diff --git a/bfd/bfd-in2.h b/bfd/bfd-in2.h
index 1523660..fae3bfd 100644
--- a/bfd/bfd-in2.h
+++ b/bfd/bfd-in2.h
@@ -1392,6 +1392,9 @@ typedef struct bfd_section
   /* Nonzero if this section uses RELA relocations, rather than REL.  */
   unsigned int use_rela_p:1;
 
+  /* Nonzero if there are global symbols associated with this section.  */
+  unsigned int global_syms_p:1;
+
   /* Bits used by various backends.  The generic code doesn't touch
      these fields.  */
 
@@ -1674,8 +1677,8 @@ extern asection bfd_ind_section;
   /* linker_mark, linker_has_input, gc_mark, decompress_status,    */  \
      0,           0,                1,       0,                        \
                                                                        \
-  /* segment_mark, sec_info_type, use_rela_p,                      */  \
-     0,            0,             0,                                   \
+  /* segment_mark, sec_info_type, use_rela_p, global_syms_p,       */  \
+     0,            0,             0,          0,                       \
                                                                        \
   /* sec_flg0, sec_flg1, sec_flg2, sec_flg3, sec_flg4, sec_flg5,   */  \
      0,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0,              \
diff --git a/bfd/ecoff.c b/bfd/ecoff.c
index b76266d..50c7890 100644
--- a/bfd/ecoff.c
+++ b/bfd/ecoff.c
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ static asection bfd_debug_section =
      "*DEBUG*", 0,   0,     NULL, NULL, 0,     0,
   /* linker_mark, linker_has_input, gc_mark, compress_status,      */
      0,           0,                1,       0,
-  /* segment_mark, sec_info_type, use_rela_p,                      */
-     0,            0,             0,
+  /* segment_mark, sec_info_type, use_rela_p, global_syms_p,       */
+     0,            0,             0,          0,
   /* sec_flg0, sec_flg1, sec_flg2, sec_flg3, sec_flg4, sec_flg5,   */
      0,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0,
   /* vma, lma, size, rawsize, compressed_size, relax, relax_count, */
diff --git a/bfd/elf.c b/bfd/elf.c
index 9c9ba75..8f4e595 100644
--- a/bfd/elf.c
+++ b/bfd/elf.c
@@ -6320,6 +6320,7 @@ _bfd_elf_init_private_section_data (bfd *ibfd,
     }
 
   osec->use_rela_p = isec->use_rela_p;
+  osec->global_syms_p = isec->global_syms_p;
 
   return TRUE;
 }
diff --git a/bfd/elflink.c b/bfd/elflink.c
index 1d1ca0b..47191cf 100644
--- a/bfd/elflink.c
+++ b/bfd/elflink.c
@@ -3903,8 +3903,20 @@ error_free_dyn:
 	      sec = bfd_und_section_ptr;
 	      isym->st_shndx = SHN_UNDEF;
 	    }
-	  else if ((abfd->flags & (EXEC_P | DYNAMIC)) != 0)
-	    value -= sec->vma;
+	  else
+	    {
+	      /* If we have a global symbol for a section, then we need
+		 to keep it around, even if the section ends up empty.
+		 Except for .gnu.warning sections which are "special"
+		 (see above).  */
+	      if (flags == BSF_GLOBAL
+		  && ! CONST_STRNEQ (bfd_get_section_name (abfd, sec),
+				     ".gnu.warning"))
+		sec->global_syms_p = 1;
+
+	      if ((abfd->flags & (EXEC_P | DYNAMIC)) != 0)
+		value -= sec->vma;
+	    }
 	}
 
       name = bfd_elf_string_from_elf_section (abfd, hdr->sh_link,
diff --git a/bfd/section.c b/bfd/section.c
index 7c1f750..803de74 100644
--- a/bfd/section.c
+++ b/bfd/section.c
@@ -391,6 +391,9 @@ CODE_FRAGMENT
 .  {* Nonzero if this section uses RELA relocations, rather than REL.  *}
 .  unsigned int use_rela_p:1;
 .
+.  {* Nonzero if there are global symbols associated with this section.  *}
+.  unsigned int global_syms_p:1;
+.
 .  {* Bits used by various backends.  The generic code doesn't touch
 .     these fields.  *}
 .
@@ -673,8 +676,8 @@ CODE_FRAGMENT
 .  {* linker_mark, linker_has_input, gc_mark, decompress_status,    *}	\
 .     0,           0,                1,       0,			\
 .									\
-.  {* segment_mark, sec_info_type, use_rela_p,                      *}	\
-.     0,            0,             0,					\
+.  {* segment_mark, sec_info_type, use_rela_p, global_syms_p,       *}	\
+.     0,            0,             0,	       0,			\
 .									\
 .  {* sec_flg0, sec_flg1, sec_flg2, sec_flg3, sec_flg4, sec_flg5,   *}	\
 .     0,        0,        0,        0,        0,        0,		\
diff --git a/ld/ldlang.c b/ld/ldlang.c
index 5e01fc0..c7b24a2 100644
--- a/ld/ldlang.c
+++ b/ld/ldlang.c
@@ -3903,6 +3903,7 @@ strip_excluded_output_sections (void)
 	continue;
 
       exclude = (output_section->rawsize == 0
+		 && output_section->global_syms_p == 0
 		 && (output_section->flags & SEC_KEEP) == 0
 		 && !bfd_section_removed_from_list (link_info.output_bfd,
 						    output_section));