diff --git a/binutils/ChangeLog b/binutils/ChangeLog
index fcf60568618..1297d275e80 100644
--- a/binutils/ChangeLog
+++ b/binutils/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2021-06-12  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
+
+	* readelf.c (process_file_header): Don't clear section_headers.
+
 2021-06-12  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
 
 	* readelf.c (get_section_headers): Don't test e_shoff here, leave
diff --git a/binutils/readelf.c b/binutils/readelf.c
index 4217ea3b5b0..79724e05494 100644
--- a/binutils/readelf.c
+++ b/binutils/readelf.c
@@ -5237,8 +5237,6 @@ process_file_header (Filedata * filedata)
 	header->e_shstrndx = filedata->section_headers[0].sh_link;
       if (header->e_shstrndx >= header->e_shnum)
 	header->e_shstrndx = SHN_UNDEF;
-      free (filedata->section_headers);
-      filedata->section_headers = NULL;
     }
 
   return true;