diff --git a/src/librustc/back/archive.rs b/src/librustc/back/archive.rs
index eec15f798278..c1916714bf28 100644
--- a/src/librustc/back/archive.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/back/archive.rs
@@ -103,8 +103,9 @@ impl Archive {
     }
 
     /// Adds an arbitrary file to this archive
-    pub fn add_file(&mut self, file: &Path) {
-        run_ar(self.sess, "r", None, [&self.dst, file]);
+    pub fn add_file(&mut self, file: &Path, has_symbols: bool) {
+        let cmd = if has_symbols {"r"} else {"rS"};
+        run_ar(self.sess, cmd, None, [&self.dst, file]);
     }
 
     /// Removes a file from this archive
@@ -112,6 +113,12 @@ impl Archive {
         run_ar(self.sess, "d", None, [&self.dst, &Path::new(file)]);
     }
 
+    /// Update all symbols in the archive (runs 'ar s' over it)
+    pub fn update_symbols(&mut self) {
+        run_ar(self.sess, "s", None, [&self.dst]);
+    }
+
+    /// List all files in an archive
     pub fn files(&self) -> ~[~str] {
         let output = run_ar(self.sess, "t", None, [&self.dst]);
         str::from_utf8(output.output).lines().map(|s| s.to_owned()).collect()
diff --git a/src/librustc/back/link.rs b/src/librustc/back/link.rs
index 451213ab694f..43a08d1c998c 100644
--- a/src/librustc/back/link.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/back/link.rs
@@ -982,16 +982,21 @@ fn link_rlib(sess: Session,
             // contain the metadata in a separate file.
             let metadata = obj_filename.with_filename(METADATA_FILENAME);
             fs::File::create(&metadata).write(trans.metadata);
-            a.add_file(&metadata);
+            a.add_file(&metadata, false);
             fs::unlink(&metadata);
 
             // For LTO purposes, the bytecode of this library is also inserted
             // into the archive.
             let bc = obj_filename.with_extension("bc");
-            a.add_file(&bc);
+            a.add_file(&bc, false);
             if !sess.opts.save_temps {
                 fs::unlink(&bc);
             }
+
+            // Now that we've added files, some platforms need us to now update
+            // the symbol table in the archive (because some platforms die when
+            // adding files to the archive without symbols).
+            a.update_symbols();
         }
 
         None => {}