diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 838381f562..3e3c074238 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ Version 2.35
 
 Major new features:
 
+* Bump r_version in the debugger interface to 2 and add a new field,
+  r_next, support multiple namespaces.
+
 * Support for the C.UTF-8 locale has been added to glibc.  The locale
   supports full code-point sorting for all valid Unicode code points.  A
   limitation in the framework for fnmatch, regexec, and regcomp requires
@@ -28,7 +31,13 @@ Major new features:
 
 Deprecated and removed features, and other changes affecting compatibility:
 
-  [Add deprecations, removals and changes affecting compatibility here]
+* The r_version update in the debugger interface makes the glibc binary
+  incompatible with GDB binaries built without the following commits:
+
+  c0154a4a21a gdb: Don't assume r_ldsomap when r_version > 1 on Linux
+  4eb629d50d4 gdbserver: Check r_version < 1 for Linux debugger interface
+
+  when audit modules or dlmopen are used.
 
 Changes to build and runtime requirements:
 
diff --git a/csu/Makefile b/csu/Makefile
index 3054329cea..e2390e4a7d 100644
--- a/csu/Makefile
+++ b/csu/Makefile
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ endif
 before-compile += $(objpfx)abi-tag.h
 generated += abi-tag.h
 
+# Put it here to generate it earlier.
+gen-as-const-headers += rtld-sizes.sym
+
 # These are the special initializer/finalizer files.  They are always the
 # first and last file in the link.  crti.o ... crtn.o define the global
 # "functions" _init and _fini to run the .init and .fini sections.
diff --git a/csu/rtld-sizes.sym b/csu/rtld-sizes.sym
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..13924d5efd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/csu/rtld-sizes.sym
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#include <link.h>
+
+--
+R_DEBUG_SIZE		sizeof (struct r_debug)
+R_DEBUG_EXTENDED_SIZE	sizeof (struct r_debug_extended)
+R_DEBUG_EXTENDED_ALIGN	__alignof (struct r_debug_extended)
diff --git a/elf/Makefile b/elf/Makefile
index 9f3fadc37e..835b85bd7c 100644
--- a/elf/Makefile
+++ b/elf/Makefile
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ dl-routines	= $(addprefix dl-,load lookup object reloc deps \
 				  execstack open close trampoline \
 				  exception sort-maps lookup-direct \
 				  call-libc-early-init write \
-				  thread_gscope_wait tls_init_tp)
+				  thread_gscope_wait tls_init_tp \
+				  debug-symbols)
 ifeq (yes,$(use-ldconfig))
 dl-routines += dl-cache
 endif
@@ -203,7 +204,7 @@ tests += restest1 preloadtest loadfail multiload origtest resolvfail \
 	 tst-tls16 tst-tls17 tst-tls18 tst-tls19 tst-tls-dlinfo \
 	 tst-align tst-align2 \
 	 tst-dlmodcount tst-dlopenrpath tst-deep1 \
-	 tst-dlmopen1 tst-dlmopen3 \
+	 tst-dlmopen1 tst-dlmopen3 tst-dlmopen4 \
 	 unload3 unload4 unload5 unload6 unload7 unload8 tst-global1 order2 \
 	 tst-audit1 tst-audit2 tst-audit8 tst-audit9 \
 	 tst-addr1 tst-thrlock \
@@ -1244,6 +1245,8 @@ $(objpfx)tst-dlmopen2.out: $(objpfx)tst-dlmopen1mod.so
 
 $(objpfx)tst-dlmopen3.out: $(objpfx)tst-dlmopen1mod.so
 
+$(objpfx)tst-dlmopen4.out: $(objpfx)tst-dlmopen1mod.so
+
 $(objpfx)tst-audit1.out: $(objpfx)tst-auditmod1.so
 tst-audit1-ENV = LD_AUDIT=$(objpfx)tst-auditmod1.so
 
diff --git a/elf/dl-close.c b/elf/dl-close.c
index f39001cab9..93ff5c96e9 100644
--- a/elf/dl-close.c
+++ b/elf/dl-close.c
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ _dl_close_worker (struct link_map *map, bool force)
 #endif
 
