diff --git a/src/pkg/Make.deps b/src/pkg/Make.deps
index 9b60510c6f0..02dfd20d378 100644
--- a/src/pkg/Make.deps
+++ b/src/pkg/Make.deps
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ crypto/md5.install: hash.install os.install
 crypto/sha1.install: hash.install os.install
 datafmt.install: bytes.install container/vector.install fmt.install go/scanner.install go/token.install io.install os.install reflect.install runtime.install strconv.install strings.install
 debug/binary.install: io.install math.install os.install reflect.install
-debug/elf.install: fmt.install io.install os.install strconv.install
+debug/elf.install: debug/binary.install fmt.install io.install os.install strconv.install
 ebnf.install: container/vector.install fmt.install go/scanner.install go/token.install os.install strconv.install strings.install unicode.install utf8.install
 exec.install: os.install strings.install
 exvar.install: bytes.install fmt.install http.install io.install log.install strconv.install sync.install
diff --git a/src/pkg/debug/elf/file.go b/src/pkg/debug/elf/file.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b91944a855f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pkg/debug/elf/file.go
@@ -0,0 +1,324 @@
+// Copyright 2009 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.
+
+package elf
+
+import (
+	"debug/binary";
+"fmt";
+	"io";
+	"os";
+)
+
+// TODO: error reporting detail
+
+/*
+ * Internal ELF representation
+ */
+
+// A FileHeader represents an ELF file header.
+type FileHeader struct {
+	Class Class;
+	Data Data;
+	Version Version;
+	OSABI OSABI;
+	ABIVersion uint8;
+	ByteOrder binary.ByteOrder;
+	Type Type;
+	Machine Machine;
+}
+
+// A File represents an open ELF file.
+type File struct {
+	FileHeader;
+	Sections []*Section;
+	Progs []*Prog;
+
+	closer io.Closer;
+}
+
+// A SectionHeader represents a single ELF section header.
+type SectionHeader struct {
+	Name string;
+	Type SectionType;
+	Flags SectionFlag;
+	Addr uint64;
+	Offset uint64;
+	Size uint64;
+	Link uint32;
+	Info uint32;
+	Addralign uint64;
+	Entsize uint64;
+}
+
+// A Section represents a single section in an ELF file.
+type Section struct {
+	SectionHeader;
+
+	// Embed ReaderAt for ReadAt method.
+	// Do not embed SectionReader directly
+	// to avoid having Read and Seek.
+	// If a client wants Read and Seek it must use
+	// Open() to avoid fighting over the seek offset
+	// with other clients.
+	io.ReaderAt;
+	sr *io.SectionReader;
+}
+
+// Open returns a new ReadSeeker reading the ELF section.
+func (s *Section) Open() io.ReadSeeker {
+	return io.NewSectionReader(s.sr, 0, 1<<63 - 1);
+}
+
+// A ProgHeader represents a single ELF program header.
+type ProgHeader struct {
+	Type ProgType;
+	Flags ProgFlag;
+	Vaddr uint64;
+	Paddr uint64;
+	Filesz uint64;
+	Memsz uint64;
+	Align uint64;
+}
+
+// A Prog represents a single ELF program header in an ELF binary.
+type Prog struct {
+	ProgHeader;
+
+	// Embed ReaderAt for ReadAt method.
+	// Do not embed SectionReader directly
+	// to avoid having Read and Seek.
+	// If a client wants Read and Seek it must use
+	// Open() to avoid fighting over the seek offset
+	// with other clients.
+	io.ReaderAt;
+	sr *io.SectionReader;
+}
+
+// Open returns a new ReadSeeker reading the ELF program body.
+func (p *Prog) Open() io.ReadSeeker {
+	return io.NewSectionReader(p.sr, 0, 1<<63 - 1);
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * ELF reader
+ */
+
+type FormatError struct {
+	off int64;
+	msg string;
+	val interface{};
+}
+
+func (e *FormatError) String() string {
+	msg := e.msg;
+	if e.val != nil {
+		msg += fmt.Sprintf(" '%v' ", e.val);
+	}
+	msg += fmt.Sprintf("in record at byte %#x", e.off);
+	return msg;
+}
+
+// Open opens the named file using os.Open and prepares it for use as an ELF binary.
