diff --git a/misc/cgo/testcarchive/main.c b/misc/cgo/testcarchive/main.c
index cc3170de89a..a90138f898a 100644
--- a/misc/cgo/testcarchive/main.c
+++ b/misc/cgo/testcarchive/main.c
@@ -2,15 +2,44 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
+#include <signal.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 #include "p.h"
 #include "libgo.h"
 
+static void (*oldHandler)(int, siginfo_t*, void*);
+
+static void handler(int signo, siginfo_t* info, void* ctxt) {
+	if (oldHandler) {
+		oldHandler(signo, info, ctxt);
+	}
+}
+
 int main(void) {
+	struct sigaction sa;
+	struct sigaction osa;
 	int32_t res;
 
+	// Install our own signal handler.
+	memset(&sa, 0, sizeof sa);
+	sa.sa_sigaction = handler;
+	sigemptyset(&sa.sa_mask);
+	sa.sa_flags = SA_ONSTACK | SA_SIGINFO;
+	memset(&osa, 0, sizeof osa);
+	sigemptyset(&osa.sa_mask);
+	if (sigaction(SIGSEGV, &sa, &osa) < 0) {
+		perror("sigaction");
+		return 2;
+	}
+	if (osa.sa_handler == SIG_DFL || (osa.sa_flags&SA_ONSTACK) == 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Go runtime did not install signal handler\n");
+		return 2;
+	}
+	oldHandler = osa.sa_sigaction;
+
 	if (!DidInitRun()) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: buildmode=c-archive init should run\n");
 		return 2;
@@ -21,6 +50,16 @@ int main(void) {
 		return 2;
 	}
 
+	// Make sure our signal handler is still the one in use.
+	if (sigaction(SIGSEGV, NULL, &sa) < 0) {
+		perror("sigaction check");
+		return 2;
+	}
+	if (sa.sa_sigaction != handler) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: wrong signal handler: %p != %p\n", sa.sa_sigaction, handler);
+		return 2;
+	}
+
 	res = FromPkg();
 	if (res != 1024) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: FromPkg()=%d, want 1024\n", res);
diff --git a/src/os/signal/doc.go b/src/os/signal/doc.go
index f90492985fe..80e66cffe53 100644
--- a/src/os/signal/doc.go
+++ b/src/os/signal/doc.go
@@ -172,7 +172,10 @@ When Go code is built with options like -buildmode=c-shared, it will
 be run as part of an existing non-Go program. The non-Go code may
 have already installed signal handlers when the Go code starts (that
 may also happen in unusual cases when using cgo or SWIG; in that case,
-the discussion here applies).
+the discussion here applies).  For -buildmode=c-archive the Go runtime
+will initialize signals at global constructor time.  For
+-buildmode=c-shared the Go runtime will initialize signals when the
+shared library is loaded.
 
 If the Go runtime sees an existing signal handler for the SIGCANCEL or
 SIGSETXID signals (which are used only on GNU/Linux), it will turn on
diff --git a/src/runtime/os1_darwin.go b/src/runtime/os1_darwin.go
index d34af6b2167..b5a1f591195 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os1_darwin.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os1_darwin.go
@@ -125,6 +125,15 @@ func newosproc0(stacksize uintptr, fn unsafe.Pointer, fnarg uintptr) {
 var failallocatestack = []byte("runtime: failed to allocate stack for the new OS thread\n")
 var failthreadcreate = []byte("runtime: failed to create new OS thread\n")
 
