diff --git a/scripts/recordmcount.h b/scripts/recordmcount.h
index f9b19524da11..1e9baa5c4fc6 100644
--- a/scripts/recordmcount.h
+++ b/scripts/recordmcount.h
@@ -192,15 +192,20 @@ static unsigned int get_symindex(Elf_Sym const *sym, Elf32_Word const *symtab,
 				 Elf32_Word const *symtab_shndx)
 {
 	unsigned long offset;
+	unsigned short shndx = w2(sym->st_shndx);
 	int index;
 
-	if (sym->st_shndx != SHN_XINDEX)
-		return w2(sym->st_shndx);
+	if (shndx > SHN_UNDEF && shndx < SHN_LORESERVE)
+		return shndx;
 
-	offset = (unsigned long)sym - (unsigned long)symtab;
-	index = offset / sizeof(*sym);
+	if (shndx == SHN_XINDEX) {
+		offset = (unsigned long)sym - (unsigned long)symtab;
+		index = offset / sizeof(*sym);
 
-	return w(symtab_shndx[index]);
+		return w(symtab_shndx[index]);
+	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static unsigned int get_shnum(Elf_Ehdr const *ehdr, Elf_Shdr const *shdr0)