diff --git a/llvm/test/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/rename-section-flag.test b/llvm/test/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/rename-section-flag.test
--- a/llvm/test/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/rename-section-flag.test
+++ b/llvm/test/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/rename-section-flag.test
@@ -2,35 +2,35 @@
 
 # Single flags on a section with no flags:
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,alloc %t %t.alloc
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,ALLOC,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS,ALLOC,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,load %t %t.load
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.load | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.load | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,noload %t %t.noload
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.noload | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.noload | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,readonly %t %t.readonly
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.readonly | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.readonly | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,debug %t %t.debug
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.debug | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.debug | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,code %t %t.code
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.code | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,EXEC,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.code | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,EXEC,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,data %t %t.data
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.data | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.data | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,rom %t %t.rom
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.rom | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.rom | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,contents %t %t.contents
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.contents | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.contents | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,merge %t %t.merge
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.merge | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,MERGE,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.merge | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS,MERGE,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,strings %t %t.strings
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.strings | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,STRINGS,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.strings | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS,STRINGS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,share %t %t.share
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.share | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.share | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS,WRITE
 
 # Multiple flags:
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,alloc,readonly,strings %t %t.alloc_ro_strings
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc_ro_strings | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,ALLOC,STRINGS
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc_ro_strings | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS,ALLOC,STRINGS
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,alloc,code %t %t.alloc_code
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc_code | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,ALLOC,EXEC,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc_code | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,ALLOC,EXEC,WRITE
 
 # Invalid flags:
 # RUN: not llvm-objcopy --rename-section=.foo=.bar,xyzzy %t %t.xyzzy 2>&1 | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=BAD-FLAG
@@ -43,18 +43,18 @@
   Machine:         EM_X86_64
 Sections:
   - Name:            .foo
-    Type:            SHT_PROGBITS
+    Type:            SHT_NOBITS
     Flags:           [ ]
-    Content:        "c3c3c3c3"
 
-# CHECK:        Name: .bar
-# CHECK-NEXT:   Type: SHT_PROGBITS
-# CHECK-NEXT:   Flags [
-# ALLOC-NEXT:     SHF_ALLOC (0x2)
-# EXEC-NEXT:      SHF_EXECINSTR (0x4)
-# MERGE-NEXT:     SHF_MERGE (0x10)
-# STRINGS-NEXT:   SHF_STRINGS (0x20)
-# WRITE-NEXT:     SHF_WRITE (0x1)
-# CHECK-NEXT:   ]
+# CHECK:         Name: .bar
+# NOBITS-NEXT:   Type: SHT_NOBITS
+# PROGBITS-NEXT: Type: SHT_PROGBITS
+# CHECK-NEXT:    Flags [
+# ALLOC-NEXT:      SHF_ALLOC (0x2)
+# EXEC-NEXT:       SHF_EXECINSTR (0x4)
+# MERGE-NEXT:      SHF_MERGE (0x10)
+# STRINGS-NEXT:    SHF_STRINGS (0x20)
+# WRITE-NEXT:      SHF_WRITE (0x1)
+# CHECK-NEXT:    ]
 
 # BAD-FLAG: Unrecognized section flag 'xyzzy'. Flags supported for GNU compatibility: alloc, load, noload, readonly, debug, code, data, rom, share, contents, merge, strings
diff --git a/llvm/test/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/set-section-flags.test b/llvm/test/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/set-section-flags.test
--- a/llvm/test/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/set-section-flags.test
+++ b/llvm/test/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/set-section-flags.test
@@ -2,35 +2,35 @@
 
 # Single flags on a section with no flags:
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=alloc %t %t.alloc
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,ALLOC,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS,ALLOC,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=load %t %t.load
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.load | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.load | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=noload %t %t.noload
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.noload | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.noload | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=readonly %t %t.readonly
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.readonly | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.readonly | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=debug %t %t.debug
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.debug | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.debug | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=code %t %t.code
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.code | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,EXEC,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.code | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,EXEC,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=data %t %t.data
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.data | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.data | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=rom %t %t.rom
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.rom | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.rom | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=contents %t %t.contents
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.contents | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.contents | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=merge %t %t.merge
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.merge | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,MERGE,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.merge | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,MERGE,NOBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=strings %t %t.strings
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.strings | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,STRINGS,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.strings | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,STRINGS,NOBITS,WRITE
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=share %t %t.share
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.share | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.share | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS,WRITE
 
