diff --git a/bfd/ChangeLog b/bfd/ChangeLog
index 2917d27525..4b9caa3779 100644
--- a/bfd/ChangeLog
+++ b/bfd/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2002-08-06  Alan Modra  <amodra@bigpond.net.au>
+
+	* xcofflink.c (xcoff_write_global_symbol): Set n_scnum for abs_section.
+
 2002-08-06  Alan Modra  <amodra@bigpond.net.au>
 
 	* elf64-ppc.c (ppc64_elf_howto_raw): Zero all src_mask entries.
diff --git a/bfd/xcofflink.c b/bfd/xcofflink.c
index c1793544e3..a869d7d3d6 100644
--- a/bfd/xcofflink.c
+++ b/bfd/xcofflink.c
@@ -5887,7 +5887,10 @@ xcoff_write_global_symbol (h, inf)
       isym.n_value = (h->root.u.def.section->output_section->vma
 		      + h->root.u.def.section->output_offset
 		      + h->root.u.def.value);
-      isym.n_scnum = h->root.u.def.section->output_section->target_index;
+      if (bfd_is_abs_section (h->root.u.def.section->output_section))
+	isym.n_scnum = N_ABS;
+      else
+	isym.n_scnum = h->root.u.def.section->output_section->target_index;
       isym.n_sclass = C_HIDEXT;
       aux.x_csect.x_smtyp = XTY_SD;