diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/dwarf.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/dwarf.go
index 65b5872a6f..0d8c2acb95 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/dwarf.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/dwarf.go
@@ -2068,6 +2068,9 @@ func dwarfGenerateDebugInfo(ctxt *Link) {
 // through dwarf DIE objects and rewrites loader.Sym refs to
 // sym.Symbol there as well. This is obviously a temporary function.
 func dwarfConvertSymbols(ctxt *Link) {
+	if !dwarfEnabled(ctxt) {
+		return
+	}
 	if *FlagNewDw2 {
 		// don't convert since we're running phase 2 with loader
 		return