+func Open(name string) (*File, os.Error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(name, os.O_RDONLY, 0);
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err;
+	}
+	ff, err := NewFile(f);
+	if err != nil {
+		f.Close();
+		return nil, err;
+	}
+	ff.closer = f;
+	return ff, nil;
+}
+
+// Close closes the File.
+// If the File was created using NewFile directly instead of Open,
+// Close has no effect.
+func (f *File) Close() os.Error {
+	var err os.Error;
+	if f.closer != nil {
+		err = f.closer.Close();
+		f.closer = nil;
+	}
+	return err;
+}
+
+// NewFile creates a new File for acecssing an ELF binary in an underlying reader.
+// The ELF binary is expected to start at position 0 in the ReaderAt.
+func NewFile(r io.ReaderAt) (*File, os.Error) {
+	sr := io.NewSectionReader(r, 0, 1<<63 - 1);
+	// Read and decode ELF identifier
+	var ident [16]uint8;
+	if _, err := r.ReadAt(&ident, 0); err != nil {
+		return nil, err;
+	}
+	if ident[0] != '\x7f' || ident[1] != 'E' || ident[2] != 'L' || ident[3] != 'F' {
+		return nil, &FormatError{0, "bad magic number", ident[0:4]};
+	}
+
+	f := new(File);
+	f.Class = Class(ident[EI_CLASS]);
+	switch f.Class {
+	case ELFCLASS32:
+	case ELFCLASS64:
+		// ok
+	default:
+		return nil, &FormatError{0, "unknown ELF class", f.Class};
+	}
+
+	f.Data = Data(ident[EI_DATA]);
+	switch f.Data {
+	case ELFDATA2LSB:
+		f.ByteOrder = binary.LittleEndian;
+	case ELFDATA2MSB:
+		f.ByteOrder = binary.BigEndian;
+	default:
+		return nil, &FormatError{0, "unknown ELF data encoding", f.Data};
+	}
+
+	f.Version = Version(ident[EI_VERSION]);
+	if f.Version != EV_CURRENT {
+		return nil, &FormatError{0, "unknown ELF version", f.Version};
+	}
+
+	f.OSABI = OSABI(ident[EI_OSABI]);
+	f.ABIVersion = ident[EI_ABIVERSION];
+
+	// Read ELF file header
+	var shoff int64;
+	var shentsize, shnum, shstrndx int;
+	shstrndx = -1;
+	switch f.Class {
+	case ELFCLASS32:
+		hdr := new(Header32);
+		sr.Seek(0, 0);
+		if err := binary.Read(sr, f.ByteOrder, hdr); err != nil {
+			return nil, err;
+		}
+		f.Type = Type(hdr.Type);
+		f.Machine = Machine(hdr.Machine);
+		if v := Version(hdr.Version); v != f.Version {
+			return nil, &FormatError{0, "mismatched ELF version", v};
+		}
+		shoff = int64(hdr.Shoff);
+		shentsize = int(hdr.Shentsize);
+		shnum = int(hdr.Shnum);
+		shstrndx = int(hdr.Shstrndx);
+	case ELFCLASS64:
+		hdr := new(Header64);
+		sr.Seek(0, 0);
+		if err := binary.Read(sr, f.ByteOrder, hdr); err != nil {
+			return nil, err;
+		}
+		f.Type = Type(hdr.Type);
+		f.Machine = Machine(hdr.Machine);
+		if v := Version(hdr.Version); v != f.Version {
+			return nil, &FormatError{0, "mismatched ELF version", v};
+		}
+		shoff = int64(hdr.Shoff);
+		shentsize = int(hdr.Shentsize);
+		shnum = int(hdr.Shnum);
+		shstrndx = int(hdr.Shstrndx);
+	}