   /* Notify the debugger we are about to remove some loaded objects.  */
-  struct r_debug *r = _dl_debug_initialize (0, nsid);
+  struct r_debug *r = _dl_debug_update (nsid);
   r->r_state = RT_DELETE;
   _dl_debug_state ();
   LIBC_PROBE (unmap_start, 2, nsid, r);
diff --git a/elf/dl-debug-symbols.S b/elf/dl-debug-symbols.S
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5eb7e8fa3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elf/dl-debug-symbols.S
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/* Define symbols used to communicate dynamic linker state to the
+   debugger at runtime.
+   Copyright (C) 2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+   This file is part of the GNU C Library.
+
+   The GNU C Library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+   modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+   version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   The GNU C Library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+   Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License along with the GNU C Library; if not, see
+   <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#include <rtld-sizes.h>
+
+/* Define 2 symbols, _r_debug_extended and _r_debug, which is an alias
+   of _r_debug_extended, but with the size of struct r_debug and is
+   provided as a compatibility symbol.   */
+
+	.globl	_r_debug
+	.type	_r_debug, %object
+	.size	_r_debug, R_DEBUG_SIZE
+	.hidden	_r_debug_extended
+	.globl	_r_debug_extended
+	.type	_r_debug_extended, %object
+	.size	_r_debug_extended, R_DEBUG_EXTENDED_SIZE
+	.section .bss
+	.balign	R_DEBUG_EXTENDED_ALIGN
+_r_debug:
+_r_debug_extended:
+	.zero	R_DEBUG_EXTENDED_SIZE
diff --git a/elf/dl-debug.c b/elf/dl-debug.c
index 2cd5f09753..a975c59ee8 100644
--- a/elf/dl-debug.c
+++ b/elf/dl-debug.c
@@ -30,37 +30,79 @@ extern const int verify_link_map_members[(VERIFY_MEMBER (l_addr)
 					  && VERIFY_MEMBER (l_prev))
 					 ? 1 : -1];
 
-/* This structure communicates dl state to the debugger.  The debugger
-   normally finds it via the DT_DEBUG entry in the dynamic section, but in
-   a statically-linked program there is no dynamic section for the debugger
-   to examine and it looks for this particular symbol name.  */
-struct r_debug _r_debug;
+/* Update the `r_map' member and return the address of `struct r_debug'
+   of the namespace NS. */
 
+struct r_debug *
+_dl_debug_update (Lmid_t ns)
+{
+  struct r_debug_extended *r;
+  if (ns == LM_ID_BASE)
+    r = &_r_debug_extended;
+  else
+    r = &GL(dl_ns)[ns]._ns_debug;
+  if (r->base.r_map == NULL)
+    atomic_store_release (&r->base.r_map,
+			  (void *) GL(dl_ns)[ns]._ns_loaded);
+  return &r->base;
+}
 
-/* Initialize _r_debug if it has not already been done.  The argument is
-   the run-time load address of the dynamic linker, to be put in
-   _r_debug.r_ldbase.  Returns the address of _r_debug.  */
+/* Initialize _r_debug_extended for the namespace NS.  LDBASE is the
+   run-time load address of the dynamic linker, to be put in
+   _r_debug_extended.r_ldbase.  Return the address of _r_debug.  */
 
 struct r_debug *
 _dl_debug_initialize (ElfW(Addr) ldbase, Lmid_t ns)
 {
-  struct r_debug *r;
+  struct r_debug_extended *r;
 
   if (ns == LM_ID_BASE)
-    r = &_r_debug;
-  else
-    r = &GL(dl_ns)[ns]._ns_debug;
+    {
+      r = &_r_debug_extended;
+      /* Initialize r_version to 1.  */
+      if (_r_debug_extended.base.r_version == 0)
+	_r_debug_extended.base.r_version = 1;
+    }
+  else if (DL_NNS > 1)
+    {
+      r = &GL(dl_ns)[ns]._ns_debug;
+      if (r->base.r_brk == 0)
+	{
+	  /* Add the new namespace to the linked list.  After a namespace
+	     is initialized, r_brk becomes non-zero.  A namespace becomes
+	     empty (r_map == NULL) when it is unused.  But it is never
+	     removed from the linked list.  */
+	  struct r_debug_extended **pp, *p;
+
+	  for (pp = &_r_debug_extended.r_next;
+	       (p = *pp) != NULL;
+	       pp = &p->r_next)
+	    ;
 
-  if (r->r_map == NULL || ldbase != 0)
+	  r->r_next = NULL;
+	  atomic_store_release (pp, r);
+
+	  /* Bump r_version to 2 for the new namespace.  */
+	  r->base.r_version = 2;
+	  atomic_store_release (&_r_debug_extended.base.r_version, 2);
+	}
+    }
+
+  if (r->base.r_brk == 0)
     {
-      /* Tell the debugger where to find the map of loaded objects.  */
-      r->r_version = 1	/* R_DEBUG_VERSION XXX */;
-      r->r_ldbase = ldbase ?: _r_debug.r_ldbase;
-      r->r_map = (void *) GL(dl_ns)[ns]._ns_loaded;
-      r->r_brk = (ElfW(Addr)) &_dl_debug_state;
+      /* Tell the debugger where to find the map of loaded objects.
+	 This function is called from dlopen.  Initialize the namespace
+	 only once.  */
+      r->base.r_ldbase = ldbase ?: _r_debug_extended.base.r_ldbase;
+      r->base.r_brk = (ElfW(Addr)) &_dl_debug_state;
+      r->r_next = NULL;
     }
 
