diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/amd64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/amd64/asm.go
index e1daaec2c7..e2c33b8001 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/amd64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/amd64/asm.go
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ func elfreloc1(ctxt *ld.Link, r *sym.Reloc, sectoff int64) bool {
 	switch r.Type {
 	default:
 		return false
-	case objabi.R_ADDR:
+	case objabi.R_ADDR, objabi.R_DWARFSECREF:
 		if r.Siz == 4 {
 			ctxt.Out.Write64(uint64(elf.R_X86_64_32) | uint64(elfsym)<<32)
 		} else if r.Siz == 8 {
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/arm/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/arm/asm.go
index c95de0de2f..a2024bcede 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/arm/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/arm/asm.go
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ func elfreloc1(ctxt *ld.Link, r *sym.Reloc, sectoff int64) bool {
 	switch r.Type {
 	default:
 		return false
-	case objabi.R_ADDR:
+	case objabi.R_ADDR, objabi.R_DWARFSECREF:
 		if r.Siz == 4 {
 			ctxt.Out.Write32(uint32(elf.R_ARM_ABS32) | uint32(elfsym)<<8)
 		} else {
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/arm64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/arm64/asm.go
index 2d12fc2f59..dc3e45d6c0 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/arm64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/arm64/asm.go
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ func elfreloc1(ctxt *ld.Link, r *sym.Reloc, sectoff int64) bool {
 	switch r.Type {
 	default:
 		return false
-	case objabi.R_ADDR:
+	case objabi.R_ADDR, objabi.R_DWARFSECREF:
 		switch r.Siz {
 		case 4:
 			ctxt.Out.Write64(uint64(elf.R_AARCH64_ABS32) | uint64(elfsym)<<32)
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/data.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/data.go
index af1b335db7..102fcabe47 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/data.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/data.go
@@ -224,11 +224,7 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 		var rr loader.ExtReloc
 		needExtReloc := false // will set to true below in case it is needed
 		if target.IsExternal() {
-			rr.Sym = rs
-			rr.Type = rt
-			rr.Off = off
-			rr.Siz = uint8(siz)
-			rr.Add = r.Add()
+			rr.Idx = ri
 		}
 
 		// TODO(mundaym): remove this special case - see issue 14218.
@@ -282,14 +278,14 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 		case objabi.R_TLS_LE:
 			if target.IsExternal() && target.IsElf() {
 				needExtReloc = true
-				if rr.Sym == 0 {
-					rr.Sym = syms.Tlsg2
+				rr.Xsym = rs
+				if rr.Xsym == 0 {
+					rr.Xsym = syms.Tlsg2
 				}
-				rr.Xsym = rr.Sym
-				rr.Xadd = rr.Add
+				rr.Xadd = r.Add()
 				o = 0
 				if !target.IsAMD64() {
-					o = rr.Add
+					o = r.Add()
 				}
 				break
 			}
@@ -313,14 +309,14 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 		case objabi.R_TLS_IE:
 			if target.IsExternal() && target.IsElf() {
 				needExtReloc = true
-				if rr.Sym == 0 {
-					rr.Sym = syms.Tlsg2
+				rr.Xsym = rs
+				if rr.Xsym == 0 {
+					rr.Xsym = syms.Tlsg2
 				}
-				rr.Xsym = rr.Sym
-				rr.Xadd = rr.Add
+				rr.Xadd = r.Add()
 				o = 0
 				if !target.IsAMD64() {
-					o = rr.Add
+					o = r.Add()
 				}
 				break
 			}
@@ -342,7 +338,7 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 				// set up addend for eventual relocation via outer symbol.
 				rs := rs
 				rs, off := foldSubSymbolOffset(ldr, rs)
-				rr.Xadd = rr.Add + off
+				rr.Xadd = r.Add() + off
 				rst := ldr.SymType(rs)
 				if rst != sym.SHOSTOBJ && rst != sym.SDYNIMPORT && rst != sym.SUNDEFEXT && ldr.SymSect(rs) == nil {
 					st.err.Errorf(s, "missing section for relocation target %s", ldr.SymName(rs))
@@ -361,7 +357,7 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 				} else if target.IsWindows() {
 					// nothing to do
 				} else if target.IsAIX() {
-					o = ldr.SymValue(rr.Sym) + rr.Add
+					o = ldr.SymValue(rs) + r.Add()
 				} else {
 					st.err.Errorf(s, "unhandled pcrel relocation to %s on %v", ldr.SymName(rs), target.HeadType)
 				}
@@ -413,17 +409,8 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 					needExtReloc = false
 				}
 