 # Multiple flags:
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=alloc,readonly,strings %t %t.alloc_ro_strings
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc_ro_strings | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,ALLOC,STRINGS
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc_ro_strings | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,NOBITS,ALLOC,STRINGS
 # RUN: llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=alloc,code %t %t.alloc_code
-# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc_code | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,ALLOC,EXEC,WRITE
+# RUN: llvm-readobj --sections %t.alloc_code | FileCheck %s --check-prefixes=CHECK,PROGBITS,ALLOC,EXEC,WRITE
 
 # Invalid flags:
 # RUN: not llvm-objcopy --set-section-flags=.foo=xyzzy %t %t.xyzzy 2>&1 | FileCheck %s --check-prefix=BAD-FLAG
@@ -49,18 +49,19 @@
   Machine:         EM_X86_64
 Sections:
   - Name:            .foo
-    Type:            SHT_PROGBITS
+    Type:            SHT_NOBITS
     Flags:           [ ]
 
-# CHECK:        Name: .foo
-# CHECK-NEXT:   Type: SHT_PROGBITS
-# CHECK-NEXT:   Flags [
-# ALLOC-NEXT:     SHF_ALLOC (0x2)
-# EXEC-NEXT:      SHF_EXECINSTR (0x4)
-# MERGE-NEXT:     SHF_MERGE (0x10)
-# STRINGS-NEXT:   SHF_STRINGS (0x20)
-# WRITE-NEXT:     SHF_WRITE (0x1)
-# CHECK-NEXT:   ]
+# CHECK:         Name: .foo
+# NOBITS-NEXT:   Type: SHT_NOBITS
+# PROGBITS-NEXT: Type: SHT_PROGBITS
+# CHECK-NEXT:    Flags [
+# ALLOC-NEXT:      SHF_ALLOC (0x2)
+# EXEC-NEXT:       SHF_EXECINSTR (0x4)
+# MERGE-NEXT:      SHF_MERGE (0x10)
+# STRINGS-NEXT:    SHF_STRINGS (0x20)
+# WRITE-NEXT:      SHF_WRITE (0x1)
+# CHECK-NEXT:    ]
 
 # BAD-FORMAT: Bad format for --set-section-flags: missing '='
 # MULTIPLE-SETS: --set-section-flags set multiple times for section .foo
diff --git a/llvm/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/ELFObjcopy.cpp b/llvm/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/ELFObjcopy.cpp
--- a/llvm/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/ELFObjcopy.cpp
+++ b/llvm/tools/llvm-objcopy/ELF/ELFObjcopy.cpp
@@ -96,6 +96,17 @@
   return (OldFlags & PreserveMask) | (NewFlags & ~PreserveMask);
 }
 
+static void setSectionFlags(SectionBase &Sec, SectionFlag NewFlags) {
+  Sec.Flags = setSectionFlagsPreserveMask(Sec.Flags, getNewShfFlags(NewFlags));
+
+  // Certain flags also promote SHT_NOBITS to SHT_PROGBITS
+  if (NewFlags &
+      (SectionFlag::SecContents | SectionFlag::SecLoad |
+       SectionFlag::SecNoload | SectionFlag::SecCode | SectionFlag::SecData |
+       SectionFlag::SecRom | SectionFlag::SecDebug))
+    Sec.Type = SHT_PROGBITS;
+}
+
 static ElfType getOutputElfType(const Binary &Bin) {
   // Infer output ELF type from the input ELF object
   if (isa<ELFObjectFile<ELF32LE>>(Bin))
@@ -574,8 +585,7 @@
         const SectionRename &SR = Iter->second;
         Sec.Name = SR.NewName;
         if (SR.NewFlags.hasValue())
-          Sec.Flags = setSectionFlagsPreserveMask(
-              Sec.Flags, getNewShfFlags(SR.NewFlags.getValue()));
+          setSectionFlags(Sec, SR.NewFlags.getValue());
       }
     }
   }
@@ -585,8 +595,7 @@
       const auto Iter = Config.SetSectionFlags.find(Sec.Name);
       if (Iter != Config.SetSectionFlags.end()) {
         const SectionFlagsUpdate &SFU = Iter->second;
-        Sec.Flags = setSectionFlagsPreserveMask(Sec.Flags,
-                                                getNewShfFlags(SFU.NewFlags));
+        setSectionFlags(Sec, SFU.NewFlags);
       }
     }
   }