-  return r;
+  if (r->base.r_map == NULL)
+    atomic_store_release (&r->base.r_map,
+			  (void *) GL(dl_ns)[ns]._ns_loaded);
+
+  return &r->base;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/elf/dl-load.c b/elf/dl-load.c
index dc911e326a..9b30cd7ff1 100644
--- a/elf/dl-load.c
+++ b/elf/dl-load.c
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ _dl_map_object_from_fd (const char *name, const char *origname, int fd,
   /* Initialize to keep the compiler happy.  */
   const char *errstring = NULL;
   int errval = 0;
-  struct r_debug *r = _dl_debug_initialize (0, nsid);
+  struct r_debug *r = _dl_debug_update (nsid);
   bool make_consistent = false;
 
   /* Get file information.  To match the kernel behavior, do not fill
diff --git a/elf/dl-open.c b/elf/dl-open.c
index 98f8bf81b3..d519d32961 100644
--- a/elf/dl-open.c
+++ b/elf/dl-open.c
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ dl_open_worker (void *a)
       if ((mode & RTLD_GLOBAL) && new->l_global == 0)
 	add_to_global_update (new);
 
-      assert (_dl_debug_initialize (0, args->nsid)->r_state == RT_CONSISTENT);
+      assert (_dl_debug_update (args->nsid)->r_state == RT_CONSISTENT);
 
       return;
     }
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ dl_open_worker (void *a)
 #endif
 
   /* Notify the debugger all new objects are now ready to go.  */
-  struct r_debug *r = _dl_debug_initialize (0, args->nsid);
+  struct r_debug *r = _dl_debug_update (args->nsid);
   r->r_state = RT_CONSISTENT;
   _dl_debug_state ();
   LIBC_PROBE (map_complete, 3, args->nsid, r, new);
@@ -830,7 +830,7 @@ no more namespaces available for dlmopen()"));
 	  ++GL(dl_nns);
 	}
 
-      _dl_debug_initialize (0, nsid)->r_state = RT_CONSISTENT;
+      _dl_debug_update (nsid)->r_state = RT_CONSISTENT;
     }
   /* Never allow loading a DSO in a namespace which is empty.  Such
      direct placements is only causing problems.  Also don't allow
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ no more namespaces available for dlmopen()"));
 	     the flag here.  */
 	}
 
-      assert (_dl_debug_initialize (0, args.nsid)->r_state == RT_CONSISTENT);
+      assert (_dl_debug_update (args.nsid)->r_state == RT_CONSISTENT);
 
       /* Release the lock.  */
       __rtld_lock_unlock_recursive (GL(dl_load_lock));
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ no more namespaces available for dlmopen()"));
       _dl_signal_exception (errcode, &exception, NULL);
     }
 
-  assert (_dl_debug_initialize (0, args.nsid)->r_state == RT_CONSISTENT);
+  assert (_dl_debug_update (args.nsid)->r_state == RT_CONSISTENT);
 
   /* Release the lock.  */
   __rtld_lock_unlock_recursive (GL(dl_load_lock));
diff --git a/elf/dl-reloc-static-pie.c b/elf/dl-reloc-static-pie.c
index d5bd2f31e9..289651b341 100644
--- a/elf/dl-reloc-static-pie.c
+++ b/elf/dl-reloc-static-pie.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ _dl_relocate_static_pie (void)
   ELF_DYNAMIC_RELOCATE (main_map, 0, 0, 0);
   main_map->l_relocated = 1;
 
-  /* Initialize _r_debug.  */
+  /* Initialize _r_debug_extended.  */
   struct r_debug *r = _dl_debug_initialize (0, LM_ID_BASE);
   r->r_state = RT_CONSISTENT;
 
diff --git a/elf/link.h b/elf/link.h
index ff3a85c847..200d40c9c6 100644
--- a/elf/link.h
+++ b/elf/link.h
@@ -34,14 +34,13 @@
 #include <bits/elfclass.h>		/* Defines __ELF_NATIVE_CLASS.  */
 #include <bits/link.h>
 
