Index: ELF/OutputSections.cpp
===================================================================
--- ELF/OutputSections.cpp
+++ ELF/OutputSections.cpp
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@
 }
 
 void OutputSection::sort(std::function<int(InputSectionBase *S)> Order) {
+  assert(Live);
   assert(SectionCommands.size() == 1);
   sortByOrder(cast<InputSectionDescription>(SectionCommands[0])->Sections,
               Order);
Index: ELF/Writer.cpp
===================================================================
--- ELF/Writer.cpp
+++ ELF/Writer.cpp
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
   void createSections();
   void forEachRelSec(std::function<void(InputSectionBase &)> Fn);
   void sortSections();
+  void sortInputSections();
   void finalizeSections();
   void addPredefinedSections();
   void setReservedSymbolSections();
@@ -826,31 +827,6 @@
   ElfSym::Edata2 = Add("_edata", -1);
 }
 
-// Sort input sections by section name suffixes for
-// __attribute__((init_priority(N))).
-static void sortInitFini(OutputSection *Cmd) {
-  if (Cmd)
-    Cmd->sortInitFini();
-}
-
-// Sort input sections by the special rule for .ctors and .dtors.
-static void sortCtorsDtors(OutputSection *Cmd) {
-  if (Cmd)
-    Cmd->sortCtorsDtors();
-}
-
-// Sort input sections using the list provided by --symbol-ordering-file.
-static void sortBySymbolsOrder() {
-  if (Config->SymbolOrderingFile.empty())
-    return;
-
-  // Sort sections by priority.
-  DenseMap<SectionBase *, int> SectionOrder = buildSectionOrder();
-  for (BaseCommand *Base : Script->SectionCommands)
-    if (auto *Sec = dyn_cast<OutputSection>(Base))
-      Sec->sort([&](InputSectionBase *S) { return SectionOrder.lookup(S); });
-}
-
 template <class ELFT>
 void Writer<ELFT>::forEachRelSec(std::function<void(InputSectionBase &)> Fn) {
   // Scan all relocations. Each relocation goes through a series
@@ -877,11 +853,6 @@
                                  Vec.end());
 
   Script->fabricateDefaultCommands();
-  sortBySymbolsOrder();
-  sortInitFini(findSection(".init_array"));
-  sortInitFini(findSection(".fini_array"));
-  sortCtorsDtors(findSection(".ctors"));
-  sortCtorsDtors(findSection(".dtors"));
 }
 
 // This function generates assignments for predefined symbols (e.g. _end or
@@ -1042,6 +1013,35 @@
   return I;
 }
 
+// If no layout was provided by linker script, we want to apply default
+// sorting for special input sections and handle --symbol-ordering-file.
+template <class ELFT> void Writer<ELFT>::sortInputSections() {
+  assert(!Script->HasSectionsCommand);
+
+  // Sort input sections by priority using the list provided
+  // by --symbol-ordering-file.
+  DenseMap<SectionBase *, int> Order = buildSectionOrder();
+  if (!Order.empty()) {
+    for (BaseCommand *Base : Script->SectionCommands)
+      if (auto *Sec = dyn_cast<OutputSection>(Base))
+        if (Sec->Live)
+          Sec->sort([&](InputSectionBase *S) { return Order.lookup(S); });
+  }
+
+  // Sort input sections by section name suffixes for
+  // __attribute__((init_priority(N))).
+  if (OutputSection *Cmd = findSection(".init_array"))
+    Cmd->sortInitFini();
+  if (OutputSection *Cmd = findSection(".fini_array"))
+    Cmd->sortInitFini();
+
+  // Sort input sections by the special rule for .ctors and .dtors.
+  if (OutputSection *Cmd = findSection(".ctors"))
+    Cmd->sortCtorsDtors();
+  if (OutputSection *Cmd = findSection(".dtors"))
+    Cmd->sortCtorsDtors();
+}
+
 template <class ELFT> void Writer<ELFT>::sortSections() {
   Script->adjustSectionsBeforeSorting();
 
@@ -1055,8 +1055,9 @@
       Sec->SortRank = getSectionRank(Sec);
 
   if (!Script->HasSectionsCommand) {
-    // We know that all the OutputSections are contiguous in
-    // this case.
+    sortInputSections();
+
+    // We know that all the OutputSections are contiguous in this case.
     auto E = Script->SectionCommands.end();
     auto I = Script->SectionCommands.begin();
     auto IsSection = [](BaseCommand *Base) { return isa<OutputSection>(Base); };