diff --git a/linker/linker.c b/linker/linker.c
index ac183fd..9805b35 100644
--- a/linker/linker.c
+++ b/linker/linker.c
@@ -408,6 +408,33 @@
     return NULL;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Essentially the same method as _elf_lookup() above, but only
+ * searches for LOCAL symbols
+ */
+static Elf32_Sym *_elf_lookup_local(soinfo *si, unsigned hash, const char *name)
+{
+    Elf32_Sym *symtab = si->symtab;
+    const char *strtab = si->strtab;
+    unsigned n = hash % si->nbucket;;
+
+    TRACE_TYPE(LOOKUP, "%5d LOCAL SEARCH %s in %s@0x%08x %08x %d\n", pid,
+               name, si->name, si->base, hash, hash % si->nbucket);
+    for(n = si->bucket[hash % si->nbucket]; n != 0; n = si->chain[n]){
+        Elf32_Sym *s = symtab + n;
+        if (strcmp(strtab + s->st_name, name)) continue;
+        if (ELF32_ST_BIND(s->st_info) != STB_LOCAL) continue;
+        /* no section == undefined */
+        if(s->st_shndx == 0) continue;
+
+        TRACE_TYPE(LOOKUP, "%5d FOUND LOCAL %s in %s (%08x) %d\n", pid,
+                   name, si->name, s->st_value, s->st_size);
+        return s;
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 static unsigned elfhash(const char *_name)
 {
     const unsigned char *name = (const unsigned char *) _name;
@@ -431,6 +458,16 @@
     soinfo *lsi = si;
     int i;
 
+    /* If we are trying to find a symbol for the linker itself, look
+     * for LOCAL symbols first. Avoid using LOCAL symbols for other
+     * shared libraries until we have a better understanding of what
+     * might break by doing so. */
+    if (si->flags & FLAG_LINKER) {
+        s = _elf_lookup_local(si, elf_hash, name);
+        if(s != NULL)
+            goto done;
+    }
+
     /* Look for symbols in the local scope (the object who is
      * searching). This happens with C++ templates on i386 for some
      * reason.