diff --git a/bfd/plugin.c b/bfd/plugin.c
index 49395e8..aea4969 100644
--- a/bfd/plugin.c
+++ b/bfd/plugin.c
@@ -106,7 +106,13 @@ add_symbols (void * handle,
   return LDPS_OK;
 }
 
-extern char *program_name __attribute__ ((weak));
+static const char *plugin_program_name;
+
+void
+bfd_plugin_set_program_name (const char *program_name)
+{
+  plugin_program_name = program_name;
+}
 
 static int
 try_load_plugin (const char *pname)
@@ -180,11 +186,11 @@ load_plugin (void)
   if (plugin_name)
     return try_load_plugin (plugin_name);
 
-  if (!program_name)
+  if (!plugin_program_name)
     return 0;
 
   plugin_dir = concat (BINDIR, "/../lib/bfd-plugins", NULL);
-  p = make_relative_prefix (program_name,
+  p = make_relative_prefix (plugin_program_name,
 			    BINDIR,
 			    plugin_dir);
   free (plugin_dir);
diff --git a/bfd/plugin.h b/bfd/plugin.h
index 2fae2de..3091f97 100644
--- a/bfd/plugin.h
+++ b/bfd/plugin.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "bfd.h"
 
+void bfd_plugin_set_program_name (const char *);
 void bfd_plugin_set_plugin (const char *);
 
 typedef struct plugin_data_struct
diff --git a/binutils/ar.c b/binutils/ar.c
index d28419f..318cfe0 100644
--- a/binutils/ar.c
+++ b/binutils/ar.c
@@ -392,6 +392,9 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 
   program_name = argv[0];
   xmalloc_set_program_name (program_name);
+#if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
+  bfd_plugin_set_program_name (program_name);
+#endif
 
   expandargv (&argc, &argv);
 
diff --git a/binutils/nm.c b/binutils/nm.c
index b03d1b6..51f67d1 100644
--- a/binutils/nm.c
+++ b/binutils/nm.c
@@ -1515,6 +1515,9 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 
   program_name = *argv;
   xmalloc_set_program_name (program_name);
+#if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
+  bfd_plugin_set_program_name (program_name);
+#endif
 
   START_PROGRESS (program_name, 0);