diff --git a/bfd/ChangeLog b/bfd/ChangeLog
index dea16aed12..1b223f989e 100644
--- a/bfd/ChangeLog
+++ b/bfd/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2015-02-27  Nick Clifton  <nickc@redhat.com>
+
+	PR binutils/17910
+	* coffgen.c (_bfd_coff_internal_syment_name): Only check for
+	string length overflow when the string table length is actually
+	set.
+
 2015-02-27  Marcus Shawcroft  <marcus.shawcroft@arm.com>
 
 	* bfd/bfd-in2.h: Regenerate.
diff --git a/bfd/coffgen.c b/bfd/coffgen.c
index aa015597b7..83673d4846 100644
--- a/bfd/coffgen.c
+++ b/bfd/coffgen.c
@@ -468,7 +468,10 @@ _bfd_coff_internal_syment_name (bfd *abfd,
 	  if (strings == NULL)
 	    return NULL;
 	}
-      if (sym->_n._n_n._n_offset >= obj_coff_strings_len (abfd))
+      /* PR 17910: Only check for string overflow if the length has been set.
+	 Some DLLs, eg those produced by Visual Studio, may not set the length field.  */
+      if (obj_coff_strings_len (abfd) > 0
+	  && sym->_n._n_n._n_offset >= obj_coff_strings_len (abfd))
 	return NULL;
       return strings + sym->_n._n_n._n_offset;
     }