diff --git a/binfmt/elf.c b/binfmt/elf.c
index 56e6197d213..8896e35b279 100644
--- a/binfmt/elf.c
+++ b/binfmt/elf.c
@@ -247,16 +247,40 @@ static int elf_loadbinary(FAR struct binary_s *binp,
 
   /* Bind the program to the exported symbol table */
 
-  ret = elf_bind(&loadinfo, exports, nexports);
-  if (ret != 0)
+  if (loadinfo.ehdr.e_type == ET_REL)
     {
-      berr("Failed to bind symbols program binary: %d\n", ret);
-      goto errout_with_load;
+      ret = elf_bind(&loadinfo, exports, nexports);
+      if (ret != 0)
+        {
+          berr("Failed to bind symbols program binary: %d\n", ret);
+          goto errout_with_load;
+        }
+
+      binp->entrypt = (main_t)(loadinfo.textalloc + loadinfo.ehdr.e_entry);
+    }
+  else if (loadinfo.ehdr.e_type == ET_EXEC)
+    {
+      if (nexports > 0)
+        {
+          berr("Cannot bind exported symbols to a "\
+                                    "fully linked executable\n");
+          ret = -ENOEXEC;
+          goto errout_with_load;
+        }
+
+      /* The entrypoint for a fully linked executable can be found directly */
+
+      binp->entrypt = (main_t)(loadinfo.ehdr.e_entry);
+    }
+
+  else
+    {
+        berr("Unexpected elf type %d\n", loadinfo.ehdr.e_type);
+        ret = -ENOEXEC;
     }
 
   /* Return the load information */
 
-  binp->entrypt   = (main_t)(loadinfo.textalloc + loadinfo.ehdr.e_entry);
   binp->stacksize = CONFIG_ELF_STACKSIZE;
 
   /* Add the ELF allocation to the alloc[] only if there is no address
diff --git a/binfmt/libelf/libelf_verify.c b/binfmt/libelf/libelf_verify.c
index 3e6f0a5c666..09217d49ea6 100644
--- a/binfmt/libelf/libelf_verify.c
+++ b/binfmt/libelf/libelf_verify.c
@@ -89,9 +89,10 @@ int elf_verifyheader(FAR const Elf_Ehdr *ehdr)
 
   /* Verify that this is a relocatable file */
 
-  if (ehdr->e_type != ET_REL)
+  if ((ehdr->e_type != ET_REL) && (ehdr->e_type != ET_EXEC))
     {
-      berr("Not a relocatable file: e_type=%d\n", ehdr->e_type);
+      berr("Not a relocatable or executable file: e_type=%d\n",
+                                        ehdr->e_type);
       return -EINVAL;
     }