diff --git a/tccelf.c b/tccelf.c
index b55d55a9..c95ecf72 100644
--- a/tccelf.c
+++ b/tccelf.c
@@ -168,25 +168,32 @@ static int find_elf_sym(Section *s, const char *name)
     return 0;
 }
 
-/* return elf symbol value or error */
-void *tcc_get_symbol(TCCState *s, const char *name)
+/* return elf symbol value, signal error if 'err' is nonzero */
+static void *get_elf_sym_addr(TCCState *s, const char *name, int err)
 {
     int sym_index;
     ElfW(Sym) *sym;
+
     sym_index = find_elf_sym(symtab_section, name);
-    if (!sym_index)
-        return NULL;
     sym = &((ElfW(Sym) *)symtab_section->data)[sym_index];
+    if (!sym_index || sym->st_shndx == SHN_UNDEF) {
+        if (err)
+            error("%s not defined", name);
+        return NULL;
+    }
     return (void*)(uplong)sym->st_value;
 }
 
+/* return elf symbol value */
+void *tcc_get_symbol(TCCState *s, const char *name)
+{
+    return get_elf_sym_addr(s, name, 0);
+}
+
+/* return elf symbol value or error */
 void *tcc_get_symbol_err(TCCState *s, const char *name)
 {
-    void *sym;
-    sym = tcc_get_symbol(s, name);
-    if (!sym)
-        error("%s not defined", name);
-    return sym;
+    return get_elf_sym_addr(s, name, 1);
 }
 
 /* add an elf symbol : check if it is already defined and patch