diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/noder.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/noder.go
index b9849e7a849..23c9539b0a1 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/noder.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/noder.go
@@ -497,7 +497,18 @@ func (p *noder) funcDecl(fun *syntax.FuncDecl) *Node {
 		}
 	} else {
 		if pure_go || strings.HasPrefix(f.funcname(), "init.") {
-			yyerrorl(f.Pos, "missing function body")
+			// Linknamed functions are allowed to have no body. Hopefully
+			// the linkname target has a body. See issue 23311.
+			isLinknamed := false
+			for _, n := range p.linknames {
+				if f.funcname() == n.local {
+					isLinknamed = true
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			if !isLinknamed {
+				yyerrorl(f.Pos, "missing function body")
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/runtime/testdata/testprog/empty.s b/test/fixedbugs/issue23311.dir/main.go
similarity index 59%
rename from src/runtime/testdata/testprog/empty.s
rename to test/fixedbugs/issue23311.dir/main.go
index c5aa6f8a546..fa4cf76b89a 100644
--- a/src/runtime/testdata/testprog/empty.s
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue23311.dir/main.go
@@ -2,4 +2,13 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
-// This exists solely so we can linkname in symbols from runtime.
+package main
+
+import _ "unsafe" // for linkname
+
+//go:linkname f runtime.GC
+func f()
+
+func main() {
+	f()
+}
diff --git a/src/internal/syscall/unix/empty.s b/test/fixedbugs/issue23311.go
similarity index 70%
rename from src/internal/syscall/unix/empty.s
rename to test/fixedbugs/issue23311.go
index 717189c6585..128cf9d06ad 100644
--- a/src/internal/syscall/unix/empty.s
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue23311.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+// compiledir
+
 // Copyright 2018 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
 // license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
-// This exists solely so we can linkname in symbols from syscall.
+package ignored