+// Called to do synchronous initialization of Go code built with
+// -buildmode=c-archive or -buildmode=c-shared.
+// None of the Go runtime is initialized.
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
+func libpreinit() {
+	initsig(true)
+}
+
 // Called to initialize a new m (including the bootstrap m).
 // Called on the parent thread (main thread in case of bootstrap), can allocate memory.
 func mpreinit(mp *m) {
@@ -459,6 +468,8 @@ func memlimit() uintptr {
 	return 0
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sa.sa_flags = _SA_SIGINFO | _SA_ONSTACK
@@ -471,6 +482,8 @@ func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	sigaction(uint32(i), &sa, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	var osa usigactiont
 	sigaction(uint32(i), nil, &osa)
@@ -486,6 +499,8 @@ func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	sigaction(uint32(i), &sa, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func getsig(i int32) uintptr {
 	var sa usigactiont
 	sigaction(uint32(i), nil, &sa)
@@ -505,6 +520,8 @@ func signalstack(s *stack) {
 	sigaltstack(&st, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func updatesigmask(m sigmask) {
 	s := sigset(m[0])
 	sigprocmask(_SIG_SETMASK, &s, nil)
diff --git a/src/runtime/os1_dragonfly.go b/src/runtime/os1_dragonfly.go
index 5f0f00cb3cb..59ffb809d3f 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os1_dragonfly.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os1_dragonfly.go
@@ -213,6 +213,8 @@ type sigactiont struct {
 	sa_mask      sigset
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sa.sa_flags = _SA_SIGINFO | _SA_ONSTACK
@@ -227,10 +229,14 @@ func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	sigaction(i, &sa, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	throw("setsigstack")
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func getsig(i int32) uintptr {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sigaction(i, nil, &sa)
@@ -253,6 +259,8 @@ func signalstack(s *stack) {
 	sigaltstack(&st, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func updatesigmask(m sigmask) {
 	var mask sigset
 	copy(mask.__bits[:], m[:])
diff --git a/src/runtime/os1_freebsd.go b/src/runtime/os1_freebsd.go
index 52e8dcbc834..05d13439b8a 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os1_freebsd.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os1_freebsd.go
@@ -220,6 +220,8 @@ type sigactiont struct {
 	sa_mask    sigset
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sa.sa_flags = _SA_SIGINFO | _SA_ONSTACK
@@ -234,10 +236,14 @@ func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	sigaction(i, &sa, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	throw("setsigstack")
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func getsig(i int32) uintptr {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sigaction(i, nil, &sa)
@@ -260,6 +266,8 @@ func signalstack(s *stack) {
 	sigaltstack(&st, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func updatesigmask(m [(_NSIG + 31) / 32]uint32) {
 	var mask sigset
 	copy(mask.__bits[:], m[:])
diff --git a/src/runtime/os1_linux.go b/src/runtime/os1_linux.go
index 961faddf100..747a1ac5e37 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os1_linux.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os1_linux.go
@@ -190,6 +190,15 @@ func goenvs() {
 	goenvs_unix()
 }
 
+// Called to do synchronous initialization of Go code built with
+// -buildmode=c-archive or -buildmode=c-shared.
+// None of the Go runtime is initialized.
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
+func libpreinit() {
+	initsig(true)
+}
+
 // Called to initialize a new m (including the bootstrap m).
 // Called on the parent thread (main thread in case of bootstrap), can allocate memory.
 func mpreinit(mp *m) {
@@ -298,6 +307,8 @@ func memlimit() uintptr {
 func sigreturn()
 func sigtramp()
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	memclr(unsafe.Pointer(&sa), unsafe.Sizeof(sa))
@@ -316,12 +327,11 @@ func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 		fn = funcPC(sigtramp)
 	}
 	sa.sa_handler = fn
-	// Qemu rejects rt_sigaction of SIGRTMAX (64).
-	if rt_sigaction(uintptr(i), &sa, nil, unsafe.Sizeof(sa.sa_mask)) != 0 && i != 64 {
-		throw("rt_sigaction failure")
-	}
+	rt_sigaction(uintptr(i), &sa, nil, unsafe.Sizeof(sa.sa_mask))
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	if rt_sigaction(uintptr(i), nil, &sa, unsafe.Sizeof(sa.sa_mask)) != 0 {
@@ -336,6 +346,8 @@ func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	}
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func getsig(i int32) uintptr {
 	var sa sigactiont
 
@@ -362,6 +374,8 @@ func signalstack(s *stack) {
 	sigaltstack(&st, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func updatesigmask(m sigmask) {
 	var mask sigset
 	sigcopyset(&mask, m)
diff --git a/src/runtime/os1_nacl.go b/src/runtime/os1_nacl.go
index c7212613697..3af51b70171 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os1_nacl.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os1_nacl.go
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func goenvs() {
 	goenvs_unix()
 }
 
