diff --git a/tccelf.c b/tccelf.c
index 0a5ba71d..e5f6c42c 100644
--- a/tccelf.c
+++ b/tccelf.c
@@ -2271,6 +2271,7 @@ static void *load_data(int fd, unsigned long file_offset, unsigned long size)
 typedef struct SectionMergeInfo {
     Section *s;            /* corresponding existing section */
     unsigned long offset;  /* offset of the new section in the existing section */
+    unsigned long oldlen;  /* size of existing section before adding this one */
     uint8_t new_section;       /* true if section 's' was added */
     uint8_t link_once;         /* true if link once section */
 } SectionMergeInfo;
@@ -2421,6 +2422,7 @@ ST_FUNC int tcc_load_object_file(TCCState *s1,
         }
 
         /* align start of section */
+	sm_table[i].oldlen = s->data_offset;
         offset = s->data_offset;
 
         if (0 == strcmp(sh_name, ".stab")) {
@@ -2478,9 +2480,15 @@ ST_FUNC int tcc_load_object_file(TCCState *s1,
         if (sh->sh_link > 0)
             s->link = sm_table[sh->sh_link].s;
         if (sh->sh_type == SHT_RELX) {
-            s->sh_info = sm_table[sh->sh_info].s->sh_num;
-            /* update backward link */
-            s1->sections[s->sh_info]->reloc = s;
+	    if (sm_table[sh->sh_info].s) {
+		s->sh_info = sm_table[sh->sh_info].s->sh_num;
+		/* update backward link */
+		s1->sections[s->sh_info]->reloc = s;
+	    } else {
+		/* we haven't read the target of relocs, so cancel them */
+		s->data_offset = sm_table[i].oldlen;
+		sm_table[i].s = NULL;
+	    }
         }
     }
     sm = sm_table;