diff --git a/gold/layout.cc b/gold/layout.cc
index 899d4af0707..a50086897bb 100644
--- a/gold/layout.cc
+++ b/gold/layout.cc
@@ -3333,19 +3333,38 @@ Layout::create_gold_note()
 
   std::string desc = std::string("gold ") + gold::get_version_string();
 
-  size_t trailing_padding;
-  Output_section* os = this->create_note("GNU", elfcpp::NT_GNU_GOLD_VERSION,
-					 ".note.gnu.gold-version", desc.size(),
-					 false, &trailing_padding);
-  if (os == NULL)
-    return;
+  Output_section* os;
+  Output_section_data* posd;
 
-  Output_section_data* posd = new Output_data_const(desc, 4);
-  os->add_output_section_data(posd);
+  if (!parameters->options().enable_linker_version())
+    {
+      size_t trailing_padding;
+
+      os = this->create_note("GNU", elfcpp::NT_GNU_GOLD_VERSION,
+			     ".note.gnu.gold-version", desc.size(),
+			     false, &trailing_padding);
+      if (os == NULL)
+	return;
+
+      posd = new Output_data_const(desc, 4);
+      os->add_output_section_data(posd);
 
-  if (trailing_padding > 0)
+      if (trailing_padding > 0)
+	{
+	  posd = new Output_data_zero_fill(trailing_padding, 0);
+	  os->add_output_section_data(posd);
+	}
+    }
+  else
     {
-      posd = new Output_data_zero_fill(trailing_padding, 0);
+      os = this->choose_output_section(NULL, ".comment",
+				       elfcpp::SHT_PROGBITS, 0,
+				       false, ORDER_INVALID,
+				       false, false, false);
+      if (os == NULL)
+	return;
+
+      posd = new Output_data_const(desc, 1);
       os->add_output_section_data(posd);
     }
 }
diff --git a/gold/options.h b/gold/options.h
index 1aa451c7711..46f658f23ea 100644
--- a/gold/options.h
+++ b/gold/options.h
@@ -847,6 +847,10 @@ class General_options
 		N_("Enable use of DT_RUNPATH"),
 		N_("Disable use of DT_RUNPATH"));
 
+  DEFINE_enable(linker_version, options::EXACTLY_TWO_DASHES, '\0', false,
+		N_("Put the linker version string into the .comment section"),
+		N_("Put the linker version string into the .note.gnu.gold-version section"));
+
   DEFINE_bool(enum_size_warning, options::TWO_DASHES, '\0', true, NULL,
 	      N_("(ARM only) Do not warn about objects with incompatible "
 		 "enum sizes"));