diff --git a/bfd/ChangeLog b/bfd/ChangeLog
index d9fef30273..d0e9ad6a42 100644
--- a/bfd/ChangeLog
+++ b/bfd/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2002-08-22  Nick Clifton  <nickc@redhat.com>
+
+	* syms.c (_bfd_generic_read_minisymbols): Set bfd_error if the
+	symbols are not read.
+
 2002-08-22  Alan Modra  <amodra@bigpond.net.au>
 
 	* elf32-m68hc11.c: Formatting fixes.
diff --git a/bfd/syms.c b/bfd/syms.c
index 8a8abf4538..6eea2d807d 100644
--- a/bfd/syms.c
+++ b/bfd/syms.c
@@ -806,6 +806,7 @@ _bfd_generic_read_minisymbols (abfd, dynamic, minisymsp, sizep)
   return symcount;
 
  error_return:
+  bfd_set_error (bfd_error_no_symbols);
   if (syms != NULL)
     free (syms);
   return -1;