-/* Rendezvous structure used by the run-time dynamic linker to communicate
-   details of shared object loading to the debugger.  If the executable's
-   dynamic section has a DT_DEBUG element, the run-time linker sets that
-   element's value to the address where this structure can be found.  */
+/* The legacy rendezvous structure used by the run-time dynamic linker to
+   communicate details of shared object loading to the debugger.  */
 
 struct r_debug
   {
-    int r_version;		/* Version number for this protocol.  */
+    /* Version number for this protocol.  It should be greater than 0.  */
+    int r_version;
 
     struct link_map *r_map;	/* Head of the chain of loaded objects.  */
 
@@ -63,16 +62,34 @@ struct r_debug
     ElfW(Addr) r_ldbase;	/* Base address the linker is loaded at.  */
   };
 
-/* This is the instance of that structure used by the dynamic linker.  */
+/* This is the symbol of that structure provided by the dynamic linker.  */
 extern struct r_debug _r_debug;
 
+/* The extended rendezvous structure used by the run-time dynamic linker
+   to communicate details of shared object loading to the debugger.  If
+   the executable's dynamic section has a DT_DEBUG element, the run-time
+   linker sets that element's value to the address where this structure
+   can be found.  */
+
+struct r_debug_extended
+  {
+    struct r_debug base;
+
+    /* The following field is added by r_version == 2.  */
+
+    /* Link to the next r_debug_extended structure.  Each r_debug_extended
+       structure represents a different namespace.  The first
+       r_debug_extended structure is for the default namespace.  */
+    struct r_debug_extended *r_next;
+  };
+
 /* This symbol refers to the "dynamic structure" in the `.dynamic' section
    of whatever module refers to `_DYNAMIC'.  So, to find its own
-   `struct r_debug', a program could do:
+   `struct r_debug_extended', a program could do:
      for (dyn = _DYNAMIC; dyn->d_tag != DT_NULL; ++dyn)
        if (dyn->d_tag == DT_DEBUG)
-	 r_debug = (struct r_debug *) dyn->d_un.d_ptr;
-   */
+	 r_debug_extended = (struct r_debug_extended *) dyn->d_un.d_ptr;
+ */
 extern ElfW(Dyn) _DYNAMIC[];
 
 /* Structure describing a loaded shared object.  The `l_next' and `l_prev'
diff --git a/elf/rtld-debugger-interface.txt b/elf/rtld-debugger-interface.txt
index 61bc99e4b0..f3476d8308 100644
--- a/elf/rtld-debugger-interface.txt
+++ b/elf/rtld-debugger-interface.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ structure can be found.
 
 The r_debug structure contains (amongst others) the following fields:
 
+  int r_version:
+    Version number for this protocol.  It should be greater than 0.
+
   struct link_map *r_map:
     A linked list of loaded objects.
 
@@ -32,6 +35,18 @@ but there is no way for the debugger to discover whether any of the
 objects in the link-map have been relocated or not.
 
 
+Extension to the r_debug structure
+==================================
+
+The r_debug_extended structure is an extension of the r_debug interface.
+If r_version is 2, one additional field is available:
+
+  struct r_debug_extended *r_next;
+    Link to the next r_debug_extended structure.  Each r_debug_extended
+    structure represents a different namespace.  A namespace is active
+    if its r_map field isn't NULL.  The first r_debug_extended structure
+    is for the default namespace.
+
 Probe-based debugger interface
 ==============================
 
diff --git a/elf/rtld.c b/elf/rtld.c
index 878e6480f4..742c413c48 100644
--- a/elf/rtld.c
+++ b/elf/rtld.c
@@ -1660,7 +1660,7 @@ dl_main (const ElfW(Phdr) *phdr,
      objects.  */
   call_init_paths (&state);
 
-  /* Initialize _r_debug.  */
+  /* Initialize _r_debug_extended.  */
   struct r_debug *r = _dl_debug_initialize (GL(dl_rtld_map).l_addr,
 					    LM_ID_BASE);
   r->r_state = RT_CONSISTENT;
@@ -2491,7 +2491,7 @@ dl_main (const ElfW(Phdr) *phdr,
 
