diff --git a/arch/powerpc/Makefile b/arch/powerpc/Makefile
index 76fc7cc26780..449514ec1fdf 100644
--- a/arch/powerpc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/powerpc/Makefile
@@ -409,3 +409,11 @@ checkbin:
 		echo -n '*** Please use a different binutils version.' ; \
 		false ; \
 	fi
+	@if test "x${CONFIG_FTRACE_MCOUNT_USE_RECORDMCOUNT}" = "xy" -a \
+		"x${CONFIG_LD_IS_BFD}" = "xy" -a \
+		"${CONFIG_LD_VERSION}" = "23700" ; then \
+		echo -n '*** binutils 2.37 drops unused section symbols, which recordmcount ' ; \
+		echo 'is unable to handle.' ; \
+		echo '*** Please use a different binutils version.' ; \
+		false ; \
+	fi