diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/elf.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/elf.v
index aa9a8a2bb5..6ab5d8fce9 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/elf.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/native/elf.v
@@ -4,30 +4,55 @@
 module native
 
 const (
-	elf_class32       = 1
-	elf_class64       = 2
+	elf_class32           = 1
+	elf_class64           = 2
 
-	elf_data_le       = 1
-	elf_data_be       = 2
+	elf_data_le           = 1
+	elf_data_be           = 2
 
-	elf_version       = 1
-	elf_abiversion    = 0
+	elf_version           = 1
+	elf_abiversion        = 0
 
-	elf_type_rel      = 1
-	elf_type_exec     = 2
-	elf_type_dyn      = 3
+	elf_type_rel          = 1
+	elf_type_exec         = 2
+	elf_type_dyn          = 3
 
-	elf_amd64         = 0x3e
-	elf_arm64         = 0xb7
+	elf_amd64             = 0x3e
+	elf_arm64             = 0xb7
 
-	elf_osabi_none    = 0
-	elf_osabi_hpux    = 1
-	elf_osabi_netbsd  = 2
-	elf_osabi_linux   = 3
-	elf_osabi_freebsd = 9
+	elf_osabi_none        = 0
+	elf_osabi_hpux        = 1
+	elf_osabi_netbsd      = 2
+	elf_osabi_linux       = 3
+	elf_osabi_freebsd     = 9
 
-	elf_header_size   = 0x40
-	elf_phentry_size  = 0x38
+	elf_header_size       = 0x40
+	elf_phentry_size      = 0x38
+	elf_shentry_size      = 0x40
+	elf_symtab_size       = 0x18
+
+	elf_sh_symtab_entsize = 0x18
+	elf_sh_symtab_info    = 1
+	elf_sh_symtab_align   = 8
+
+	elf_sht_strtab        = 3
+	elf_sht_symtab        = 2
+
+	elf_pt_load           = 1
+	elf_p_align           = 0x1000
+
+	// elf symbol bining
+	elf_stb_local         = u8(0)
+	elf_stb_global        = u8(1)
+
+	// elf symbol types
+	elf_stt_notype        = u8(0)
+	elf_stt_object        = u8(1)
+	elf_stt_func          = u8(2)
+	elf_stt_section       = u8(3)
+
+	// elf symbol visibility
+	elf_stv_default       = i8(0)
 )
 
 const (
@@ -35,29 +60,304 @@ const (
 	placeholder   = 0
 )
 