   /* Notify the debugger all new objects are now ready to go.  We must re-get
      the address since by now the variable might be in another object.  */
-  r = _dl_debug_initialize (0, LM_ID_BASE);
+  r = _dl_debug_update (LM_ID_BASE);
   r->r_state = RT_CONSISTENT;
   _dl_debug_state ();
   LIBC_PROBE (init_complete, 2, LM_ID_BASE, r);
diff --git a/elf/tst-dlmopen4.c b/elf/tst-dlmopen4.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3fe150e50b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elf/tst-dlmopen4.c
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+/* Test struct r_debug_extended via DT_DEBUG.
+   Copyright (C) 2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+   This file is part of the GNU C Library.
+
+   The GNU C Library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+   modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+   version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   The GNU C Library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+   Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License along with the GNU C Library; if not, see
+   <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <link.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <gnu/lib-names.h>
+#include <support/xdlfcn.h>
+#include <support/check.h>
+#include <support/test-driver.h>
+
+#ifndef ELF_MACHINE_GET_R_DEBUG
+# define ELF_MACHINE_GET_R_DEBUG(d) \
+    (__extension__ ({ 						\
+      struct r_debug_extended *debug;				\
+      if ((d)->d_tag == DT_DEBUG)				\
+	debug = (struct r_debug_extended *) (d)->d_un.d_ptr;	\
+      else							\
+	debug = NULL;						\
+      debug; }))
+#endif
+
+static int
+do_test (void)
+{
+  ElfW(Dyn) *d;
+  struct r_debug_extended *debug = NULL;
+
+  for (d = _DYNAMIC; d->d_tag != DT_NULL; ++d)
+    {
+      debug = ELF_MACHINE_GET_R_DEBUG (d);
+      if (debug != NULL)
+	break;
+    }
+
+  TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (debug != NULL);
+  TEST_COMPARE (debug->base.r_version, 1);
+  TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (debug->r_next == NULL);
+
+  void *h = xdlmopen (LM_ID_NEWLM, "$ORIGIN/tst-dlmopen1mod.so",
+		      RTLD_LAZY);
+
+  TEST_COMPARE (debug->base.r_version, 2);
+  TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (debug->r_next != NULL);
+  TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (debug->r_next->r_next == NULL);
+  TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (debug->r_next->base.r_map != NULL);
+  TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (debug->r_next->base.r_map->l_name != NULL);
+  const char *name = basename (debug->r_next->base.r_map->l_name);
+  TEST_COMPARE_STRING (name, "tst-dlmopen1mod.so");
+
+  xdlclose (h);
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+#include <support/test-driver.c>
diff --git a/include/link.h b/include/link.h
index 4af16cb596..7b8250db36 100644
--- a/include/link.h
+++ b/include/link.h
@@ -353,6 +353,10 @@ struct auditstate
 };
 
 
+/* This is the hidden instance of struct r_debug_extended used by the
+   dynamic linker.  */
+extern struct r_debug_extended _r_debug_extended attribute_hidden;
+
 #if __ELF_NATIVE_CLASS == 32
 # define symbind symbind32
 #elif __ELF_NATIVE_CLASS == 64
diff --git a/sysdeps/generic/ldsodefs.h b/sysdeps/generic/ldsodefs.h
index 9c15259236..0cbcbfb5b0 100644
--- a/sysdeps/generic/ldsodefs.h
+++ b/sysdeps/generic/ldsodefs.h
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ struct rtld_global
       void (*free) (void *);
     } _ns_unique_sym_table;
     /* Keep track of changes to each namespace' list.  */
-    struct r_debug _ns_debug;
+    struct r_debug_extended _ns_debug;
   } _dl_ns[DL_NNS];
   /* One higher than index of last used namespace.  */
   EXTERN size_t _dl_nns;
@@ -1093,12 +1093,16 @@ extern void _dl_sort_maps (struct link_map **maps, unsigned int nmaps,
 extern void _dl_debug_state (void);
 rtld_hidden_proto (_dl_debug_state)
 
-/* Initialize `struct r_debug' if it has not already been done.  The
-   argument is the run-time load address of the dynamic linker, to be put
-   in the `r_ldbase' member.  Returns the address of the structure.  */
+/* Initialize `struct r_debug_extended' for the namespace NS.  LDBASE
+   is the run-time load address of the dynamic linker, to be put in the
+   `r_ldbase' member.  Return the address of the structure.  */
 extern struct r_debug *_dl_debug_initialize (ElfW(Addr) ldbase, Lmid_t ns)
      attribute_hidden;
 
+/* Update the `r_map' member and return the address of `struct r_debug'
+   of the namespace NS.  */
+extern struct r_debug *_dl_debug_update (Lmid_t ns) attribute_hidden;
+
 /* Initialize the basic data structure for the search paths.  SOURCE
    is either "LD_LIBRARY_PATH" or "--library-path".
    GLIBC_HWCAPS_PREPEND adds additional glibc-hwcaps subdirectories to
