diff --git a/src/debug/pe/file.go b/src/debug/pe/file.go
index 1cd84d5727..ef4ae352fe 100644
--- a/src/debug/pe/file.go
+++ b/src/debug/pe/file.go
@@ -158,7 +158,11 @@ func NewFile(r io.ReaderAt) (*File, error) {
 			NumberOfLineNumbers:  sh.NumberOfLineNumbers,
 			Characteristics:      sh.Characteristics,
 		}
-		s.sr = io.NewSectionReader(r, int64(s.SectionHeader.Offset), int64(s.SectionHeader.Size))
+		r2 := r
+		if sh.PointerToRawData == 0 { // .bss must have all 0s
+			r2 = zeroReaderAt{}
+		}
+		s.sr = io.NewSectionReader(r2, int64(s.SectionHeader.Offset), int64(s.SectionHeader.Size))
 		s.ReaderAt = s.sr
 		f.Sections[i] = s
 	}
@@ -173,6 +177,17 @@ func NewFile(r io.ReaderAt) (*File, error) {
 	return f, nil
 }
 
+// zeroReaderAt is ReaderAt that reads 0s.
+type zeroReaderAt struct{}
+
+// ReadAt writes len(p) 0s into p.
+func (w zeroReaderAt) ReadAt(p []byte, off int64) (n int, err error) {
+	for i := range p {
+		p[i] = 0
+	}
+	return len(p), nil
+}
+
 // getString extracts a string from symbol string table.
 func getString(section []byte, start int) (string, bool) {
 	if start < 0 || start >= len(section) {
diff --git a/src/debug/pe/file_test.go b/src/debug/pe/file_test.go
index 7367b982e2..12059b5eff 100644
--- a/src/debug/pe/file_test.go
+++ b/src/debug/pe/file_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package pe
 
 import (
 	"debug/dwarf"
+	"internal/testenv"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -307,3 +308,75 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	t.Fatal("main.main not found")
 }
+
+func TestBSSHasZeros(t *testing.T) {
+	testenv.MustHaveExec(t)
+
+	if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
+		t.Skip("skipping windows only test")
+	}
+	gccpath, err := exec.LookPath("gcc")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Skip("skipping test: gcc is missing")
+	}
+
+	tmpdir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "TestBSSHasZeros")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
+
+	srcpath := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "a.c")
+	src := `
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int zero = 0;
+
+int
+main(void)
+{
+	printf("%d\n", zero);
+	return 0;
+}
+`
+	err = ioutil.WriteFile(srcpath, []byte(src), 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	objpath := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "a.obj")
+	cmd := exec.Command(gccpath, "-c", srcpath, "-o", objpath)
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to build object file: %v - %v", err, string(out))
+	}
+
+	f, err := Open(objpath)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	var bss *Section
+	for _, sect := range f.Sections {
+		if sect.Name == ".bss" {
+			bss = sect
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if bss == nil {
+		t.Fatal("could not find .bss section")
+	}
+	data, err := bss.Data()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(data) == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("%s file .bss section cannot be empty", objpath)
+	}
+	for _, b := range data {
+		if b != 0 {
+			t.Fatalf(".bss section has non zero bytes: %v", data)
+		}
+	}
+}