+struct ProgramHeader {
+mut:
+	typ    int // Program header type.
+	flags  int // Segment-independent flags.
+	offset i64 // Offset of the segment in the file image.
+	vaddr  i64 // Virtual segment address.
+	paddr  i64 // Physical segment address.
+	filesz i64 // Segment size in the file.
+	memsz  i64 // Segment size in memory.
+	align  i64 // Segment alignment.
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) create_program_header(typ int, flags int, align i64) ProgramHeader {
+	return ProgramHeader{
+		typ: typ
+		flags: flags
+		align: align
+	}
+}
+
+fn (mut p ProgramHeader) set_addr(addr i64) {
+	p.vaddr = addr
+	p.paddr = addr
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) gen_program_header64(p ProgramHeader) {
+	g.write32(p.typ) // p_type
+	g.println('; p_type')
+	g.write32(p.flags) // p_flags
+	g.println('; p_flags')
+	g.write64(p.offset) // p_offset
+	g.println('; p_offset')
+	g.write64(if p.vaddr == 0 {
+		native.segment_start
+	} else {
+		p.vaddr
+	}) // p_vaddr
+	g.println('; p_vaddr')
+	g.write64(if p.paddr == 0 {
+		native.segment_start
+	} else {
+		p.paddr
+	}) // p_paddr
+	g.println('; p_paddr')
+	if p.filesz == 0 {
+		g.file_size_pos = g.pos()
+	}
+	g.write64(p.filesz) // p_filesz
+	g.println('; p_filesz')
+	g.write64(p.memsz) // p_memsz
+	g.println('; p_memsz')
+	g.write64(p.align) // p_align
+	g.println('; p_align')
+	g.println('; ^^^ program header (64)')
+}
+
+struct SectionHeader {
+mut:
+	name      int // Offset to name string in .shstrtab.
+	typ       int // Section type.
+	flags     i64 // Section attributes.
+	addr      i64 // Section address.
+	offset    i64 // Section address offset.
+	size      i64 // Section size.
+	link      int // Section index for associated section types.
+	info      int // Extra section information.
+	addralign i64 // Section Alignment (must be power of two).
+	entsize   i64 // Section entry size.
+}
+
+struct SymbolTable {
+	str_name string // string name (not generated)
+mut:
+	name  int // Index to name in .strtab.
+	info  i8  // symbol type and binding attribute.
+	other i8  // Symbol visibility.
+	shndx i16 // Related section header table index.
+	value i64 // value of the associated symbol
+	size  i64 // Symbol size
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) create_symbol_table(str_name string, info u8, bind u8, other i8, value i64, size i64) SymbolTable {
+	return SymbolTable{
+		str_name: str_name
+		info: i8(info | bind << 4)
+		other: other
+		value: value
+		size: size
+	}
+}
+
+struct StringTable {
+mut:
+	strings []string
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) create_string_table(strings []string) StringTable {
+	return StringTable{strings}
+}
+
+type SectionData = StringTable | []SymbolTable
+
+struct Section {
+	name string
+mut:
+	header SectionHeader
+	data   SectionData
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) create_section(name string, typ int, link int, info int, addralign i64, entsize i64, data SectionData) Section {
+	return Section{
+		name: name
+		header: SectionHeader{
+			typ: typ
+			link: link
+			info: info
+			addralign: addralign
+			entsize: entsize
+		}
+		data: data
+	}
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) create_shstrtab(mut sections []Section) {
+	mut names := []string{len: sections.len + 1}
+	mut offset := 1
+
+	for i, mut section in sections {
+		names[i] = section.name
+		section.header.name = offset
+		offset += section.name.len + 1
+	}
+
+	names[sections.len] = '.shstrtab'
+
+	mut shstrtab := g.create_section(names[sections.len], native.elf_sht_strtab, 0, 0,
+		1, 0, g.create_string_table(names))
+	shstrtab.header.name = offset
+
+	sections << shstrtab
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) create_symtab(mut sections []Section, mut table []SymbolTable) {
+	mut names := []string{len: table.len}
+	mut offset := 1
+
+	for i, mut entry in table {
+		names[i] = entry.str_name
+
+		entry.name = offset
+		entry.shndx = i16(sections.len + 1)
+
+		offset += entry.str_name.len + 1
+	}
+
+	sections << g.create_section('.strtab', native.elf_sht_strtab, 0, 0, 1, 0, g.create_string_table(names))
+
+	sections << // index of .strtab
+	g.create_section('.symtab', native.elf_sht_symtab, sections.len - 1, native.elf_sh_symtab_info,
+		native.elf_sh_symtab_align, native.elf_sh_symtab_entsize, table)
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) find_section_header(name string, sections []Section) int {
+	for i, section in sections {
+		if name == section.name {
+			return i
+		}
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) gen_section_header64(mut sh SectionHeader) {
+	sh_offset := g.pos()
+
+	g.write32(sh.name) // sh_name
+	g.println('; sh_name')
+	g.write32(sh.typ) // sh_type
+	g.println('; sh_type')
+	g.write64(sh.flags) // sh_flags
+	g.println('; sh_addr')
+	g.write64(sh.addr) // sh_addr
+	g.println('; sh_name')
+	if sh.offset == 0 {
+		g.write64(sh_offset)
+		sh.offset = sh_offset
+	} else {
+		g.write64(sh.offset)
+	} // sh_offset
+	g.println('; sh_offset')
+	g.write64(sh.size) // sh_size
+	g.println('; sh_size')
+	g.write32(sh.link) // sh_link
+	g.println('; sh_link')
+	g.write32(sh.info) // sh_info
+	g.println('; sh_info')
+	g.write64(sh.addralign) // sh_addralign
+	g.println('; sh_addralign')
+	g.write64(sh.entsize) // sh_entsize
+	g.println('; sh_entsize')
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) gen_sections(mut sections []Section) {
+	for mut section in sections {
+		g.gen_section_header64(mut section.header)
+		g.println('; ^^^ section header (64) "$section.name"')
+	}
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) gen_section_data(sections []Section) {
+	for section in sections {
+		data := section.data
+
+		// write the actual offset of the section data
+		g.write64_at(section.header.offset + 24, i64(g.pos()))
+
+		match data {
+			StringTable {
+				start := g.pos()
+
+				g.write8(0) // null-prefixed
+				for str in data.strings {
+					g.write(str.bytes())
+					g.write8(0) // null-terminate string
+					g.println('; "$str"')
+				}
+				g.write8(0) // null-postfixed
+
+				size := g.pos() - start
+				g.write64_at(section.header.offset + 32, i64(size))
+			}
+			[]SymbolTable {
+				for symbol in data {
+					if symbol.str_name == '_start' {
+						g.start_symbol_addr = g.pos()
+					}
+
+					g.write32(symbol.name)
+					g.write8(symbol.info)
+					g.write8(symbol.other)
+					g.write16(symbol.shndx)
+					g.write64(symbol.value)
+					g.write64(symbol.size)
+					g.println('; $symbol')
+				}
+
+				size := native.elf_symtab_size * data.len
+				g.write64_at(section.header.offset + 32, i64(size))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 /*
-struct Header64 {
-	ident     u8  // File identification.
-	@type     u16 // File type.
-	machine   u16 // Machine architecture.
-	version   u32 // ELF format version.
-	entry     u64 // Entry point.
-	phoff     u64 // Program header file offset.
-	shoff     u64 // Section header file offset.
-	flags     u32 // Architecture-specific flags.
-	ehsize    u16 // Size of ELF header in bytes.
-	phentsize u16 // Size of program header entry.
-	phnum     u16 // Number of program header entries.
-	shentsize u16 // Size of section header entry.
-	shnum     u16 // Number of section header entries.
-	shstrndx  u16 // Section name strings section.
+draft for formatting the ELF header in the future
+
+struct HeaderData {
+mut:
+	ident     i16  // File identification.
+	typ       i16 // File type.
+	machine   i16 // Machine architecture.
+	version   int // ELF format version.
+	entry     i64 // Entry point.
+	phoff     i64 // Program header file offset.
+	shoff     i64 // Section header file offset.
+	flags     int // Architecture-specific flags.
+	ehsize    i16 // Size of ELF header in bytes.
+	phentsize i16 // Size of program header entry.
+	phnum     i16 // Number of program header entries.
+	shentsize i16 // Size of section header entry.
+	shnum     i16 // Number of section header entries.
+	shstrndx  i16 // Section name strings section.
+}
+
+struct ElfHeader {
+mut:
+	data: HeaderData,
+	shdrs: map[string]Section
 }
 */
 
