diff --git a/bfd/ChangeLog b/bfd/ChangeLog
index ec94ce98e2..b4937f55e7 100644
--- a/bfd/ChangeLog
+++ b/bfd/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 2001-07-05  Jim Wilson  <wilson@redhat.com>
 
+	* linker.c (_bfd_generic_link_add_one_symbol, case BIG): Use
+	the section of the bigger symbol.
+
 	* syms.c (bfd_is_local_label): Return false if BSF_SECTION_SYM.
 
 2001-07-05  Nick Clifton  <nickc@cambridge.redhat.com>
diff --git a/bfd/linker.c b/bfd/linker.c
index 0877289489..54781868e7 100644
--- a/bfd/linker.c
+++ b/bfd/linker.c
@@ -1698,7 +1698,7 @@ _bfd_generic_link_add_one_symbol (info, abfd, name, flags, section, value,
 	case BIG:
 	  /* We have found a common definition for a symbol which
 	     already had a common definition.  Use the maximum of the
-	     two sizes.  */
+	     two sizes, and use the section required by the larger symbol.  */
 	  BFD_ASSERT (h->type == bfd_link_hash_common);
 	  if (! ((*info->callbacks->multiple_common)
 		 (info, h->root.string,
@@ -1717,6 +1717,25 @@ _bfd_generic_link_add_one_symbol (info, abfd, name, flags, section, value,
 	      if (power > 4)
 		power = 4;
 	      h->u.c.p->alignment_power = power;
+
+	      /* Some systems have special treatment for small commons,
+		 hence we want to select the section used by the larger
+		 symbol.  This makes sure the symbol does not go in a
+		 small common section if it is now too large.  */
+	      if (section == bfd_com_section_ptr)
+		{
+		  h->u.c.p->section
+		    = bfd_make_section_old_way (abfd, "COMMON");
+		  h->u.c.p->section->flags = SEC_ALLOC;
+		}
+	      else if (section->owner != abfd)
+		{
+		  h->u.c.p->section
+		    = bfd_make_section_old_way (abfd, section->name);
+		  h->u.c.p->section->flags = SEC_ALLOC;
+		}
+	      else
+		h->u.c.p->section = section;
 	    }
 	  break;