+	if shstrndx < 0 || shstrndx >= shnum {
+		return nil, &FormatError{0, "invalid ELF shstrndx", shstrndx};
+	}
+
+	// Read program headers
+	// TODO
+
+	// Read section headers
+	f.Sections = make([]*Section, shnum);
+	names := make([]uint32, shnum);
+	for i := 0; i < shnum; i++ {
+		off := shoff + int64(i)*int64(shentsize);
+		sr.Seek(off, 0);
+		s := new(Section);
+		switch f.Class {
+		case ELFCLASS32:
+			sh := new(Section32);
+			if err := binary.Read(sr, f.ByteOrder, sh); err != nil {
+				return nil, err;
+			}
+			names[i] = sh.Name;
+			s.SectionHeader = SectionHeader{
+				Type: SectionType(sh.Type),
+				Flags: SectionFlag(sh.Flags),
+				Addr: uint64(sh.Addr),
+				Offset: uint64(sh.Off),
+				Size: uint64(sh.Size),
+				Link: uint32(sh.Link),
+				Info: uint32(sh.Info),
+				Addralign: uint64(sh.Addralign),
+				Entsize: uint64(sh.Entsize),
+			};
+		case ELFCLASS64:
+			sh := new(Section64);
+			if err := binary.Read(sr, f.ByteOrder, sh); err != nil {
+				return nil, err;
+			}
+			names[i] = sh.Name;
+			s.SectionHeader = SectionHeader{
+				Type: SectionType(sh.Type),
+				Flags: SectionFlag(sh.Flags),
+				Offset: uint64(sh.Off),
+				Size: uint64(sh.Size),
+				Addr: uint64(sh.Addr),
+				Link: uint32(sh.Link),
+				Info: uint32(sh.Info),
+				Addralign: uint64(sh.Addralign),
+				Entsize: uint64(sh.Entsize),
+
+			};
+		}
+		s.sr = io.NewSectionReader(r, int64(s.Offset), int64(s.Size));
+		s.ReaderAt = s.sr;
+		f.Sections[i] = s;
+	}
+
+	// Load section header string table.
+	s := f.Sections[shstrndx];
+	shstrtab := make([]byte, s.Size);
+	if _, err := r.ReadAt(shstrtab, int64(s.Offset)); err != nil {
+		return nil, err;
+	}
+	for i, s := range f.Sections {
+		var ok bool;
+		s.Name, ok = getString(shstrtab, int(names[i]));
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, &FormatError{shoff + int64(i*shentsize), "bad section name index", names[i]};
+		}
+	}
+
+	return f, nil;
+}
+
+// getString extracts a string from an ELF string table.
+func getString(section []byte, start int) (string, bool) {
+	if start < 0 || start >= len(section) {
+		return "", false;
+	}
+
+	for end := start; end < len(section); end++ {
+		if section[end] == 0 {
+			return string(section[start:end]), true;
+		}
+	}
+	return "", false;
+}
+
+// Section returns a section with the given name, or nil if no such
+// section exists.
+func (f *File) Section(name string) *Section {
+	for _, s := range f.Sections {
+		if s.Name == name {
+			return s;
+		}
+	}
+	return nil;
+}
diff --git a/src/pkg/debug/elf/file_test.go b/src/pkg/debug/elf/file_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..aceda51fee5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pkg/debug/elf/file_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+// Copyright 2009 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.
