diff --git a/dump/dump.c b/dump/dump.c
index 236559b03a..e7a3b54ebe 100644
--- a/dump/dump.c
+++ b/dump/dump.c
@@ -380,31 +380,60 @@ static void write_elf_phdr_note(DumpState *s, Error **errp)
     }
 }
 
-static void write_elf_section(DumpState *s, int type, Error **errp)
+static void prepare_elf_section_hdr_zero(DumpState *s)
 {
-    Elf32_Shdr shdr32;
-    Elf64_Shdr shdr64;
-    int shdr_size;
-    void *shdr;
+    if (dump_is_64bit(s)) {
+        Elf64_Shdr *shdr64 = s->elf_section_hdrs;
+
+        shdr64->sh_info = cpu_to_dump32(s, s->phdr_num);
+    } else {
+        Elf32_Shdr *shdr32 = s->elf_section_hdrs;
+
+        shdr32->sh_info = cpu_to_dump32(s, s->phdr_num);
+    }
+}
+
+static void prepare_elf_section_hdrs(DumpState *s)
+{
+    size_t len, sizeof_shdr;
+
+    /*
+     * Section ordering:
+     * - HDR zero
+     */
+    sizeof_shdr = dump_is_64bit(s) ? sizeof(Elf64_Shdr) : sizeof(Elf32_Shdr);
+    len = sizeof_shdr * s->shdr_num;
+    s->elf_section_hdrs = g_malloc0(len);
+
+    /*
+     * The first section header is ALWAYS a special initial section
+     * header.
+     *
+     * The header should be 0 with one exception being that if
+     * phdr_num is PN_XNUM then the sh_info field contains the real
+     * number of segment entries.
+     *
+     * As we zero allocate the buffer we will only need to modify
+     * sh_info for the PN_XNUM case.
+     */
+    if (s->phdr_num >= PN_XNUM) {
+        prepare_elf_section_hdr_zero(s);
+    }
+}
+
+static void write_elf_section_headers(DumpState *s, Error **errp)
+{
+    size_t sizeof_shdr = dump_is_64bit(s) ? sizeof(Elf64_Shdr) : sizeof(Elf32_Shdr);
     int ret;
 
-    if (type == 0) {
-        shdr_size = sizeof(Elf32_Shdr);
-        memset(&shdr32, 0, shdr_size);
-        shdr32.sh_info = cpu_to_dump32(s, s->phdr_num);
-        shdr = &shdr32;
-    } else {
-        shdr_size = sizeof(Elf64_Shdr);
-        memset(&shdr64, 0, shdr_size);
-        shdr64.sh_info = cpu_to_dump32(s, s->phdr_num);
-        shdr = &shdr64;
+    prepare_elf_section_hdrs(s);
+
+    ret = fd_write_vmcore(s->elf_section_hdrs, s->shdr_num * sizeof_shdr, s);
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "dump: failed to write section headers");
     }
 
-    ret = fd_write_vmcore(shdr, shdr_size, s);
-    if (ret < 0) {
-        error_setg_errno(errp, -ret,
-                         "dump: failed to write section header table");
-    }
+    g_free(s->elf_section_hdrs);
 }
 
 static void write_data(DumpState *s, void *buf, int length, Error **errp)
@@ -591,12 +620,10 @@ static void dump_begin(DumpState *s, Error **errp)
         return;
     }
 
-    /* write section to vmcore */
-    if (s->shdr_num) {
-        write_elf_section(s, 1, errp);
-        if (*errp) {
-            return;
-        }
+    /* write section headers to vmcore */
+    write_elf_section_headers(s, errp);
+    if (*errp) {
+        return;
     }
 
     /* write notes to vmcore */
diff --git a/include/sysemu/dump.h b/include/sysemu/dump.h
index b62513d87d..9995f65dc8 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/dump.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/dump.h
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ typedef struct DumpState {
     int64_t filter_area_begin;  /* Start address of partial guest memory area */
     int64_t filter_area_length; /* Length of partial guest memory area */
 
+    void *elf_section_hdrs;     /* Pointer to section header buffer */
+
     uint8_t *note_buf;          /* buffer for notes */
     size_t note_buf_offset;     /* the writing place in note_buf */
     uint32_t nr_cpus;           /* number of guest's cpu */