-func initsig() {
+func initsig(preinit bool) {
 }
 
 //go:nosplit
diff --git a/src/runtime/os1_netbsd.go b/src/runtime/os1_netbsd.go
index 2849b5aaf75..79524aaf272 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os1_netbsd.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os1_netbsd.go
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ type sigactiont struct {
 	sa_flags     int32
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sa.sa_flags = _SA_SIGINFO | _SA_ONSTACK
@@ -220,10 +222,14 @@ func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	sigaction(i, &sa, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	throw("setsigstack")
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func getsig(i int32) uintptr {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sigaction(i, nil, &sa)
@@ -246,6 +252,8 @@ func signalstack(s *stack) {
 	sigaltstack(&st, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func updatesigmask(m sigmask) {
 	var mask sigset
 	copy(mask.__bits[:], m[:])
diff --git a/src/runtime/os1_openbsd.go b/src/runtime/os1_openbsd.go
index 24d847747d6..7e1aa33f0b6 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os1_openbsd.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os1_openbsd.go
@@ -220,6 +220,8 @@ type sigactiont struct {
 	sa_flags     int32
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sa.sa_flags = _SA_SIGINFO | _SA_ONSTACK
@@ -234,10 +236,14 @@ func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	sigaction(i, &sa, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	throw("setsigstack")
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func getsig(i int32) uintptr {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sigaction(i, nil, &sa)
@@ -260,6 +266,8 @@ func signalstack(s *stack) {
 	sigaltstack(&st, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func updatesigmask(m sigmask) {
 	sigprocmask(_SIG_SETMASK, sigset(m[0]))
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/os1_plan9.go b/src/runtime/os1_plan9.go
index a75e956d17a..61ebc1dc205 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os1_plan9.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os1_plan9.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func getRandomData(r []byte) {
 func goenvs() {
 }
 
-func initsig() {
+func initsig(preinit bool) {
 }
 
 //go:nosplit
diff --git a/src/runtime/os3_solaris.go b/src/runtime/os3_solaris.go
index a112b2edd0d..7d9ee5c00e9 100644
--- a/src/runtime/os3_solaris.go
+++ b/src/runtime/os3_solaris.go
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@ func memlimit() uintptr {
 
 func sigtramp()
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 
@@ -295,6 +297,8 @@ func setsig(i int32, fn uintptr, restart bool) {
 	sigaction(i, &sa, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sigaction(i, nil, &sa)
@@ -306,6 +310,8 @@ func setsigstack(i int32) {
 	sigaction(i, &sa, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func getsig(i int32) uintptr {
 	var sa sigactiont
 	sigaction(i, nil, &sa)
@@ -328,6 +334,8 @@ func signalstack(s *stack) {
 	sigaltstack(&st, nil)
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func updatesigmask(m sigmask) {
 	var mask sigset
 	copy(mask.__sigbits[:], m[:])
@@ -478,6 +486,8 @@ func pthread_create(thread *pthread, attr *pthreadattr, fn uintptr, arg unsafe.P
 	return int32(sysvicall4(&libc_pthread_create, uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(thread)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(attr)), uintptr(fn), uintptr(arg)))
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func raise(sig int32) /* int32 */ {
 	sysvicall1(&libc_raise, uintptr(sig))
 }
@@ -516,6 +526,8 @@ func setitimer(which int32, value *itimerval, ovalue *itimerval) /* int32 */ {
 	sysvicall3(&libc_setitimer, uintptr(which), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(value)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(ovalue)))
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func sigaction(sig int32, act *sigactiont, oact *sigactiont) /* int32 */ {
 	sysvicall3(&libc_sigaction, uintptr(sig), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(act)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(oact)))
 }
@@ -527,6 +539,7 @@ func sigaltstack(ss *sigaltstackt, oss *sigaltstackt) /* int32 */ {
 }
 
 //go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func sigprocmask(how int32, set *sigset, oset *sigset) /* int32 */ {
 	sysvicall3(&libc_sigprocmask, uintptr(how), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(set)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(oset)))
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/proc.go b/src/runtime/proc.go
index 23429fd774a..b14aabde3dc 100644
--- a/src/runtime/proc.go
+++ b/src/runtime/proc.go
@@ -1088,7 +1088,7 @@ func mstart1() {
 			cgoHasExtraM = true
 			newextram()
 		}
-		initsig()
+		initsig(false)
 	}
 
 	if fn := _g_.m.mstartfn; fn != nil {
diff --git a/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_386.s b/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_386.s
index be2e5640edd..6b404db3a44 100644
--- a/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_386.s
+++ b/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_386.s
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ TEXT _rt0_386_darwin_lib(SB),NOSPLIT,$0
 	MOVL	12(BP), AX
 	MOVL	AX, _rt0_386_darwin_lib_argv<>(SB)
 
+	// Synchronous initialization.
+	MOVL	$runtime·libpreinit(SB), AX
+	CALL	AX
+
 	SUBL	$12, SP
 
