diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/global_test.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/global_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6c388aff7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/global_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+// Copyright 2015 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package gc
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"internal/testenv"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// Make sure "hello world" does not link in all the
+// fmt.scanf routines.  See issue 6853.
+func TestScanfRemoval(t *testing.T) {
+	testenv.MustHaveGoBuild(t)
+
+	// Make a directory to work in.
+	dir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "issue6853a-")
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("could not create directory: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(dir)
+
+	// Create source.
+	src := path.Join(dir, "test.go")
+	f, err := os.Create(src)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("could not create source file: %v", err)
+	}
+	f.Write([]byte(`
+package main
+import "fmt"
+func main() {
+	fmt.Println("hello world")
+}
+`))
+	f.Close()
+
+	// Name of destination.
+	dst := path.Join(dir, "test")
+
+	// Compile source.
+	cmd := exec.Command("go", "build", "-o", dst, src)
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("could not build target: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Check destination to see if scanf code was included.
+	cmd = exec.Command("go", "tool", "nm", dst)
+	out, err = cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("could not read target: %v", err)
+	}
+	if bytes.Index(out, []byte("scanInt")) != -1 {
+		log.Fatalf("scanf code not removed from helloworld")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/sinit.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/sinit.go
index bfce8e95d0..6d88e45ea0 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/sinit.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/sinit.go
@@ -378,10 +378,6 @@ func staticassign(l *Node, r *Node, out **NodeList) bool {
 	}
 
 	switch r.Op {
-	//dump("not static", r);
-	default:
-		break
-
 	case ONAME:
 		return staticcopy(l, r, out)
 
@@ -404,12 +400,8 @@ func staticassign(l *Node, r *Node, out **NodeList) bool {
 
 	case OPTRLIT:
 		switch r.Left.Op {
-		//dump("not static ptrlit", r);
-		default:
-			break
-
-			// Init pointer.
 		case OARRAYLIT, OMAPLIT, OSTRUCTLIT:
+			// Init pointer.
 			a := staticname(r.Left.Type, 1)
 
 			inittemps[r] = a
@@ -421,6 +413,7 @@ func staticassign(l *Node, r *Node, out **NodeList) bool {
 			}
 			return true
 		}
+		//dump("not static ptrlit", r);
 
 	case OSTRARRAYBYTE:
 		if l.Class == PEXTERN && r.Left.Op == OLITERAL {
@@ -452,7 +445,6 @@ func staticassign(l *Node, r *Node, out **NodeList) bool {
 		}
 		fallthrough
 
-		// fall through
 	case OSTRUCTLIT:
 		initplan(r)
 
@@ -477,11 +469,21 @@ func staticassign(l *Node, r *Node, out **NodeList) bool {
 
 		return true
 
-		// TODO: Table-driven map insert.
 	case OMAPLIT:
+		// TODO: Table-driven map insert.
 		break
+
+	case OCLOSURE:
+		if r.Func.Cvars == nil {
+			// Closures with no captured variables are globals,
+			// so the assignment can be done at link time.
+			n := *l
+			gdata(&n, r.Func.Closure.Func.Nname, Widthptr)
+			return true
+		}
 	}
 
+	//dump("not static", r);
 	return false
 }