diff --git a/src/runtime/proc.go b/src/runtime/proc.go
index e596cab9bd..7b6183d905 100644
--- a/src/runtime/proc.go
+++ b/src/runtime/proc.go
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ func main() {
 	needUnlock = false
 	unlockOSThread()
 
+	if isarchive {
+		// A program compiled with -buildmode=c-archive has a main,
+		// but it is not executed.
+		return
+	}
 	main_main()
 	if raceenabled {
 		racefini()
diff --git a/src/runtime/runtime2.go b/src/runtime/runtime2.go
index 842ebe52f5..1f4f0daec4 100644
--- a/src/runtime/runtime2.go
+++ b/src/runtime/runtime2.go
@@ -621,9 +621,12 @@ var (
 	cpuid_ecx         uint32
 	cpuid_edx         uint32
 	lfenceBeforeRdtsc bool
+)
 
-	// Set by the linker when linking with -shared.
-	islibrary bool
+// Set by the linker so the runtime can determine the buildmode.
+var (
+	islibrary bool // -buildmode=c-shared
+	isarchive bool // -buildmode=c-archive
 )
 
 /*