diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/amd64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/amd64/asm.go
index 8065aa549d..7b925856cc 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/amd64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/amd64/asm.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func makeWritable(s *sym.Symbol) {
 	}
 }
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	targ := r.Sym
 
 	switch r.Type {
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/arm/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/arm/asm.go
index c7ec1e5678..a76f0db1de 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/arm/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/arm/asm.go
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func braddoff(a int32, b int32) int32 {
 	return int32((uint32(a))&0xff000000 | 0x00ffffff&uint32(a+b))
 }
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	targ := r.Sym
 
 	switch r.Type {
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/arm64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/arm64/asm.go
index 684326fc64..ddf5da8e8b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/arm64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/arm64/asm.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func gentext(ctxt *ld.Link) {
 	initarray_entry.AddAddr(ctxt.Arch, initfunc)
 }
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	targ := r.Sym
 
 	switch r.Type {
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/data.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/data.go
index 5682997b79..730aba2397 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/data.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/data.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func trampoline(ctxt *Link, s *sym.Symbol) {
 // to avoid introducing unnecessary allocations in the main loop.
 // TODO: This function is called in parallel. When the Loader wavefront
 // reaches here, calls into the loader need to be parallel as well.
-func relocsym(target *Target, err *ErrorReporter, lookup LookupFn, syms *ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol) {
+func relocsym(target *Target, ldr *loader.Loader, err *ErrorReporter, lookup LookupFn, syms *ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol) {
 	if len(s.R) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ func relocsym(target *Target, err *ErrorReporter, lookup LookupFn, syms *ArchSym
 				// symbol which isn't in .data. However, as .text has the
 				// same address once loaded, this is possible.
 				if s.Sect.Seg == &Segdata {
-					Xcoffadddynrel(target, s, r)
+					Xcoffadddynrel(target, ldr, s, r)
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -575,25 +575,26 @@ func relocsym(target *Target, err *ErrorReporter, lookup LookupFn, syms *ArchSym
 func (ctxt *Link) reloc() {
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	target := &ctxt.Target
+	ldr := ctxt.loader
 	reporter := &ctxt.ErrorReporter
 	lookup := ctxt.Syms.ROLookup
 	syms := &ctxt.ArchSyms
 	wg.Add(3)
 	go func() {
 		for _, s := range ctxt.Textp {
-			relocsym(target, reporter, lookup, syms, s)
+			relocsym(target, ldr, reporter, lookup, syms, s)
 		}
 		wg.Done()
 	}()
 	go func() {
 		for _, s := range ctxt.datap {
-			relocsym(target, reporter, lookup, syms, s)
+			relocsym(target, ldr, reporter, lookup, syms, s)
 		}
 		wg.Done()
 	}()
 	go func() {
 		for _, s := range dwarfp {
-			relocsym(target, reporter, lookup, syms, s)
+			relocsym(target, ldr, reporter, lookup, syms, s)
 		}
 		wg.Done()
 	}()
@@ -666,6 +667,7 @@ func (ctxt *Link) windynrelocsyms() {
 
 func dynrelocsym(ctxt *Link, s *sym.Symbol) {
 	target := &ctxt.Target
+	ldr := ctxt.loader
 	syms := &ctxt.ArchSyms
 	for ri := range s.R {
 		r := &s.R[ri]
@@ -673,7 +675,7 @@ func dynrelocsym(ctxt *Link, s *sym.Symbol) {
 			// It's expected that some relocations will be done
 			// later by relocsym (R_TLS_LE, R_ADDROFF), so
 			// don't worry if Adddynrel returns false.
-			thearch.Adddynrel(target, syms, s, r)
+			thearch.Adddynrel(target, ldr, syms, s, r)
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -681,7 +683,7 @@ func dynrelocsym(ctxt *Link, s *sym.Symbol) {
 			if r.Sym != nil && !r.Sym.Attr.Reachable() {
 				Errorf(s, "dynamic relocation to unreachable symbol %s", r.Sym.Name)
 			}
-			if !thearch.Adddynrel(target, syms, s, r) {
+			if !thearch.Adddynrel(target, ldr, syms, s, r) {
 				Errorf(s, "unsupported dynamic relocation for symbol %s (type=%d (%s) stype=%d (%s))", r.Sym.Name, r.Type, sym.RelocName(ctxt.Arch, r.Type), r.Sym.Type, r.Sym.Type)
 			}
 		}
@@ -2488,6 +2490,7 @@ func compressSyms(ctxt *Link, syms []*sym.Symbol) []byte {
 		log.Fatalf("NewWriterLevel failed: %s", err)
 	}
 	target := &ctxt.Target
+	ldr := ctxt.loader
 	reporter := &ctxt.ErrorReporter
 	lookup := ctxt.Syms.ROLookup
 	archSyms := &ctxt.ArchSyms
@@ -2502,7 +2505,7 @@ func compressSyms(ctxt *Link, syms []*sym.Symbol) []byte {
 			// TODO: This function call needs to be parallelized when the loader wavefront gets here.
 			s.Attr.Set(sym.AttrReadOnly, false)
 		}
-		relocsym(target, reporter, lookup, archSyms, s)
+		relocsym(target, ldr, reporter, lookup, archSyms, s)
 		if _, err := z.Write(s.P); err != nil {
 			log.Fatalf("compression failed: %s", err)
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
index cc7b00fbfc..01dc31b4d8 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ type Arch struct {
 	Openbsddynld   string
 	Dragonflydynld string
 	Solarisdynld   string
-	Adddynrel      func(*Target, *ArchSyms, *sym.Symbol, *sym.Reloc) bool
+	Adddynrel      func(*Target, *loader.Loader, *ArchSyms, *sym.Symbol, *sym.Reloc) bool
 	Archinit       func(*Link)
 	// Archreloc is an arch-specific hook that assists in
 	// relocation processing (invoked by 'relocsym'); it handles
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/xcoff.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/xcoff.go
index fc5d2358b8..5bdf863f14 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/xcoff.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/xcoff.go
@@ -416,8 +416,6 @@ type xcoffFile struct {
 	dynLibraries    map[string]int       // Dynamic libraries in .loader section. The integer represents its import file number (- 1)
 	loaderSymbols   []*xcoffLoaderSymbol // symbols inside .loader symbol table
 	loaderReloc     []*xcoffLoaderReloc  // Reloc that must be made inside loader
-
-	ldr *loader.Loader // XXX keep a reference here for now, as it is needed in Xcoffadddynrel. will clean up in the next CL.
 }
 
