diff --git a/include/link.h b/include/link.h
index 190df7f373..bc163d6e4b 100644
--- a/include/link.h
+++ b/include/link.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ struct	Reloc
 	uchar	siz;
 	uchar	done;
 	int32	type;
+	int32	variant; // RV_*: variant on computed value
 	int64	add;
 	int64	xadd;
 	LSym*	sym;
@@ -257,6 +258,12 @@ enum
 	R_USEFIELD,
 };
 
+// Reloc.variant
+enum
+{
+	RV_NONE,		// identity variant
+};
+
 // Auto.type
 enum
 {
diff --git a/src/cmd/5l/asm.c b/src/cmd/5l/asm.c
index c95e43bcc0..5993079126 100644
--- a/src/cmd/5l/asm.c
+++ b/src/cmd/5l/asm.c
@@ -371,6 +371,15 @@ archreloc(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong *val)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+vlong
+archrelocvariant(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong t)
+{
+	USED(r);
+	USED(s);
+	sysfatal("unexpected relocation variant");
+	return t;
+}
+
 static Reloc *
 addpltreloc(Link *ctxt, LSym *plt, LSym *got, LSym *sym, int typ)
 {
diff --git a/src/cmd/5l/l.h b/src/cmd/5l/l.h
index c881a544af..f9cdc5bd7e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/5l/l.h
+++ b/src/cmd/5l/l.h
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ void	adddynrel(LSym *s, Reloc *r);
 void	adddynrela(LSym *rel, LSym *s, Reloc *r);
 void	adddynsym(Link *ctxt, LSym *s);
 int	archreloc(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong *val);
+vlong	archrelocvariant(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong t);
 void	asmb(void);
 int	elfreloc1(Reloc *r, vlong sectoff);
 void	elfsetupplt(void);
diff --git a/src/cmd/6l/asm.c b/src/cmd/6l/asm.c
index 20be4d6dbc..032c1eea09 100644
--- a/src/cmd/6l/asm.c
+++ b/src/cmd/6l/asm.c
@@ -396,6 +396,15 @@ archreloc(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong *val)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+vlong
+archrelocvariant(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong t)
+{
+	USED(r);
+	USED(s);
+	sysfatal("unexpected relocation variant");
+	return t;
+}
+
 void
 elfsetupplt(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/cmd/6l/l.h b/src/cmd/6l/l.h
index ff2e69452e..24eaa453dd 100644
--- a/src/cmd/6l/l.h
+++ b/src/cmd/6l/l.h
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ void	adddynrel(LSym *s, Reloc *r);
 void	adddynrela(LSym *rela, LSym *s, Reloc *r);
 void	adddynsym(Link *ctxt, LSym *s);
 int	archreloc(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong *val);
+vlong	archrelocvariant(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong t);
 void	asmb(void);
 int	elfreloc1(Reloc *r, vlong sectoff);
 void	elfsetupplt(void);
diff --git a/src/cmd/8l/asm.c b/src/cmd/8l/asm.c
index ff4911b88a..44d1ecc035 100644
--- a/src/cmd/8l/asm.c
+++ b/src/cmd/8l/asm.c
@@ -364,6 +364,15 @@ archreloc(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong *val)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+vlong
+archrelocvariant(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong t)
+{
+	USED(r);
+	USED(s);
+	sysfatal("unexpected relocation variant");
+	return t;
+}
+
 void
 elfsetupplt(void)
 {
diff --git a/src/cmd/8l/l.h b/src/cmd/8l/l.h
index 70d3a4bb4f..3c84d1b21f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/8l/l.h
+++ b/src/cmd/8l/l.h
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ void	adddynrel(LSym *s, Reloc *r);
 void	adddynrela(LSym *rela, LSym *s, Reloc *r);
 void	adddynsym(Link *ctxt, LSym *s);
 int	archreloc(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong *val);
+vlong	archrelocvariant(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong t);
 void	asmb(void);
 int	elfreloc1(Reloc *r, vlong sectoff);
 void	elfsetupplt(void);
diff --git a/src/cmd/9l/asm.c b/src/cmd/9l/asm.c
index 936cf8723e..00651d5714 100644
--- a/src/cmd/9l/asm.c
+++ b/src/cmd/9l/asm.c
@@ -177,6 +177,15 @@ archreloc(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong *val)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+vlong
+archrelocvariant(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong t)
+{
+	USED(r);
+	USED(s);
+	sysfatal("unexpected relocation variant");
+	return t;
+}
+
 void
 adddynsym(Link *ctxt, LSym *s)
 {
diff --git a/src/cmd/9l/l.h b/src/cmd/9l/l.h
index dda741c56b..9d8a4fae2c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/9l/l.h
+++ b/src/cmd/9l/l.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ void	adddynlib(char *lib);
 void	adddynrel(LSym *s, Reloc *r);
 void	adddynsym(Link *ctxt, LSym *s);
 int	archreloc(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong *val);
+vlong	archrelocvariant(Reloc *r, LSym *s, vlong t);
 void	listinit(void);
 vlong	rnd(vlong, int32);
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/data.c b/src/cmd/ld/data.c
index 3cf0bbdfe1..48e8a58866 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ld/data.c
+++ b/src/cmd/ld/data.c
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ relocsym(LSym *s)
 			o = r->sym->size + r->add;
 			break;
 		}
+		if(r->variant != RV_NONE)
+			o = archrelocvariant(r, s, o);
 //print("relocate %s %#llux (%#llux+%#llux, size %d) => %s %#llux +%#llx [%llx]\n", s->name, (uvlong)(s->value+off), (uvlong)s->value, (uvlong)r->off, r->siz, r->sym ? r->sym->name : "<nil>", (uvlong)symaddr(r->sym), (vlong)r->add, (vlong)o);
 		switch(siz) {
 		default: