diff --git a/src/cmd/asm/internal/asm/endtoend_test.go b/src/cmd/asm/internal/asm/endtoend_test.go
index 4bc7e2fb74..4a3e0ee265 100644
--- a/src/cmd/asm/internal/asm/endtoend_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/asm/internal/asm/endtoend_test.go
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ Diff:
 		t.Errorf(format, args...)
 		ok = false
 	}
-	obj.Flushplist(ctxt)
+	obj.FlushplistNoFree(ctxt)
 
 	for p := top; p != nil; p = p.Link {
 		if p.As == obj.ATEXT {
diff --git a/src/cmd/internal/obj/objfile.go b/src/cmd/internal/obj/objfile.go
index 2d5c82376b..6757067dd6 100644
--- a/src/cmd/internal/obj/objfile.go
+++ b/src/cmd/internal/obj/objfile.go
@@ -116,6 +116,12 @@ func Writeobjdirect(ctxt *Link, b *Biobuf) {
 }
 
 func Flushplist(ctxt *Link) {
+	flushplist(ctxt, true)
+}
+func FlushplistNoFree(ctxt *Link) {
+	flushplist(ctxt, false)
+}
+func flushplist(ctxt *Link, freeProgs bool) {
 	var flag int
 	var s *LSym
 	var p *Prog
@@ -318,7 +324,9 @@ func Flushplist(ctxt *Link) {
 	ctxt.Plist = nil
 	ctxt.Plast = nil
 	ctxt.Curp = nil
-	ctxt.freeProgs()
+	if freeProgs {
+		ctxt.freeProgs()
+	}
 }
 
 func Writeobjfile(ctxt *Link, b *Biobuf) {