diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/deadcode.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/deadcode.go
index 49c5668c863b9b..c91a18a167cf17 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/deadcode.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/deadcode.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package ld
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"cmd/internal/goobj2"
 	"cmd/internal/objabi"
 	"cmd/internal/sys"
 	"cmd/link/internal/loader"
@@ -154,7 +155,15 @@ func (d *deadcodePass) flood() {
 		}
 		naux := d.ldr.NAux(symIdx)
 		for i := 0; i < naux; i++ {
-			d.mark(d.ldr.Aux2(symIdx, i).Sym(), symIdx)
+			a := d.ldr.Aux2(symIdx, i)
+			if a.Type() == goobj2.AuxGotype && !d.ctxt.linkShared {
+				// A symbol being reachable doesn't imply we need its
+				// type descriptor. Don't mark it.
+				// XXX we need that for GCProg generation when linking
+				// shared library. why?
+				continue
+			}
+			d.mark(a.Sym(), symIdx)
 		}
 		// Some host object symbols have an outer object, which acts like a
 		// "carrier" symbol, or it holds all the symbols for a particular
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/deadcode_test.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/deadcode_test.go
index 197a057c2fe8c2..23a8685bbb626f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/deadcode_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/deadcode_test.go
@@ -14,28 +14,9 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
-// This example uses reflect.Value.Call, but not
-// reflect.{Value,Type}.Method. This should not
-// need to bring all methods live.
-const deadcodeTestSrc = `
-package main
-import "reflect"
-
-func f() { println("call") }
-
-type T int
-func (T) M() {}
-
-func main() {
-	v := reflect.ValueOf(f)
-	v.Call(nil)
-	i := interface{}(T(1))
-	println(i)
-}
-`
-
 func TestDeadcode(t *testing.T) {
 	testenv.MustHaveGoBuild(t)
+	t.Parallel()
 
 	tmpdir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "TestDeadcode")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -43,19 +24,26 @@ func TestDeadcode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
 
-	src := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "main.go")
-	err = ioutil.WriteFile(src, []byte(deadcodeTestSrc), 0666)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	exe := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "main.exe")
-
-	cmd := exec.Command(testenv.GoToolPath(t), "build", "-ldflags=-dumpdep", "-o", exe, src)
-	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("%v: %v:\n%s", cmd.Args, err, out)
+	tests := []struct {
+		src     string
+		pattern string
+	}{
+		{"reflectcall", "main.T.M"},
+		{"typedesc", "type.main.T"},
 	}
-	if bytes.Contains(out, []byte("main.T.M")) {
-		t.Errorf("main.T.M should not be reachable. Output:\n%s", out)
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.src, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			src := filepath.Join("testdata", "deadcode", test.src+".go")
+			exe := filepath.Join(tmpdir, test.src+".exe")
+			cmd := exec.Command(testenv.GoToolPath(t), "build", "-ldflags=-dumpdep", "-o", exe, src)
+			out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("%v: %v:\n%s", cmd.Args, err, out)
+			}
+			if bytes.Contains(out, []byte(test.pattern)) {
+				t.Errorf("%s should not be reachable. Output:\n%s", test.pattern, out)
+			}
+		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/testdata/deadcode/reflectcall.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/testdata/deadcode/reflectcall.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..af95e466e8e9aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/testdata/deadcode/reflectcall.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// Copyright 2020 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// This example uses reflect.Value.Call, but not
+// reflect.{Value,Type}.Method. This should not
+// need to bring all methods live.
+
+package main
+
+import "reflect"
+
+func f() { println("call") }
+
+type T int
+
+func (T) M() {}
+
+func main() {
+	v := reflect.ValueOf(f)
+	v.Call(nil)
+	i := interface{}(T(1))
+	println(i)
+}
diff --git a/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/testdata/deadcode/typedesc.go b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/testdata/deadcode/typedesc.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..82460935e80b85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmd/link/internal/ld/testdata/deadcode/typedesc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+// Copyright 2020 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+// Test that a live variable doesn't bring its type
+// descriptor live.
+
+package main
+
+type T [10]string
+
+var t T
+
+func main() {
+	println(t[8])
+}