 pub fn (mut g Gen) generate_elf_header() {
-	elf_type := native.elf_type_dyn // PIE (use _exec for non-relocatable executables)
+	elf_type := native.elf_type_exec // PIE (use _exec for non-relocatable executables)
+
+	mut sections := [
+		Section{}, // null section as first section
+	]
+
+	mut symbols := [
+		SymbolTable{}, // first is null
+		g.create_symbol_table('_start', native.elf_stt_notype, native.elf_stb_global,
+			native.elf_stv_default, 0, 0),
+	]
+
+	g.create_symtab(mut sections, mut symbols)
+	g.create_shstrtab(mut sections) // create the .shstrtab section (this must be the last section!)
 
 	g.buf << '\x7fELF'.bytes()
+	g.println('; elf header (magic)')
 	g.buf << native.elf_class64
 	g.buf << native.elf_data_le
 	g.buf << native.elf_version
@@ -70,44 +370,45 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) generate_elf_header() {
 	} else {
 		g.write16(native.elf_amd64)
 	}
+
 	g.write32(native.elf_version)
-	g.write64(native.segment_start + native.elf_header_size + native.elf_phentry_size) // e_entry
+	e_entry_addr := g.pos()
+	g.write64(0) // e_entry (temp value)
 	g.write64(native.elf_header_size) // e_phoff
-	g.write64(0) // e_shoff
+	g.write64(native.elf_header_size + native.elf_phentry_size) // e_shoff
 	g.write32(0) // e_flags
 	g.write16(native.elf_header_size)
 	g.write16(native.elf_phentry_size)
 	g.write16(1) // e_phnum
-	g.write16(0) // e_shentsize
+	g.write16(native.elf_shentry_size) // e_shentsize
 	// e_shnum := g.buf.len
-	g.write16(0) // e_shnum (number of sections)
-	g.write16(0) // e_shstrndx
-	// Elf64_Phdr
-	g.write32(1) // p_type
-	g.write32(5) // p_flags
-	g.write64(0) // p_offset
-	g.write64(native.segment_start) // p_vaddr addr:050
-	g.write64(native.segment_start) //
-	g.file_size_pos = i64(g.buf.len)
-	g.write64(0) // p_filesz PLACEHOLDER, set to file_size later // addr: 060
-	g.write64(0) // p_memsz
-	g.write64(0x1000) // p_align
-	// write sections
-	/*
-	sections := []string{}
-	g.write16_at(e_shnum, sections.len) // e_shnum (number of sections)
+	g.write16(sections.len) // e_shnum (number of sections)
+	g.write16(g.find_section_header('.shstrtab', sections)) // e_shstrndx
 
