diff -rup binutils-2.25.orig/bfd/elf.c binutils-2.25/bfd/elf.c
--- binutils-2.25/bfd/elf.c	2015-09-22 15:09:25.584049103 +0100
+++ binutils-2.25.orig/bfd/elf.c	2015-09-22 15:08:33.840771978 +0100
@@ -1165,6 +1165,69 @@ _bfd_elf_copy_private_bfd_data (bfd *ibf
     elf_elfheader (obfd)->e_ident [EI_OSABI] =
       elf_elfheader (ibfd)->e_ident [EI_OSABI];
 
+  /* This is an feature for objcopy --only-keep-debug:  When a section's type
+     is changed to NOBITS, we preserve the sh_link and sh_info fields so that
+     they can be matched up with the original.  */
+  Elf_Internal_Shdr ** iheaders = elf_elfsections (ibfd);
+  Elf_Internal_Shdr ** oheaders = elf_elfsections (obfd);
+
+  if (iheaders != NULL && oheaders != NULL)
+    {
+      unsigned int i;
+
+      for (i = 0; i < elf_numsections (obfd); i++)
+	{
+	  unsigned int j;
+	  Elf_Internal_Shdr * oheader = oheaders[i];
+
+	  if (oheader == NULL
+	      || oheader->sh_type != SHT_NOBITS
+	      || oheader->sh_size == 0
+	      || (oheader->sh_info != 0 && oheader->sh_link != 0))
+	    continue;
+
+	  /* Scan for the matching section in the input bfd.
+	     FIXME: We could use something better than a linear scan here.
+	     Unfortunately we cannot compare names as the output string table
+	     is empty, so instead we check size, address and type.  */
+	  for (j = 0; j < elf_numsections (ibfd); j++)
+	    {
+	      Elf_Internal_Shdr * iheader = iheaders[j];
+	      
+	      /* Since --only-keep-debug turns all non-debug sections
+		 into SHT_NOBITS sections with no info or link fields
+		 the SHF_INFO_LINK flag can be lost as well.  */
+	      if (  (iheader->sh_flags & ~ SHF_INFO_LINK) == (oheader->sh_flags & ~ SHF_INFO_LINK)
+		  && iheader->sh_addralign == oheader->sh_addralign
+		  && iheader->sh_entsize == oheader->sh_entsize
+		  && iheader->sh_size == oheader->sh_size
+		  && iheader->sh_addr == oheader->sh_addr
+		  && (iheader->sh_info != oheader->sh_info
+		      || iheader->sh_link != oheader->sh_link))
+		{
+		  /* Note: Strictly speaking these assignments are wrong.
+		     The sh_link and sh_info fields should point to the
+		     relevent sections in the output BFD, which may not be in
+		     the same location as they were in the input BFD.  But the
+		     whole point of this action is to preserve the original
+		     values of the sh_link and sh_info fields, so that they
+		     can be matched up with the section headers in the
+		     original file.  So strictly speaking we may be creating
+		     an invalid ELF file, but it is only for a file that just
+		     contains debug info and only for sections without any
+		     contents.  */
+		  if (oheader->sh_link == 0)
+		    oheader->sh_link = iheader->sh_link;
+		  if (oheader->sh_info == 0)
+		    oheader->sh_info = iheader->sh_info;
+		  if (iheader->sh_flags & SHF_INFO_LINK)
+		    oheader->sh_flags |= SHF_INFO_LINK;
+		  break;
+		}
+	    }
+	}
+    }
+
   return TRUE;
 }
 
diff -rup binutils-2.25.orig/binutils/doc/binutils.texi binutils-2.25/binutils/doc/binutils.texi
--- binutils-2.25.orig/binutils/doc/binutils.texi	2015-08-05 16:21:58.215001408 +0100
+++ binutils-2.25/binutils/doc/binutils.texi	2015-08-05 16:22:23.286146671 +0100
@@ -1681,6 +1681,12 @@ Strip a file, removing contents of any s
 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
 intact.  In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
 
+Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
+including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
+The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
+debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
+been relocated to a different address space.
+
 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable.  One a
 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
@@ -2955,9 +2961,16 @@ When stripping a file, perhaps with @opt
 which would otherwise get stripped.
 
 @item --only-keep-debug
-Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
+Strip a file, emptying the contents of any sections that would not be
 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
-intact.  In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
+intact.  In ELF files, this preserves all the note sections in the
+output as well.
+
+Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
+including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
+The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
+debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
+been relocated to a different address space.
 
 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable.  One a