 	// Create a new thread to do the runtime initialization and return.
diff --git a/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_amd64.s b/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_amd64.s
index c4ebc885228..ad46fd406dc 100644
--- a/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_amd64.s
+++ b/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_amd64.s
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ TEXT _rt0_amd64_darwin_lib(SB),NOSPLIT,$0x48
 	MOVQ	DI, _rt0_amd64_darwin_lib_argc<>(SB)
 	MOVQ	SI, _rt0_amd64_darwin_lib_argv<>(SB)
 
+	// Synchronous initialization.
+	MOVQ	$runtime·libpreinit(SB), AX
+	CALL	AX
+
 	// Create a new thread to do the runtime initialization and return.
 	MOVQ	_cgo_sys_thread_create(SB), AX
 	TESTQ	AX, AX
diff --git a/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_arm.s b/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_arm.s
index d60985060d4..cbbea80ff88 100644
--- a/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_arm.s
+++ b/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_arm.s
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ TEXT _rt0_arm_darwin_lib(SB),NOSPLIT,$0
 	MOVW  R0, _rt0_arm_darwin_lib_argc<>(SB)
 	MOVW  R1, _rt0_arm_darwin_lib_argv<>(SB)
 
+	// Synchronous initialization.
+	MOVW	$runtime·libpreinit(SB), R3
+	CALL	(R3)
+
 	// Create a new thread to do the runtime initialization and return.
 	MOVW  _cgo_sys_thread_create(SB), R3
 	CMP   $0, R3
diff --git a/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_arm64.s b/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_arm64.s
index e4e4a30f461..fa676c0abea 100644
--- a/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_arm64.s
+++ b/src/runtime/rt0_darwin_arm64.s
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ TEXT _rt0_arm64_darwin_lib(SB),NOSPLIT,$0
 
 	MOVD  R0, _rt0_arm64_darwin_lib_argc<>(SB)
 	MOVD  R1, _rt0_arm64_darwin_lib_argv<>(SB)
+
+	// Synchronous initialization.
+	MOVD	$runtime·libpreinit(SB), R4
+	BL	(R4)
+
 	// Create a new thread to do the runtime initialization and return.
 	MOVD  _cgo_sys_thread_create(SB), R4
 	MOVD  $_rt0_arm64_darwin_lib_go(SB), R0
diff --git a/src/runtime/rt0_linux_386.s b/src/runtime/rt0_linux_386.s
index 633e8069df5..59a30b41e8b 100644
--- a/src/runtime/rt0_linux_386.s
+++ b/src/runtime/rt0_linux_386.s
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ TEXT _rt0_386_linux_lib(SB),NOSPLIT,$0
 	MOVL	12(BP), AX
 	MOVL	AX, _rt0_386_linux_lib_argv<>(SB)
 
+	// Synchronous initialization.
+	MOVL	$runtime·libpreinit(SB), AX
+	CALL	AX
+
 	SUBL	$8, SP
 
 	// Create a new thread to do the runtime initialization.
diff --git a/src/runtime/rt0_linux_amd64.s b/src/runtime/rt0_linux_amd64.s
index 726b550d356..564b51c0b3c 100644
--- a/src/runtime/rt0_linux_amd64.s
+++ b/src/runtime/rt0_linux_amd64.s
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ TEXT _rt0_amd64_linux_lib(SB),NOSPLIT,$0x48
 	MOVQ	DI, _rt0_amd64_linux_lib_argc<>(SB)
 	MOVQ	SI, _rt0_amd64_linux_lib_argv<>(SB)
 
+	// Synchronous initialization.
+	MOVQ	$runtime·libpreinit(SB), AX
+	CALL	AX
+
 	// Create a new thread to do the runtime initialization and return.
 	MOVQ	_cgo_sys_thread_create(SB), AX
 	TESTQ	AX, AX
diff --git a/src/runtime/rt0_linux_arm.s b/src/runtime/rt0_linux_arm.s
index b71a3f92678..d28c15a43af 100644
--- a/src/runtime/rt0_linux_arm.s
+++ b/src/runtime/rt0_linux_arm.s
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ TEXT _rt0_arm_linux_lib(SB),NOSPLIT,$32
 	MOVW	R0, _rt0_arm_linux_lib_argc<>(SB)
 	MOVW	R1, _rt0_arm_linux_lib_argv<>(SB)
 
