diff --git a/libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c b/libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c
index 61fbbf6633d1..3059eaeefe70 100644
--- a/libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c
+++ b/libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ static const Elf_Sym *symlook_default(const char *, unsigned long,
   const Obj_Entry *, const Obj_Entry **, const Ver_Entry *, int);
 static const Elf_Sym *symlook_list(const char *, unsigned long, const Objlist *,
   const Obj_Entry **, const Ver_Entry *, int flags, DoneList *);
+static const Elf_Sym *symlook_needed(const char *, unsigned long,
+  const Needed_Entry *, const Obj_Entry **, const Ver_Entry *,
+  int flags, DoneList *dlp);
 static void trace_loaded_objects(Obj_Entry *obj);
 static void unlink_object(Obj_Entry *);
 static void unload_object(Obj_Entry *);
@@ -1852,17 +1855,21 @@ do_dlsym(void *handle, const char *name, void *retaddr, const Ver_Entry *ve,
 	}
 
 	DoneList donelist;
-	const Objlist *srch_list;
 	donelist_init(&donelist);
 	if (obj->mainprog) {
 	    /* Search main program and all libraries loaded by it. */
-	    srch_list = &list_main;
+	    def = symlook_list(name, hash, &list_main, &defobj, ve, flags,
+			       &donelist);
 	} else {
+	    Needed_Entry fake;
+
 	    /* Search the whole DAG rooted at the given object. */
-	    srch_list = &(obj->dagmembers);
+	    fake.next = NULL;
+	    fake.obj = (Obj_Entry *)obj;
+	    fake.name = 0;
+	    def = symlook_needed(name, hash, &fake, &defobj, ve, flags,
+				 &donelist);
 	}
-	def = symlook_list(name, hash, srch_list, &defobj, ve, flags,
-			   &donelist);
     }
 
     if (def != NULL) {
@@ -2361,6 +2368,57 @@ symlook_list(const char *name, unsigned long hash, const Objlist *objlist,
     return def;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Search the symbol table of a shared object and all objects needed
+ * by it for a symbol of the given name.  Search order is
+ * breadth-first.  Returns a pointer to the symbol, or NULL if no
+ * definition was found.
+ */
+static const Elf_Sym *
+symlook_needed(const char *name, unsigned long hash, const Needed_Entry *needed,
+  const Obj_Entry **defobj_out, const Ver_Entry *ventry, int flags,
+  DoneList *dlp)
+{
+    const Elf_Sym *def, *def_w;
+    const Needed_Entry *n;
+    const Obj_Entry *obj, *defobj, *defobj1;
+    
+    def = def_w = NULL;
+    defobj = NULL;
+    for (n = needed; n != NULL; n = n->next) {
+        if ((obj = n->obj) == NULL ||
+            donelist_check(dlp, obj) ||
+            (def = symlook_obj(name, hash, obj, ventry, flags)) == NULL)
+                continue;
+        defobj = obj;
+        if (ELF_ST_BIND(def->st_info) != STB_WEAK) {
+            *defobj_out = defobj;
+            return (def);
+	}
+    }
+    /*
+     * There we come when either symbol definition is not found in
+     * directly needed objects, or found symbol is weak.
+     */
+    for (n = needed; n != NULL; n = n->next) {
+        if ((obj = n->obj) == NULL)
+            continue;
+        def_w = symlook_needed(name, hash, obj->needed, &defobj1,
+			       ventry, flags, dlp);
+        if (def_w == NULL)
+            continue;
+        if (def == NULL || ELF_ST_BIND(def_w->st_info) != STB_WEAK) {
+            def = def_w;
+            defobj = defobj1;
+        }
+        if (ELF_ST_BIND(def_w->st_info) != STB_WEAK)
+            break;
+    }
+    if (def != NULL)
+        *defobj_out = defobj;
+    return def;
+}
+
 /*
  * Search the symbol table of a single shared object for a symbol of
  * the given name and version, if requested.  Returns a pointer to the