diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_cranelift/src/archive.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_cranelift/src/archive.rs
index b0eb3864d80..a099e8b3a6a 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_cranelift/src/archive.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_cranelift/src/archive.rs
@@ -105,8 +105,6 @@ impl<'a> ArchiveBuilder<'a> for ArArchiveBuilder<'a> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn update_symbols(&mut self) {}
-
     fn build(mut self) {
         enum BuilderKind {
             Bsd(ar::Builder<File>),
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_gcc/src/archive.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_gcc/src/archive.rs
index 11dd6d49aa7..fac532f3e9c 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_gcc/src/archive.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_gcc/src/archive.rs
@@ -113,9 +113,6 @@ impl<'a> ArchiveBuilder<'a> for ArArchiveBuilder<'a> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn update_symbols(&mut self) {
-    }
-
     fn build(mut self) {
         use std::process::Command;
 
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/back/archive.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/back/archive.rs
index 8a1dea4d99b..21bd1dae7ac 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/back/archive.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/back/archive.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ pub struct LlvmArchiveBuilder<'a> {
     config: ArchiveConfig<'a>,
     removals: Vec<String>,
     additions: Vec<Addition>,
-    should_update_symbols: bool,
     src_archive: Option<Option<ArchiveRO>>,
 }
 
@@ -75,7 +74,6 @@ impl<'a> ArchiveBuilder<'a> for LlvmArchiveBuilder<'a> {
             config,
             removals: Vec::new(),
             additions: Vec::new(),
-            should_update_symbols: false,
             src_archive: None,
         }
     }
@@ -129,12 +127,6 @@ impl<'a> ArchiveBuilder<'a> for LlvmArchiveBuilder<'a> {
             .push(Addition::File { path: file.to_path_buf(), name_in_archive: name.to_owned() });
     }
 
-    /// Indicate that the next call to `build` should update all symbols in
-    /// the archive (equivalent to running 'ar s' over it).
-    fn update_symbols(&mut self) {
-        self.should_update_symbols = true;
-    }
-
     /// Combine the provided files, rlibs, and native libraries into a single
     /// `Archive`.
     fn build(mut self) {
@@ -313,7 +305,6 @@ impl<'a> LlvmArchiveBuilder<'a> {
         let mut members = Vec::new();
 
         let dst = CString::new(self.config.dst.to_str().unwrap())?;
-        let should_update_symbols = self.should_update_symbols;
 
         unsafe {
             if let Some(archive) = self.src_archive() {
@@ -385,7 +376,7 @@ impl<'a> LlvmArchiveBuilder<'a> {
                 dst.as_ptr(),
                 members.len() as libc::size_t,
                 members.as_ptr() as *const &_,
-                should_update_symbols,
+                true,
                 kind,
             );
             let ret = if r.into_result().is_err() {
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/archive.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/archive.rs
index 3db948a16fc..a2f74b94214 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/archive.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/archive.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ pub trait ArchiveBuilder<'a> {
     fn add_archive<F>(&mut self, archive: &Path, skip: F) -> io::Result<()>
     where
         F: FnMut(&str) -> bool + 'static;
-    fn update_symbols(&mut self);
 
     fn build(self);
 
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
index 3ac98e392ae..e53c9842117 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
@@ -371,10 +371,6 @@ fn link_rlib<'a, B: ArchiveBuilder<'a>>(
         }
     }
 
-    // After adding all files to the archive, we need to update the
-    // symbol table of the archive.
-    ab.update_symbols();
-
     return Ok(ab);
 }
 
@@ -503,7 +499,6 @@ fn link_staticlib<'a, B: ArchiveBuilder<'a>>(
         sess.fatal(&e);
     }
 
-    ab.update_symbols();
     ab.build();
 
     if !all_native_libs.is_empty() {
@@ -2304,7 +2299,6 @@ fn add_upstream_rust_crates<'a, B: ArchiveBuilder<'a>>(
 
         sess.prof.generic_activity_with_arg("link_altering_rlib", name).run(|| {
             let mut archive = <B as ArchiveBuilder>::new(sess, &dst, Some(cratepath));
-            archive.update_symbols();
 
             let mut any_objects = false;
             for f in archive.src_files() {