diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/loader/loader.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/loader/loader.go
index 9d5319c3120..f144e00f378 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/loader/loader.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/loader/loader.go
@@ -2209,7 +2209,6 @@ func (l *Loader) LoadSyms(arch *sys.Arch) {
 	// Index 0 is invalid for symbols.
 	l.objSyms = make([]objSym, 1, symSize)
 
-	l.npkgsyms = l.NSym()
 	st := loadState{
 		l:            l,
 		hashed64Syms: make(map[uint64]symAndSize, hashed64Size),
@@ -2219,6 +2218,7 @@ func (l *Loader) LoadSyms(arch *sys.Arch) {
 	for _, o := range l.objs[goObjStart:] {
 		st.preloadSyms(o.r, pkgDef)
 	}
+	l.npkgsyms = l.NSym()
 	for _, o := range l.objs[goObjStart:] {
 		st.preloadSyms(o.r, hashed64Def)
 		st.preloadSyms(o.r, hashedDef)