+
+package elf
+
+import (
+	"debug/binary";
+	"reflect";
+	"testing";
+)
+
+type fileTest struct {
+	file string;
+	hdr FileHeader;
+	sections []SectionHeader;
+}
+
+var fileTests = []fileTest {
+	fileTest{
+		"testdata/gcc-386-freebsd-exec",
+		FileHeader{ELFCLASS32, ELFDATA2LSB, EV_CURRENT, ELFOSABI_FREEBSD, 0, binary.LittleEndian, ET_EXEC, EM_386},
+		[]SectionHeader{
+			SectionHeader{"", SHT_NULL, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".interp", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC, 0x80480d4, 0xd4, 0x15, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".hash", SHT_HASH, SHF_ALLOC, 0x80480ec, 0xec, 0x90, 0x3, 0x0, 0x4, 0x4},
+			SectionHeader{".dynsym", SHT_DYNSYM, SHF_ALLOC, 0x804817c, 0x17c, 0x110, 0x4, 0x1, 0x4, 0x10},
+			SectionHeader{".dynstr", SHT_STRTAB, SHF_ALLOC, 0x804828c, 0x28c, 0xbb, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".rel.plt", SHT_REL, SHF_ALLOC, 0x8048348, 0x348, 0x20, 0x3, 0x7, 0x4, 0x8},
+			SectionHeader{".init", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR, 0x8048368, 0x368, 0x11, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".plt", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR, 0x804837c, 0x37c, 0x50, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x4},
+			SectionHeader{".text", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR, 0x80483cc, 0x3cc, 0x180, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".fini", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR, 0x804854c, 0x54c, 0xc, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".rodata", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC, 0x8048558, 0x558, 0xa3, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".data", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x80495fc, 0x5fc, 0xc, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".eh_frame", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC, 0x8049608, 0x608, 0x4, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".dynamic", SHT_DYNAMIC, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x804960c, 0x60c, 0x98, 0x4, 0x0, 0x4, 0x8},
+			SectionHeader{".ctors", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x80496a4, 0x6a4, 0x8, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".dtors", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x80496ac, 0x6ac, 0x8, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".jcr", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x80496b4, 0x6b4, 0x4, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".got", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x80496b8, 0x6b8, 0x1c, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x4},
+			SectionHeader{".bss", SHT_NOBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x80496d4, 0x6d4, 0x20, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".comment", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x6d4, 0x12d, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_aranges", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x801, 0x20, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_pubnames", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x821, 0x1b, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_info", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x83c, 0x11d, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_abbrev", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x959, 0x41, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_line", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x99a, 0x35, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_frame", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x9d0, 0x30, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_str", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0xa00, 0xd, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".shstrtab", SHT_STRTAB, 0x0, 0x0, 0xa0d, 0xf8, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".symtab", SHT_SYMTAB, 0x0, 0x0, 0xfb8, 0x4b0, 0x1d, 0x38, 0x4, 0x10},
+			SectionHeader{".strtab", SHT_STRTAB, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1468, 0x206, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+		}
+	},
+	fileTest{
+		"testdata/gcc-amd64-linux-exec",
+		FileHeader{ELFCLASS64, ELFDATA2LSB, EV_CURRENT, ELFOSABI_NONE, 0, binary.LittleEndian, ET_EXEC, EM_X86_64},
+		[]SectionHeader{
+			SectionHeader{"", SHT_NULL, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".interp", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC, 0x400200, 0x200, 0x1c, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".note.ABI-tag", SHT_NOTE, SHF_ALLOC, 0x40021c, 0x21c, 0x20, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".hash", SHT_HASH, SHF_ALLOC, 0x400240, 0x240, 0x24, 0x5, 0x0, 0x8, 0x4},
+			SectionHeader{".gnu.hash", SHT_LOOS+268435446, SHF_ALLOC, 0x400268, 0x268, 0x1c, 0x5, 0x0, 0x8, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".dynsym", SHT_DYNSYM, SHF_ALLOC, 0x400288, 0x288, 0x60, 0x6, 0x1, 0x8, 0x18},
+			SectionHeader{".dynstr", SHT_STRTAB, SHF_ALLOC, 0x4002e8, 0x2e8, 0x3d, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".gnu.version", SHT_HIOS, SHF_ALLOC, 0x400326, 0x326, 0x8, 0x5, 0x0, 0x2, 0x2},
