diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/data.c b/src/cmd/ld/data.c
index 5b74971d83..5d7394463d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ld/data.c
+++ b/src/cmd/ld/data.c
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ dodata(void)
 	}
 
 	for(s = datap; s != nil; s = s->next) {
-		if(s->np > 0 && s->type == SBSS && s->file != nil)	// TODO: necessary?
+		if(s->np > 0 && s->type == SBSS)
 			s->type = SDATA;
 		if(s->np > s->size)
 			diag("%s: initialize bounds (%lld < %d)",
diff --git a/src/cmd/ld/ldmacho.c b/src/cmd/ld/ldmacho.c
index ad275dca8c..bbb21d51ae 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ld/ldmacho.c
+++ b/src/cmd/ld/ldmacho.c
@@ -582,9 +582,10 @@ ldmacho(Biobuf *f, char *pkg, int64 len, char *pn)
 			else
 				s->type = SRODATA;
 		} else {
-			if (strcmp(sect->name, "__bss") == 0)
+			if (strcmp(sect->name, "__bss") == 0) {
 				s->type = SBSS;
-			else
+				s->np = 0;
+			} else
 				s->type = SDATA;
 		}
 		if(s->type == STEXT) {