 // Var used by XCOFF Generation algorithms
@@ -1108,7 +1106,7 @@ func (f *xcoffFile) adddynimpsym(ctxt *Link, s loader.Sym) {
 
 // Xcoffadddynrel adds a dynamic relocation in a XCOFF file.
 // This relocation will be made by the loader.
-func Xcoffadddynrel(target *Target, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func Xcoffadddynrel(target *Target, ldr *loader.Loader, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	if target.IsExternal() {
 		return true
 	}
@@ -1130,7 +1128,7 @@ func Xcoffadddynrel(target *Target, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 		if s.Type == sym.SXCOFFTOC && r.Sym.Type == sym.SDYNIMPORT {
 			// Imported symbol relocation
 			for i, dynsym := range xfile.loaderSymbols {
-				if xfile.ldr.Syms[dynsym.sym].Name == r.Sym.Name {
+				if ldr.Syms[dynsym.sym].Name == r.Sym.Name {
 					xldr.symndx = int32(i + 3) // +3 because of 3 section symbols
 					break
 				}
@@ -1190,8 +1188,6 @@ func (ctxt *Link) doxcoff() {
 
 	xfile.genDynSym(ctxt)
 
-	xfile.ldr = ldr // XXX
-
 	for s := loader.Sym(1); s < loader.Sym(ldr.NSym()); s++ {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(ldr.SymName(s), "TOC.") {
 			sb := ldr.MakeSymbolUpdater(s)
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/mips/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/mips/asm.go
index de2979eff7..44503a1348 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/mips/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/mips/asm.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func gentext(ctxt *ld.Link) {
 	return
 }
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	log.Fatalf("adddynrel not implemented")
 	return false
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/mips64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/mips64/asm.go
index b465d8a45f..2024c082e9 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/mips64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/mips64/asm.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import (
 
 func gentext(ctxt *ld.Link) {}
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	log.Fatalf("adddynrel not implemented")
 	return false
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ppc64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ppc64/asm.go
index bc9c8d65a8..f12522a5dd 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ppc64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ppc64/asm.go
@@ -263,11 +263,11 @@ func gencallstub(ctxt *ld.Link, abicase int, stub *sym.Symbol, targ *sym.Symbol)
 	stub.AddUint32(ctxt.Arch, 0x4e800420) // bctr
 }
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	if target.IsElf() {
 		return addelfdynrel(target, syms, s, r)
 	} else if target.IsAIX() {
-		return ld.Xcoffadddynrel(target, s, r)
+		return ld.Xcoffadddynrel(target, ldr, s, r)
 	}
 	return false
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/riscv64/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/riscv64/asm.go
index 585548d26a..6148f6c035 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/riscv64/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/riscv64/asm.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func adddynrela(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, rel *sym.Symbol, s *sym.Sy
 	log.Fatalf("adddynrela not implemented")
 }
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	log.Fatalf("adddynrel not implemented")
 	return false
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/s390x/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/s390x/asm.go
index 35e248522a..b118a4db63 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/s390x/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/s390x/asm.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func gentext(ctxt *ld.Link) {
 	initarray_entry.AddAddr(ctxt.Arch, initfunc)
 }
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	targ := r.Sym
 	r.InitExt()
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/x86/asm.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/x86/asm.go
index c6570ea1a3..30ad08688c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/x86/asm.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/x86/asm.go
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func gentext(ctxt *ld.Link) {
 	initarray_entry.AddAddr(ctxt.Arch, initfunc)
 }
 
-func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
+func adddynrel(target *ld.Target, ldr *loader.Loader, syms *ld.ArchSyms, s *sym.Symbol, r *sym.Reloc) bool {
 	targ := r.Sym
 
 	switch r.Type {