-	for section in sections {
-		// write section data
-		println('section $section')
-	}
-	*/
-	// user code starts here at
-	// address: 00070 and a half
+	// Elf64_Phdr
+	// Main program header
+	phdr := g.create_program_header(native.elf_pt_load, 5, native.elf_p_align)
+	g.gen_program_header64(phdr)
+
+	// write section headers
+	g.gen_sections(mut sections)
+
+	// write sections
+	g.gen_section_data(sections)
+
+	// user code starts here
 	if g.pref.is_verbose {
 		eprintln('code_start_pos = $g.buf.len.hex()')
 	}
-	g.code_start_pos = i64(g.buf.len)
+
+	g.code_start_pos = g.pos()
+	g.debug_pos = int(g.pos())
+	g.write64_at(e_entry_addr, g.code_start_pos + native.segment_start)
+	if g.start_symbol_addr > 0 {
+		g.write64_at(g.start_symbol_addr + native.elf_symtab_size - 16, g.code_start_pos +
+			native.segment_start)
+	}
+
 	g.debug_pos = g.buf.len
 	g.call(native.placeholder) // call main function, it's not guaranteed to be the first, we don't know its address yet
 	g.println('; call fn main')
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/elf_obj.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/elf_obj.v
deleted file mode 100644
index 047bf213ad..0000000000
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/elf_obj.v
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,157 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2019-2022 Alexander Medvednikov. All rights reserved.
-// Use of this source code is governed by an MIT license
-// that can be found in the LICENSE file.
-module native
-
-/*
-This file is unused right now, since binaries without sections
-are generated.
-
-But it will be necessary once we have dynamic linking.
-*/
-enum SectionType {
-	null = 0
-	progbits = 1
-	symtab = 2
-	strtab = 3
-	rela = 4
-}
-
-struct SectionConfig {
-	name    string
-	typ     SectionType
-	flags   i64
-	data    voidptr
-	is_saa  bool
-	datalen i64
-	link    int
-	info    int
-	align   i64
-	entsize i64
-}
-
-fn (mut g Gen) section_header(c SectionConfig) {
-	g.write32(g.sect_header_name_pos)
-	g.sect_header_name_pos += c.name.len + 1
-	g.write32(int(c.typ))
-	g.write64(c.flags)
-	g.write64(0) // sh_addr
-	g.write64(g.offset) // offset
-	g.offset += c.datalen + 1
-	g.write64(c.datalen)
-	g.write32(c.link)
-	g.write32(c.info)
-	g.write64(c.align)
-	g.write64(c.entsize)
-}
-
-fn genobj() {
-	/*
-	// SHN_UNDEF
-	mut g := Gen{}
-	nr_sections := 7
-	g.section_header(SectionConfig{
-		name: ''
-		typ: .null
-		flags:0
-		data: 0
-		is_saa: false
-		link: 0
-		info:0
-		align:0
-		entsize: 0
-	})
-
-		/*
-	for sect in sections {
-		g.section_header(SectionConfig{
-			name:0
-			typ: sect.typ
-			flags: sect.flags
-			data: sect.data
-			is_saa: true
-			datalen: sect.len
-			link: 0
-			info: 0
-			align: sect.align
-			entsize: sect.entsize
-		})
-
-	}
-	*/
-
-	g.section_header(SectionConfig{
-		name: '.DATA'
-		typ: .progbits
-		flags: 0x2
-		//data: sect.data
-		is_saa: true
-		datalen: 0xd
-		link: 0
-		info: 0
-		align: 1
-		entsize: 0
-	})
-
-	g.section_header(SectionConfig{
-		name: '.TEXT'
-		typ: .progbits
-		flags: 0x2
-		//data: sect.data
-		is_saa: true
-		datalen: 0xd
-		link: 0
-		info: 0
-		align: 1
-		entsize: 0
-	})
-	g.section_header(SectionConfig{
-		name: '.shstrtab'
-		typ: .strtab
-		flags: 0x2
-		//data: sect.data
-		is_saa: true
-		datalen: 0x22
-		link: 0
-		info: 0
-		align: 1
-		entsize: 0
-	})
-	g.section_header(SectionConfig{
-		name: '.symtab'
-		typ: .symtab
-		flags: 0x2
-		//data: sect.data
-		is_saa: true
-		datalen: 0xd
-		link: 0
-		info: 0
-		align: 1
-		entsize: 0
-	})
-	g.section_header(SectionConfig{
-		name: '.strtab'
-		typ: .symtab
-		flags: 0x2
-		//data: sect.data
-		is_saa: true
-		datalen: 0xd
-		link: 0
-		info: 0
-		align: 1
-		entsize: 0
-	})
-	g.section_header(SectionConfig{
-		name: '.rela.TEXT'
-		typ: .rela
-		flags: 0x0
-		//data: sect.data
-		is_saa: true
-		datalen: 0x18
-		link: 4
-		info: 2
-		align: 8
-		entsize: 0x18
-	})
-	*/
-}
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/native/gen.v b/vlib/v/gen/native/gen.v
index f57097757f..e5f9ec20ef 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/native/gen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/native/gen.v
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ mut:
 	offset               i64
 	file_size_pos        i64
 	main_fn_addr         i64
+	start_symbol_addr    i64
 	code_start_pos       i64 // location of the start of the assembly instructions
 	fn_addr              map[string]i64
 	var_offset           map[string]int // local var stack offset