-				// PE code emits IMAGE_REL_I386_SECREL and IMAGE_REL_AMD64_SECREL
-				// for R_DWARFSECREF relocations, while R_ADDR is replaced with
-				// IMAGE_REL_I386_DIR32, IMAGE_REL_AMD64_ADDR64 and IMAGE_REL_AMD64_ADDR32.
-				// Do not replace R_DWARFSECREF with R_ADDR for windows -
-				// let PE code emit correct relocations.
-				if !target.IsWindows() {
-					rr.Type = objabi.R_ADDR
-				}
-
-				rr.Xsym = loader.Sym(ldr.SymSect(rr.Sym).Sym2)
-				rr.Xadd = rr.Add + ldr.SymValue(rr.Sym) - int64(ldr.SymSect(rr.Sym).Vaddr)
+				rr.Xsym = loader.Sym(ldr.SymSect(rs).Sym2)
+				rr.Xadd = r.Add() + ldr.SymValue(rs) - int64(ldr.SymSect(rs).Vaddr)
 
 				o = rr.Xadd
 				if target.IsElf() && target.IsAMD64() {
@@ -455,12 +442,12 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 		case objabi.R_GOTPCREL:
 			if target.IsDynlinkingGo() && target.IsDarwin() && rs != 0 && rst != sym.SCONST {
 				needExtReloc = true
-				rr.Xadd = rr.Add
-				rr.Xadd -= int64(rr.Siz) // relative to address after the relocated chunk
-				rr.Xsym = rr.Sym
+				rr.Xadd = r.Add()
+				rr.Xadd -= int64(siz) // relative to address after the relocated chunk
+				rr.Xsym = rs
 
 				o = rr.Xadd
-				o += int64(rr.Siz)
+				o += int64(siz)
 				break
 			}
 			fallthrough
@@ -470,9 +457,9 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 				needExtReloc = true
 				rr.Xadd = 0
 				if target.IsElf() {
-					rr.Xadd -= int64(rr.Siz)
+					rr.Xadd -= int64(siz)
 				}
-				rr.Xsym = rr.Sym
+				rr.Xsym = rs
 				o = 0
 				break
 			}
@@ -482,8 +469,8 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 				// set up addend for eventual relocation via outer symbol.
 				rs := rs
 				rs, off := foldSubSymbolOffset(ldr, rs)
-				rr.Xadd = rr.Add + off
-				rr.Xadd -= int64(rr.Siz) // relative to address after the relocated chunk
+				rr.Xadd = r.Add() + off
+				rr.Xadd -= int64(siz) // relative to address after the relocated chunk
 				rst := ldr.SymType(rs)
 				if rst != sym.SHOSTOBJ && rst != sym.SDYNIMPORT && ldr.SymSect(rs) == nil {
 					st.err.Errorf(s, "missing section for relocation target %s", ldr.SymName(rs))
@@ -496,25 +483,25 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 						o = 0
 					}
 				} else if target.IsDarwin() {
-					if rr.Type == objabi.R_CALL {
+					if rt == objabi.R_CALL {
 						if target.IsExternal() && rst == sym.SDYNIMPORT {
 							if target.IsAMD64() {
 								// AMD64 dynamic relocations are relative to the end of the relocation.
-								o += int64(rr.Siz)
+								o += int64(siz)
 							}
 						} else {
 							if rst != sym.SHOSTOBJ {
 								o += int64(uint64(ldr.SymValue(rs)) - ldr.SymSect(rs).Vaddr)
 							}
-							o -= int64(rr.Off) // relative to section offset, not symbol
+							o -= int64(off) // relative to section offset, not symbol
 						}
 					} else {
-						o += int64(rr.Siz)
+						o += int64(siz)
 					}
 				} else if target.IsWindows() && target.IsAMD64() { // only amd64 needs PCREL
 					// PE/COFF's PC32 relocation uses the address after the relocated
 					// bytes as the base. Compensate by skewing the addend.
-					o += int64(rr.Siz)
+					o += int64(siz)
 				} else {
 					st.err.Errorf(s, "unhandled pcrel relocation to %s on %v", ldr.SymName(rs), target.HeadType)
 				}
@@ -539,8 +526,8 @@ func (st *relocSymState) relocsym(s loader.Sym, P []byte) {
 				st.err.Errorf(s, "find XCOFF R_REF with internal linking")
 			}
 			needExtReloc = true
-			rr.Xsym = rr.Sym
-			rr.Xadd = rr.Add
+			rr.Xsym = rs
+			rr.Xadd = r.Add()
 
 			// This isn't a real relocation so it must not update
 			// its offset value.
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/loader/loader.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/loader/loader.go
index a7b65e3580..749995bf8e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/loader/loader.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/loader/loader.go
@@ -51,11 +51,7 @@ type Reloc struct {
 
