Index: source/Plugins/SymbolFile/PDB/SymbolFilePDB.cpp
===================================================================
--- source/Plugins/SymbolFile/PDB/SymbolFilePDB.cpp
+++ source/Plugins/SymbolFile/PDB/SymbolFilePDB.cpp
@@ -21,9 +21,11 @@
 #include "lldb/Symbol/TypeMap.h"
 
 #include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/GenericError.h"
+#include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/IPDBDataStream.h"
 #include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/IPDBEnumChildren.h"
 #include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/IPDBLineNumber.h"
 #include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/IPDBSourceFile.h"
+#include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/IPDBTable.h"
 #include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/PDBSymbol.h"
 #include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/PDBSymbolCompiland.h"
 #include "llvm/DebugInfo/PDB/PDBSymbolCompilandDetails.h"
@@ -93,6 +95,9 @@
 SymbolFilePDB::~SymbolFilePDB() {}
 
 uint32_t SymbolFilePDB::CalculateAbilities() {
+  uint32_t abilities = 0;
+  if (!m_obj_file)
+    return 0;
   if (!m_session_up) {
     // Lazily load and match the PDB file, but only do this once.
     std::string exePath = m_obj_file->GetFileSpec().GetPath();
@@ -100,10 +105,71 @@
                                 m_session_up);
     if (error) {
       llvm::consumeError(std::move(error));
-      return 0;
+      if (auto module_sp = m_obj_file->GetModule()) {
+        // See if a symbol file was specified through the `--symfile` option.
+        FileSpec symfile = module_sp->GetSymbolFileFileSpec();
+        if (symfile) {
+          error = loadDataForPDB(PDB_ReaderType::DIA,
+                                 llvm::StringRef(symfile.GetPath()),
+                                 m_session_up);
+          if (error) {
+            llvm::consumeError(std::move(error));
+            return 0;
+          }
+        } else {
+          return 0;
+        }
+      } else {
+        return 0;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  lldbassert(m_session_up.get());
+  if (auto enum_tables_up = m_session_up->getEnumTables()) {
+    while (auto table_up = enum_tables_up->getNext()) {
+      if (table_up->getItemCount()) {
+        auto type = table_up->getTableType();
+        switch (type) {
+        case PDB_TableType::SectionContribs:
+          // This table contains module/compiland information.
+          abilities |= CompileUnits;
+          break;
+        case PDB_TableType::Symbols:
+          abilities |= (Functions | Blocks);
+          // Check if there are sections of raw data for any variables
+          // in the `SECTIONHEADERS` data stream.
+          if (auto enum_dbg_streams_up = m_session_up->getDebugStreams()) {
+            while (auto dbg_stream_up = enum_dbg_streams_up->getNext()) {
+              auto stream_name = dbg_stream_up->getName();
+              if (stream_name == "SECTIONHEADERS") {
+                for (int rec_idx = 0;
+                     rec_idx < dbg_stream_up->getRecordCount();
+                     rec_idx++) {
+                  auto record = dbg_stream_up->getItemAtIndex(rec_idx);
+                  auto record_pointer =
+                      reinterpret_cast<char*>(record->data());
+                  if (strncmp(record_pointer, ".data", 5) == 0 ||
+                      strncmp(record_pointer, ".bss", 4) == 0 ||
+                      strncmp(record_pointer, ".rdata", 6) == 0) {
+                    abilities |= (GlobalVariables | LocalVariables |
+                                  VariableTypes);
+                    break;
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+          break;
+        case PDB_TableType::LineNumbers:
+          abilities |= LineTables;
+          break;
+        default:
+          break;
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
-  return CompileUnits | LineTables;
+  return abilities;
 }
 
 void SymbolFilePDB::InitializeObject() {
Index: unittests/SymbolFile/PDB/SymbolFilePDBTests.cpp
===================================================================
--- unittests/SymbolFile/PDB/SymbolFilePDBTests.cpp
+++ unittests/SymbolFile/PDB/SymbolFilePDBTests.cpp
@@ -154,8 +154,7 @@
   EXPECT_NE(nullptr, symfile);
   EXPECT_EQ(symfile->GetPluginName(), SymbolFilePDB::GetPluginNameStatic());
 
-  uint32_t expected_abilities =
-      SymbolFile::CompileUnits | SymbolFile::LineTables;
+  uint32_t expected_abilities = SymbolFile::kAllAbilities;
   EXPECT_EQ(expected_abilities, symfile->CalculateAbilities());
 }