+	// Synchronous initialization.
+	MOVW	$runtime·libpreinit(SB), R2
+	CALL	(R2)
+
 	// Create a new thread to do the runtime initialization.
 	MOVW	_cgo_sys_thread_create(SB), R2
 	CMP	$0, R2
diff --git a/src/runtime/rt0_linux_arm64.s b/src/runtime/rt0_linux_arm64.s
index 4027527168b..2b32e352099 100644
--- a/src/runtime/rt0_linux_arm64.s
+++ b/src/runtime/rt0_linux_arm64.s
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ TEXT _rt0_arm64_linux_lib(SB),NOSPLIT,$40
 	MOVD	R0, _rt0_arm64_linux_lib_argc<>(SB)
 	MOVD	R1, _rt0_arm64_linux_lib_argv<>(SB)
 
+	// Synchronous initialization.
+	MOVD	$runtime·libpreinit(SB), R4
+	BL	(R4)
+
 	// Create a new thread to do the runtime initialization and return.
 	MOVD	_cgo_sys_thread_create(SB), R4
 	CMP	$0, R4
diff --git a/src/runtime/signal1_unix.go b/src/runtime/signal1_unix.go
index 19f37d97090..abb9639d967 100644
--- a/src/runtime/signal1_unix.go
+++ b/src/runtime/signal1_unix.go
@@ -34,15 +34,33 @@ var (
 	maskUpdatedChan chan struct{}
 )
 
-func initsig() {
+func init() {
 	// _NSIG is the number of signals on this operating system.
 	// sigtable should describe what to do for all the possible signals.
 	if len(sigtable) != _NSIG {
 		print("runtime: len(sigtable)=", len(sigtable), " _NSIG=", _NSIG, "\n")
-		throw("initsig")
+		throw("bad sigtable len")
+	}
+}
+
+var signalsOK bool
+
+// Initialize signals.
+// Called by libpreinit so runtime may not be initialized.
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
+func initsig(preinit bool) {
+	if !preinit {
+		// It's now OK for signal handlers to run.
+		signalsOK = true
+	}
+
+	// For c-archive/c-shared this is called by libpreinit with
+	// preinit == true.
+	if (isarchive || islibrary) && !preinit {
+		return
 	}
 
-	// First call: basic setup.
 	for i := int32(0); i < _NSIG; i++ {
 		t := &sigtable[i]
 		if t.flags == 0 || t.flags&_SigDefault != 0 {
@@ -64,6 +82,8 @@ func initsig() {
 	}
 }
 
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func sigInstallGoHandler(sig int32) bool {
 	// For some signals, we respect an inherited SIG_IGN handler
 	// rather than insist on installing our own default handler.
@@ -101,6 +121,7 @@ func sigenable(sig uint32) {
 		<-maskUpdatedChan
 		if t.flags&_SigHandling == 0 {
 			t.flags |= _SigHandling
+			fwdSig[sig] = getsig(int32(sig))
 			setsig(int32(sig), funcPC(sighandler), true)
 		}
 	}
@@ -163,6 +184,8 @@ func sigpipe() {
 // dieFromSignal kills the program with a signal.
 // This provides the expected exit status for the shell.
 // This is only called with fatal signals expected to kill the process.
+//go:nosplit
+//go:nowritebarrierrec
 func dieFromSignal(sig int32) {
 	setsig(sig, _SIG_DFL, false)
 	updatesigmask(sigmask{})
diff --git a/src/runtime/signal2_unix.go b/src/runtime/signal2_unix.go
index 7481b8570ac..3fe625f83cc 100644
--- a/src/runtime/signal2_unix.go
+++ b/src/runtime/signal2_unix.go
@@ -22,6 +22,20 @@ func sigfwdgo(sig uint32, info *siginfo, ctx unsafe.Pointer) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 	fwdFn := fwdSig[sig]
+
+	if !signalsOK {
+		// The only way we can get here is if we are in a
+		// library or archive, we installed a signal handler
+		// at program startup, but the Go runtime has not yet
+		// been initialized.
+		if fwdFn == _SIG_DFL {
+			dieFromSignal(int32(sig))
+		} else {
+			sigfwd(fwdFn, sig, info, ctx)
+		}
+		return true
+	}
+
 	flags := sigtable[sig].flags
 
 	// If there is no handler to forward to, no need to forward.
diff --git a/src/runtime/signal_windows.go b/src/runtime/signal_windows.go
index 5cfa20fbfe2..ab7183fe6b5 100644
--- a/src/runtime/signal_windows.go
+++ b/src/runtime/signal_windows.go
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func setBadSignalMsg() {
 
 // Following are not implemented.
 
-func initsig() {
+func initsig(preinit bool) {
 }
 
 func sigenable(sig uint32) {