diff --git a/binutils/is-ranlib.c b/binutils/is-ranlib.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fde72a43da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/binutils/is-ranlib.c
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+/* Linked with ar.o to flag that this program is 'ranlib' (not 'ar'). */
+
+int is_ranlib = 1;
diff --git a/binutils/maybe-ranlib.c b/binutils/maybe-ranlib.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..882bb73d6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/binutils/maybe-ranlib.c
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+/* Linked with ar.o to flag that this program decides at runtime
+   (using argv[0] if it is is 'ar' or 'ranlib'. */
+
+int is_ranlib = 0;
diff --git a/binutils/not-ranlib.c b/binutils/not-ranlib.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b4b730e616
--- /dev/null
+++ b/binutils/not-ranlib.c
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+/* Linked with ar.o to flag that this program is 'ar' (not 'ranlib'). */
+
+int is_ranlib = -1;
diff --git a/binutils/ranlib.sh b/binutils/ranlib.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..2b6fbc479c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/binutils/ranlib.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# A simple ranlib script, to use less disk space than a ranlib program.
+ar s $1