diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
index 3207bdb837..4538899fa0 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/lib.go
@@ -1562,6 +1562,7 @@ func ldshlibsyms(ctxt *Link, shlib string) {
 		Errorf(nil, "cannot open shared library: %s", libpath)
 		return
 	}
+	defer f.Close()
 
 	hash, err := readnote(f, ELF_NOTE_GO_NAME, ELF_NOTE_GOABIHASH_TAG)
 	if err != nil {