diff --git a/src/cmd/5g/gobj.c b/src/cmd/5g/gobj.c
index 5e988878f7..65f731685e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/5g/gobj.c
+++ b/src/cmd/5g/gobj.c
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ datagostring(Strlit *sval, Addr *a)
 	sym = stringsym(sval->s, sval->len);
 	a->type = D_OREG;
 	a->name = D_EXTERN;
-	a->etype = TINT32;
+	a->etype = TSTRING;
 	a->offset = 0;  // header
 	a->reg = NREG;
 	a->sym = linksym(sym);
diff --git a/src/cmd/6g/gobj.c b/src/cmd/6g/gobj.c
index 04e837b138..dbb4ff62c4 100644
--- a/src/cmd/6g/gobj.c
+++ b/src/cmd/6g/gobj.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ datagostring(Strlit *sval, Addr *a)
 	a->sym = linksym(sym);
 	a->node = sym->def;
 	a->offset = 0;  // header
-	a->etype = TINT32;
+	a->etype = TSTRING;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/cmd/8g/gobj.c b/src/cmd/8g/gobj.c
index fa0605e6c7..af287f7023 100644
--- a/src/cmd/8g/gobj.c
+++ b/src/cmd/8g/gobj.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ datagostring(Strlit *sval, Addr *a)
 	a->sym = linksym(sym);
 	a->node = sym->def;
 	a->offset = 0;  // header
-	a->etype = TINT32;
+	a->etype = TSTRING;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/cmd/9g/gobj.c b/src/cmd/9g/gobj.c
index fdd7606bcd..3da55878a7 100644
--- a/src/cmd/9g/gobj.c
+++ b/src/cmd/9g/gobj.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ datagostring(Strlit *sval, Addr *a)
 	a->reg = NREG;
 	a->node = sym->def;
 	a->offset = 0;  // header
-	a->etype = TINT32;
+	a->etype = TSTRING;
 }
 
 void