https://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=67002
--- Comment #5 from John Paul Adrian Glaubitz <glaubitz at physik dot fu-berlin.de> --- Some observations: glaubitz@z6:~/gcc-5-files> sh4-linux-gnu-strip real_stage2.o glaubitz@z6:~/gcc-5-files> ls -l total 800 -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 376020 Jul 26 20:09 real_stage1.o -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 33792 Jul 29 09:15 real_stage2.o -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 401656 Jul 29 05:40 real_stage3.o glaubitz@z6:~/gcc-5-files> sh4-linux-gnu-strip real_stage3.o glaubitz@z6:~/gcc-5-files> ls -l total 440 -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 376020 Jul 26 20:09 real_stage1.o -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 33792 Jul 29 09:15 real_stage2.o -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 33792 Jul 29 09:15 real_stage3.o glaubitz@z6:~/gcc-5-files> sh4-linux-gnu-strip real_stage1.o glaubitz@z6:~/gcc-5-files> ls -l total 152 -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 80768 Jul 29 09:16 real_stage1.o -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 33792 Jul 29 09:15 real_stage2.o -rw-r--r-- 1 glaubitz glaubitz 33792 Jul 29 09:15 real_stage3.o glaubitz@z6:~/gcc-5-files> diff real_stage2.o real_stage3.o Binary files real_stage2.o and real_stage3.o differ glaubitz@z6:~/gcc-5-files> This was done on my main desktop, using a cross-toolchain.