diff --git a/misc/cgo/test/cgo_test.go b/misc/cgo/test/cgo_test.go
index 05deb4197c1d0..3b289ba7b5053 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/test/cgo_test.go
+++ b/misc/cgo/test/cgo_test.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ func Test8092(t *testing.T)                  { test8092(t) }
 func Test7978(t *testing.T)                  { test7978(t) }
 func Test8694(t *testing.T)                  { test8694(t) }
 func Test8517(t *testing.T)                  { test8517(t) }
+func Test8811(t *testing.T)                  { test8811(t) }
 func TestReturnAfterGrow(t *testing.T)       { testReturnAfterGrow(t) }
 func TestReturnAfterGrowFromGo(t *testing.T) { testReturnAfterGrowFromGo(t) }
 
diff --git a/misc/cgo/test/issue8811.c b/misc/cgo/test/issue8811.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..584bb39342e4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/misc/cgo/test/issue8811.c
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// Copyright 2014 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+int issue8811Initialized = 0;
+
+void issue8811Init() {
+}
diff --git a/misc/cgo/test/issue8811.go b/misc/cgo/test/issue8811.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..2e217d9356ad3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/misc/cgo/test/issue8811.go
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// Copyright 2014 The Go Authors.  All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package cgotest
+
+/*
+extern int issue8811Initialized;
+extern void issue8811Init();
+
+void issue8811Execute() {
+	if(!issue8811Initialized)
+		issue8811Init();
+}
+*/
+import "C"
+
+import "testing"
+
+func test8811(t *testing.T) {
+	C.issue8811Execute()
+}
diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/ldpe.c b/src/cmd/ld/ldpe.c
index 9257c243c94b3..4f5e51f2f1b55 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ld/ldpe.c
+++ b/src/cmd/ld/ldpe.c
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ struct PeObj {
 };
 
 static int map(PeObj *obj, PeSect *sect);
+static int issect(PeSym *s);
 static int readsym(PeObj *obj, int i, PeSym **sym);
 
 void
@@ -318,8 +319,8 @@ ldpe(Biobuf *f, char *pkg, int64 len, char *pn)
 			// ld -r could generate multiple section symbols for the
 			// same section but with different values, we have to take
 			// that into account
-			if (obj->pesym[symindex].name[0] == '.')
-					rp->add += obj->pesym[symindex].value;
+			if(issect(&obj->pesym[symindex]))
+				rp->add += obj->pesym[symindex].value;
 		}
 		qsort(r, rsect->sh.NumberOfRelocations, sizeof r[0], rbyoff);
 		
@@ -327,12 +328,12 @@ ldpe(Biobuf *f, char *pkg, int64 len, char *pn)
 		s->r = r;
 		s->nr = rsect->sh.NumberOfRelocations;
 	}
-	
+
 	// enter sub-symbols into symbol table.
 	for(i=0; i<obj->npesym; i++) {
 		if(obj->pesym[i].name == 0)
 			continue;
-		if(obj->pesym[i].name[0] == '.') //skip section
+		if(issect(&obj->pesym[i]))
 			continue;
 		if(obj->pesym[i].sectnum > 0) {
 			sect = &obj->sect[obj->pesym[i].sectnum-1];
@@ -430,6 +431,12 @@ map(PeObj *obj, PeSect *sect)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int
+issect(PeSym *s)
+{
+	return s->sclass == IMAGE_SYM_CLASS_STATIC && s->type == 0 && s->name[0] == '.';
+}
+
 static int
 readsym(PeObj *obj, int i, PeSym **y)
 {
@@ -445,7 +452,7 @@ readsym(PeObj *obj, int i, PeSym **y)
 	sym = &obj->pesym[i];
 	*y = sym;
 	
-	if(sym->name[0] == '.') // .section
+	if(issect(sym))
 		name = obj->sect[sym->sectnum-1].sym->name;
 	else {
 		name = sym->name;