diff --git a/bfd/ChangeLog b/bfd/ChangeLog
index 098001e1a8..a256f725dc 100644
--- a/bfd/ChangeLog
+++ b/bfd/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2012-12-18  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
+
+	* elf.c (swap_out_syms): Set shndx to SHN_ABS when not one of
+	the special MAP_* values.
+
 2012-12-17  Roland McGrath  <mcgrathr@google.com>
 	    Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
 
diff --git a/bfd/elf.c b/bfd/elf.c
index a92dd5db5d..17e9ad47dd 100644
--- a/bfd/elf.c
+++ b/bfd/elf.c
@@ -6791,6 +6791,7 @@ swap_out_syms (bfd *abfd,
 		  shndx = elf_tdata (abfd)->symtab_shndx_section;
 		  break;
 		default:
+		  shndx = SHN_ABS;
 		  break;
 		}
 	    }