diff --git a/stand/common/load_elf.c b/stand/common/load_elf.c
--- a/stand/common/load_elf.c
+++ b/stand/common/load_elf.c
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@
 	*result = (struct preloaded_file *)fp;
 	err = 0;
 #ifdef __amd64__
-	fp->f_kernphys_relocatable = is_kernphys_relocatable(&ef);
+	fp->f_kernphys_relocatable = multiboot || is_kernphys_relocatable(&ef);
 #endif
 	goto out;
 
@@ -1253,6 +1253,11 @@
 	char *strp;
 	unsigned long hash;
 
+	if (ef->nbuckets == 0) {
+		printf(__elfN(bad_symtable));
+		return ENOENT;
+	}
+
 	hash = elf_hash(name);
 	COPYOUT(&ef->buckets[hash % ef->nbuckets], &symnum, sizeof(symnum));