diff --git a/binutils/ChangeLog b/binutils/ChangeLog
index 9cf8511794..7cf4f71f73 100644
--- a/binutils/ChangeLog
+++ b/binutils/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+1999-10-27  Fred Fish  <fnf@cygnus.com>
+
+	* objdump.c (display_bfd): Break into two functions.  The
+	actual dumping code moves to dump_bfd.  If bfd is not
+	unambiguously recognized as a bfd_object, attempt to dump
+	it as a bfd_core.
+	(dump_bfd): New function.
+
 1999-10-26  Nick Clifton  <nickc@cygnus.com>
 
 	* dlltool.c (assemble_file): Remove spurious test of exp_name.
diff --git a/binutils/objdump.c b/binutils/objdump.c
index 92805d31ef..71bb65f081 100644
--- a/binutils/objdump.c
+++ b/binutils/objdump.c
@@ -2042,23 +2042,12 @@ bfd *abfd;
   bfd_print_private_bfd_data (abfd, stdout);
 }
 
+/* Dump selected contents of ABFD */
+
 static void
-display_bfd (abfd)
+dump_bfd (abfd)
      bfd *abfd;
 {
-  char **matching;
-
-  if (!bfd_check_format_matches (abfd, bfd_object, &matching))
-    {
-      nonfatal (bfd_get_filename (abfd));
-      if (bfd_get_error () == bfd_error_file_ambiguously_recognized)
-	{
-	  list_matching_formats (matching);
-	  free (matching);
-	}
-      return;
-    }
-
   /* If we are adjusting section VMA's, change them all now.  Changing
      the BFD information is a hack.  However, we must do it, or
      bfd_find_nearest_line will not do the right thing.  */
@@ -2134,6 +2123,47 @@ display_bfd (abfd)
     }
 }
 
+static void
+display_bfd (abfd)
+     bfd *abfd;
+{
+  char **matching;
+
+  if (bfd_check_format_matches (abfd, bfd_object, &matching))
+    {
+      dump_bfd (abfd);
+      return;
+    }
+
+  if (bfd_get_error () == bfd_error_file_ambiguously_recognized)
+    {
+      nonfatal (bfd_get_filename (abfd));
+      list_matching_formats (matching);
+      free (matching);
+      return;
+    }
+
+  if (bfd_get_error () != bfd_error_file_not_recognized)
+    {
+      nonfatal (bfd_get_filename (abfd));
+      return;
+    }
+
+  if (bfd_check_format_matches (abfd, bfd_core, &matching))
+    {
+      dump_bfd (abfd);
+      return;
+    }
+
+  nonfatal (bfd_get_filename (abfd));
+
+  if (bfd_get_error () == bfd_error_file_ambiguously_recognized)
+    {
+      list_matching_formats (matching);
+      free (matching);
+    }
+}
+
 static void
 display_file (filename, target)
      char *filename;