+			SectionHeader{".gnu.version_r", SHT_LOOS+268435454, SHF_ALLOC, 0x400330, 0x330, 0x20, 0x6, 0x1, 0x8, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".rela.dyn", SHT_RELA, SHF_ALLOC, 0x400350, 0x350, 0x18, 0x5, 0x0, 0x8, 0x18},
+			SectionHeader{".rela.plt", SHT_RELA, SHF_ALLOC, 0x400368, 0x368, 0x30, 0x5, 0xc, 0x8, 0x18},
+			SectionHeader{".init", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR, 0x400398, 0x398, 0x18, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".plt", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR, 0x4003b0, 0x3b0, 0x30, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x10},
+			SectionHeader{".text", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR, 0x4003e0, 0x3e0, 0x1b4, 0x0, 0x0, 0x10, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".fini", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR, 0x400594, 0x594, 0xe, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".rodata", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC, 0x4005a4, 0x5a4, 0x11, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".eh_frame_hdr", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC, 0x4005b8, 0x5b8, 0x24, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".eh_frame", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_ALLOC, 0x4005e0, 0x5e0, 0xa4, 0x0, 0x0, 0x8, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".ctors", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x600688, 0x688, 0x10, 0x0, 0x0, 0x8, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".dtors", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x600698, 0x698, 0x10, 0x0, 0x0, 0x8, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".jcr", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x6006a8, 0x6a8, 0x8, 0x0, 0x0, 0x8, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".dynamic", SHT_DYNAMIC, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x6006b0, 0x6b0, 0x1a0, 0x6, 0x0, 0x8, 0x10},
+			SectionHeader{".got", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x600850, 0x850, 0x8, 0x0, 0x0, 0x8, 0x8},
+			SectionHeader{".got.plt", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x600858, 0x858, 0x28, 0x0, 0x0, 0x8, 0x8},
+			SectionHeader{".data", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x600880, 0x880, 0x18, 0x0, 0x0, 0x8, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".bss", SHT_NOBITS, SHF_WRITE+SHF_ALLOC, 0x600898, 0x898, 0x8, 0x0, 0x0, 0x4, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".comment", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x898, 0x126, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_aranges", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0x9c0, 0x90, 0x0, 0x0, 0x10, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_pubnames", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0xa50, 0x25, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_info", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0xa75, 0x1a7, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_abbrev", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0xc1c, 0x6f, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_line", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0xc8b, 0x13f, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_str", SHT_PROGBITS, SHF_MERGE+SHF_STRINGS, 0x0, 0xdca, 0xb1, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x1},
+			SectionHeader{".debug_ranges", SHT_PROGBITS, 0x0, 0x0, 0xe80, 0x90, 0x0, 0x0, 0x10, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".shstrtab", SHT_STRTAB, 0x0, 0x0, 0xf10, 0x149, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+			SectionHeader{".symtab", SHT_SYMTAB, 0x0, 0x0, 0x19a0, 0x6f0, 0x24, 0x39, 0x8, 0x18},
+			SectionHeader{".strtab", SHT_STRTAB, 0x0, 0x0, 0x2090, 0x1fc, 0x0, 0x0, 0x1, 0x0},
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
+	for i := range fileTests {
+		tt := &fileTests[i];
+
+		f, err := Open(tt.file);
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Error(err);
+			continue;
+		}
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(f.FileHeader, tt.hdr) {
+			t.Errorf("open %s:\n\thave %#v\n\twant %#v\n", tt.file, f.FileHeader, tt.hdr);
+			continue;
+		}
+		for i, s := range f.Sections {
+			if i >= len(tt.sections) {
+				break;
+			}
+			sh := &tt.sections[i];
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(&s.SectionHeader, sh) {
+				t.Errorf("open %s, section %d:\n\thave %#v\n\twant %#v\n", tt.file, i, &s.SectionHeader, sh);
+			}
+		}
+		tn := len(tt.sections);
+		fn := len(f.Sections);
+		if tn != fn {
+			t.Errorf("open %s: len(Sections) = %d, want %d", tt.file, fn, tn);
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/pkg/debug/elf/testdata/gcc-386-freebsd-exec b/src/pkg/debug/elf/testdata/gcc-386-freebsd-exec
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..7af9c58ca73
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diff --git a/src/pkg/debug/elf/testdata/gcc-amd64-linux-exec b/src/pkg/debug/elf/testdata/gcc-amd64-linux-exec
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..c6cb1de28c7
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/pkg/debug/elf/testdata/gcc-amd64-linux-exec differ