diff --git a/src/cmd/rel.rs b/src/cmd/rel.rs
index 89ab519..9d7137b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/rel.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/rel.rs
@@ -346,8 +346,11 @@ fn make(args: MakeArgs) -> Result<()> {
             section_count: None,
             quiet: args.no_warn,
             section_align: None,
+            section_exec: None,
         };
-        if let Some((header, _, section_defs)) = existing_headers.get(&(module_id as u32)) {
+        if let Some((header, section_headers, section_defs)) =
+            existing_headers.get(&(module_id as u32))
+        {
             info.version = header.version;
             info.name_offset = Some(header.name_offset);
             info.name_size = Some(header.name_size);
@@ -358,6 +361,7 @@ fn make(args: MakeArgs) -> Result<()> {
                 .as_ref()
                 .map(|defs| defs.iter().map(|def| def.align).collect())
                 .unwrap_or_default();
+            info.section_exec = Some(section_headers.iter().map(|s| s.exec()).collect());
         }
         let rel_path = path.with_extension("rel");
         let mut w = buf_writer(&rel_path)?;
diff --git a/src/util/rel.rs b/src/util/rel.rs
index 14fe23c..229ba7c 100644
--- a/src/util/rel.rs
+++ b/src/util/rel.rs
@@ -688,6 +688,10 @@ pub struct RelWriteInfo {
     pub quiet: bool,
     /// Override individual section alignment in the file.
     pub section_align: Option<Vec<u32>>,
+    /// Override individual section executable status in the file.
+    /// This is used to match empty sections: mwld will emit them with
+    /// NULL type, but the original REL may have them marked executable.
+    pub section_exec: Option<Vec<bool>>,
 }
 
 pub const PERMITTED_SECTIONS: [&str; 7] =
@@ -1006,12 +1010,12 @@ where
                 offset = current_data_offset;
                 current_data_offset += section.size() as u32;
             }
-            RelSectionHeader::new(
-                offset,
-                section.size() as u32,
-                section.kind() == object::SectionKind::Text,
-            )
-            .to_writer(w, Endian::Big)?;
+            let exec = info
+                .section_exec
+                .as_ref()
+                .and_then(|m| m.get(section_index as usize).copied())
+                .unwrap_or(section.kind() == object::SectionKind::Text);
+            RelSectionHeader::new(offset, section.size() as u32, exec).to_writer(w, Endian::Big)?;
             permitted_section_idx += 1;
         } else {
             RelSectionHeader::new(0, 0, false).to_writer(w, Endian::Big)?;