 // ExtReloc contains the payload for an external relocation.
 type ExtReloc struct {
-	Off  int32            // offset to rewrite
-	Siz  uint8            // number of bytes to rewrite: 0, 1, 2, or 4
-	Type objabi.RelocType // the relocation type
-	Sym  Sym              // global index of symbol the reloc addresses
-	Add  int64            // addend
+	Idx  int // index of the original relocation
 	Xsym Sym
 	Xadd int64
 }
@@ -2763,25 +2759,30 @@ func (l *Loader) convertExtRelocs(dst *sym.Symbol, src Sym) {
 	if int(src) >= len(l.extRelocs) {
 		return
 	}
-	relocs := l.extRelocs[src]
-	if len(relocs) == 0 {
+	extRelocs := l.extRelocs[src]
+	if len(extRelocs) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 	if len(dst.R) != 0 {
 		panic("bad")
 	}
-	dst.R = make([]sym.Reloc, len(relocs))
+	dst.R = make([]sym.Reloc, len(extRelocs))
+	relocs := l.Relocs(src)
 	for i := range dst.R {
-		sr := &relocs[i]
+		er := &extRelocs[i]
+		sr := relocs.At2(er.Idx)
 		r := &dst.R[i]
 		r.InitExt()
-		r.Off = sr.Off
-		r.Siz = sr.Siz
-		r.Type = sr.Type
-		r.Sym = l.Syms[sr.Sym]
-		r.Add = sr.Add
-		r.Xsym = l.Syms[sr.Xsym]
-		r.Xadd = sr.Xadd
+		r.Off = sr.Off()
+		r.Siz = sr.Siz()
+		r.Type = sr.Type()
+		r.Sym = l.Syms[l.ResolveABIAlias(sr.Sym())]
+		r.Add = sr.Add()
+		r.Xsym = l.Syms[er.Xsym]
+		r.Xadd = er.Xadd
+		if rv := l.RelocVariant(src, er.Idx); rv != 0 {
+			r.Variant = rv
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/mips/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/mips/asm.go
index 53032a7e33..a366e80ea3 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/mips/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/mips/asm.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func elfreloc1(ctxt *ld.Link, r *sym.Reloc, sectoff int64) bool {
 	switch r.Type {
 	default:
 		return false
-	case objabi.R_ADDR:
+	case objabi.R_ADDR, objabi.R_DWARFSECREF:
 		if r.Siz != 4 {
 			return false
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/mips64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/mips64/asm.go
index 33f8b33509..e69db29809 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/mips64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/mips64/asm.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func elfreloc1(ctxt *ld.Link, r *sym.Reloc, sectoff int64) bool {
 	switch r.Type {
 	default:
 		return false
-	case objabi.R_ADDR:
+	case objabi.R_ADDR, objabi.R_DWARFSECREF:
 		switch r.Siz {
 		case 4:
 			ctxt.Out.Write8(uint8(elf.R_MIPS_32))
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ppc64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ppc64/asm.go
index 7a5dc565e6..4dc50eab79 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ppc64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ppc64/asm.go
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ func elfreloc1(ctxt *ld.Link, r *sym.Reloc, sectoff int64) bool {
 	switch r.Type {
 	default:
 		return false
-	case objabi.R_ADDR:
+	case objabi.R_ADDR, objabi.R_DWARFSECREF:
 		switch r.Siz {
 		case 4:
 			ctxt.Out.Write64(uint64(elf.R_PPC64_ADDR32) | uint64(elfsym)<<32)
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/s390x/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/s390x/asm.go
index 4def25868a..bec7705be5 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/s390x/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/s390x/asm.go
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ func elfreloc1(ctxt *ld.Link, r *sym.Reloc, sectoff int64) bool {
 		case 4:
 			ctxt.Out.Write64(uint64(elf.R_390_TLS_IEENT) | uint64(elfsym)<<32)
 		}
-	case objabi.R_ADDR:
+	case objabi.R_ADDR, objabi.R_DWARFSECREF:
 		switch r.Siz {
 		default:
 			return false
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/x86/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/x86/asm.go
index df704a444d..21ea5780cb 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/x86/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/x86/asm.go
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ func elfreloc1(ctxt *ld.Link, r *sym.Reloc, sectoff int64) bool {
 	switch r.Type {
 	default:
 		return false
-	case objabi.R_ADDR:
+	case objabi.R_ADDR, objabi.R_DWARFSECREF:
 		if r.Siz == 4 {
 			ctxt.Out.Write32(uint32(elf.R_386_32) | uint32(elfsym)<<8)
 		} else {