diff --git a/bfd/coffcode.h b/bfd/coffcode.h
index 2d40c5cfcac..03c1788a1c9 100644
--- a/bfd/coffcode.h
+++ b/bfd/coffcode.h
@@ -853,6 +853,29 @@ styp_to_sec_flags (bfd *abfd,
 
 #else /* COFF_WITH_PE */
 
+static hashval_t
+comdat_hashf (const void *entry)
+{
+  const struct comdat_hash_entry *fe = entry;
+  return fe->target_index;
+}
+
+static int
+comdat_eqf (const void *e1, const void *e2)
+{
+  const struct comdat_hash_entry *fe1 = e1;
+  const struct comdat_hash_entry *fe2 = e2;
+  return fe1->target_index == fe2->target_index;
+}
+
+static void
+comdat_delf (void *ent)
+{
+  struct comdat_hash_entry *e = ent;
+  free (e->symname);
+  free (e);
+}
+
 static struct comdat_hash_entry *
 find_flags (htab_t comdat_hash, int target_index)
 {
@@ -1085,6 +1108,14 @@ static bool
 handle_COMDAT (bfd *abfd, flagword *sec_flags, const char *name,
 	       asection *section)
 {
+  if (pe_data (abfd)->comdat_hash == NULL)
+    {
+      pe_data (abfd)->comdat_hash = htab_create (10, comdat_hashf, comdat_eqf,
+						 comdat_delf);
+      if (pe_data (abfd)->comdat_hash == NULL)
+	return false;
+    }
+
   if (htab_elements (pe_data (abfd)->comdat_hash) == 0)
     if (! fill_comdat_hash (abfd))
       return false;
diff --git a/bfd/peicode.h b/bfd/peicode.h
index e1d06606575..1ff13b0313d 100644
--- a/bfd/peicode.h
+++ b/bfd/peicode.h
@@ -255,21 +255,6 @@ coff_swap_scnhdr_in (bfd * abfd, void * ext, void * in)
 #endif
 }
 
-static hashval_t
-htab_hash_flags (const void *entry)
-{
-  const struct comdat_hash_entry *fe = entry;
-  return fe->target_index;
-}
-
-static int
-htab_eq_flags (const void *e1, const void *e2)
-{
-  const struct comdat_hash_entry *fe1 = e1;
-  const struct comdat_hash_entry *fe2 = e2;
-  return fe1->target_index == fe2->target_index;
-}
-
 static bool
 pe_mkobject (bfd * abfd)
 {
@@ -306,8 +291,6 @@ pe_mkobject (bfd * abfd)
   pe->dos_message[14] = 0x24;
   pe->dos_message[15] = 0x0;
 
-  pe->comdat_hash = htab_create (10, htab_hash_flags, htab_eq_flags, NULL);
-
   memset (& pe->pe_opthdr, 0, sizeof pe->pe_opthdr);
 
   bfd_coff_long_section_names (abfd)