diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
index 644faeb2fbc..894e5afe638 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
@@ -697,7 +697,9 @@ func (ctxt *Link) linksetup() {
 		Peinit(ctxt)
 	}
 
-	if ctxt.HeadType == objabi.Hdarwin && ctxt.LinkMode == LinkExternal {
+	if ctxt.LinkMode == LinkExternal {
+		// When external linking, we are creating an object file. The
+		// absolute address is irrelevant.
 		*FlagTextAddr = 0
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/pe.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/pe.go
index 8eb4231c3ab..871bf8de2b1 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/pe.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/pe.go
@@ -1061,6 +1061,8 @@ func Peinit(ctxt *Link) {
 		// linker will honour that requirement.
 		PESECTALIGN = 32
 		PEFILEALIGN = 0
+		// We are creating an object file. The absolute address is irrelevant.
+		PEBASE = 0
 	}
 
 	var sh [16]pe.SectionHeader32