diff --git a/binutils/ChangeLog b/binutils/ChangeLog
index d77b3ab188b..040e6ec2662 100644
--- a/binutils/ChangeLog
+++ b/binutils/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2018-09-13  Nick Clifton  <nickc@redhat.com>
+
+	PR 23633
+	* objcopy.c (add_specific_symbols): Do not free the buffer at the
+	end of the function.
+
 2018-09-10  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
 
 	PR binutils/23611
diff --git a/binutils/objcopy.c b/binutils/objcopy.c
index f712ffe5917..8e06cd284f5 100644
--- a/binutils/objcopy.c
+++ b/binutils/objcopy.c
@@ -1143,7 +1143,8 @@ add_specific_symbols (const char *filename, htab_t htab)
       line_count ++;
     }
 
-  free (buffer);
+  /* Do not free the buffer.  Parts of it will have been referenced
+     in the calls to add_specific_symbol.  */
 }
 
 /* See whether a symbol should be stripped or kept