled.  */
-#define GCS_POLICY_DISABLED 0
-
-/* Enable GCS, abort if unmarked binary is found.  */
-#define GCS_POLICY_ENFORCED 1
-
-/* Optionally enable GCS if all startup dependencies are marked.  */
-#define GCS_POLICY_OPTIONAL 2
-
-/* Override binary marking and always enabled GCS.  */
-#define GCS_POLICY_OVERRIDE 3
-
 static void
 fail (struct link_map *l, const char *program)
 {
@@ -96,7 +84,7 @@ check_gcs (struct link_map *l, const char *program, bool enforced,
   /* Binary is not marked but GSC is optional: disable GCS.  */
   else
     {
-      GL(dl_aarch64_gcs) = 0;
+      GL(dl_aarch64_gcs) = AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_DISABLED;
       return false;
     }
   __builtin_unreachable ();
@@ -124,16 +112,15 @@ check_gcs_depends (struct link_map *l, const char *program, bool enforced,
 void
 _dl_gcs_check (struct link_map *l, const char *program, int dlopen_mode)
 {
-  unsigned long policy = GL (dl_aarch64_gcs);
-  switch (policy)
+  switch (GL(dl_aarch64_gcs))
     {
-    case GCS_POLICY_DISABLED:
-    case GCS_POLICY_OVERRIDE:
+    case AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_DISABLED:
+    case AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_OVERRIDE:
       return;
-    case GCS_POLICY_ENFORCED:
+    case AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_ENFORCED:
       check_gcs_depends (l, program, true, dlopen_mode);
       return;
-    case GCS_POLICY_OPTIONAL:
+    case AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_OPTIONAL:
       check_gcs_depends (l, program, false, dlopen_mode);
       return;
     default:
diff --git a/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-gcs.h b/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-gcs.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bee3c94432
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-gcs.h
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/* Internal AArch64 GCS definitions.
+   Copyright (C) 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+   The GNU C Library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+   modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+   version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   The GNU C Library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+   Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License along with the GNU C Library; if not, see
+   <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#ifndef _DL_GCS_H
+#define _DL_GCS_H
+
+#include <verify.h>
+
+typedef enum
+{
+  /* GCS is disabled.  */
+  AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_DISABLED = 0,
+  /* Enable GCS, abort if unmarked binary is found.  */
+  AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_ENFORCED = 1,
+  /* Optionally enable GCS if all startup dependencies are marked.  */
+  AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_OPTIONAL = 2,
+  /* Override binary marking and always enabled GCS.  */
+  AARCH64_GCS_POLICY_OVERRIDE = 3
+} aarch64_gcs_mode;
+
+/* dl-start.S assumes aarch64_gcs_mode is representable as uint32_t.  */
+verify (sizeof (aarch64_gcs_mode) == 4);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-start.S b/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-start.S
index c278485cd3..78b30b709e 100644
--- a/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-start.S
+++ b/sysdeps/aarch64/dl-start.S
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ ENTRY (_start)
 	/* Use GL(dl_aarch64_gcs) to set the shadow stack status.  */
 	adrp	x16, _rtld_local
 	add	x16, x16, :lo12:_rtld_local
-	ldr	x22, [x16, GL_DL_AARCH64_GCS_OFFSET]
-	cbz	x22, L(skip_gcs_enable)
+	ldr	w22, [x16, GL_DL_AARCH64_GCS_OFFSET]
+	cbz	w22, L(skip_gcs_enable)
 
 	/* Enable GCS before user code runs.  Note that IFUNC resolvers and
 	   LD_AUDIT hooks may run before, but should not create threads.  */
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ ENTRY (_start)
 	cbnz	w0, L(failed_gcs_enable)
 	/* Check if we need to lock GCS features.  */
 	/* If the aarch64_gcs tunable is either 0 or 2 do not lock GCS.  */
-	tst	x22, #-3
+	tst	w22, #-3
 	beq	L(skip_gcs_enable)
 	mov	x0, PR_LOCK_SHADOW_STACK_STATUS
 	/* Lock everything including future operations.  */
diff --git a/sysdeps/aarch64/ldsodefs.h b/sysdeps/aarch64/ldsodefs.h
index 03b35ce20a..d29569593a 100644
--- a/sysdeps/aarch64/ldsodefs.h
+++ b/sysdeps/aarch64/ldsodefs.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include <elf.h>
 #include <cpu-features.h>
+#include <dl-gcs.h>
 
 struct La_aarch64_regs;
 struct La_aarch64_retval;
diff --git a/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/aarch64/dl-procruntime.c b/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/aarch64/dl-procruntime.c
index 1f3b58d0fc..d49bb6cf5d 100644
--- a/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/aarch64/dl-procruntime.c
+++ b/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/aarch64/dl-procruntime.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 # if !defined PROCINFO_DECL && defined SHARED
   ._dl_aarch64_gcs
 # else
-PROCINFO_CLASS unsigned long _dl_aarch64_gcs
+PROCINFO_CLASS aarch64_gcs_mode _dl_aarch64_gcs
 # endif
 # ifndef PROCINFO_DECL
 = 0
diff --git a/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/aarch64/libc-start.h b/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/aarch64/libc-start.h
index 4ccd13741b..293c8a90b2 100644
--- a/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/aarch64/libc-start.h
+++ b/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/aarch64/libc-start.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ aarch64_libc_setup_tls (void)
 
   _rtld_main_check (main_map, _dl_argv[0]);
 
-  uint64_t gcs = GL (dl_aarch64_gcs);
+  aarch64_gcs_mode gcs = GL(dl_aarch64_gcs);
   if (gcs != GCS_POLICY_DISABLED)
     {
       int ret;