diff --git a/binutils/ChangeLog b/binutils/ChangeLog
index a19d488673f..735a3445512 100644
--- a/binutils/ChangeLog
+++ b/binutils/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2017-04-23  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
+
+	PR 21415
+	* objdump.c (disassemble_section): Check bfd_get_section_contents
+	status.
+
 2017-04-23  Alan Modra  <amodra@gmail.com>
 
 	PR 21408
diff --git a/binutils/objdump.c b/binutils/objdump.c
index 58521dd8453..bc610003a7d 100644
--- a/binutils/objdump.c
+++ b/binutils/objdump.c
@@ -2174,7 +2174,12 @@ disassemble_section (bfd *abfd, asection *section, void *inf)
 
   data = (bfd_byte *) xmalloc (datasize);
 
-  bfd_get_section_contents (abfd, section, data, 0, datasize);
+  if (!bfd_get_section_contents (abfd, section, data, 0, datasize))
+    {
+      non_fatal (_("Reading section %s failed because: %s"),
+		 section->name, bfd_errmsg (bfd_get_error ()));
+      return;
+    }
 
   paux->sec = section;
   pinfo->buffer = data;