diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/lib.c b/src/cmd/ld/lib.c
index 53c3ebd43c..76a3a1393a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ld/lib.c
+++ b/src/cmd/ld/lib.c
@@ -1255,6 +1255,7 @@ setheadtype(char *s)
 		fprint(2, "unknown header type -H %s\n", s);
 		errorexit();
 	}
+	headstring = s;
 	HEADTYPE = headtype(s);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/pobj.c b/src/cmd/ld/pobj.c
index 16d908a407..08d44f6376 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ld/pobj.c
+++ b/src/cmd/ld/pobj.c
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if(HEADTYPE == -1)
 		HEADTYPE = headtype(goos);
 	ctxt->headtype = HEADTYPE;
+	if (headstring == NULL)
+		headstring = headstr(HEADTYPE);
 
 	archinit();
 	ctxt->linkmode = linkmode;