diff --git a/repos/base/src/lib/ldso/include/file.h b/repos/base/src/lib/ldso/include/file.h
index fce09531f..1c9ce53ca 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/lib/ldso/include/file.h
+++ b/repos/base/src/lib/ldso/include/file.h
@@ -117,7 +117,32 @@ struct Linker::Elf_file : File
 		return rom_connection->dataspace();
 	}
 
-	Elf_file(Env &env, Allocator &md_alloc, char const *name, bool load)
+	void _allocate_region_within_linker_area(Name const &name)
+	{
+		bool const binary = (start != 0);
+
+		if (binary) {
+			Region_map::r()->alloc_region_at(size, start);
+			reloc_base = 0;
+			return;
+		}
+
+		/*
+		 * Assign libraries that must stay resident during 'execve' to
+		 * the end of the linker area to ensure that the newly loaded
+		 * binary has enough room within the linker area.
+		 */
+		bool const resident = (name == "libc.lib.so")
+		                   || (name == "libm.lib.so")
+		                   || (name == "posix.lib.so")
+		                   || (strcmp(name.string(), "vfs", 3) == 0);
+
+		reloc_base = resident ? Region_map::r()->alloc_region_at_end(size)
+		                      : Region_map::r()->alloc_region(size);
+		start = 0;
+	}
+
+	Elf_file(Env &env, Allocator &md_alloc, Name const &name, bool load)
 	:
 		env(env), rom_cap(_rom_dataspace(name)), loaded(load)
 	{
@@ -133,8 +158,10 @@ struct Linker::Elf_file : File
 		if (load && !Region_map::r().constructed())
 			Region_map::r().construct(env, md_alloc, start);
 
-		if (load)
+		if (load) {
+			_allocate_region_within_linker_area(name);
 			load_segments();
+		}
 	}
 
 	virtual ~Elf_file()
@@ -239,10 +266,6 @@ struct Linker::Elf_file : File
 		/* search for PT_LOAD */
 		loadable_segments(p);
 
-		/* allocate region */
-		reloc_base = Region_map::r()->alloc_region(size, start);
-		reloc_base = (start == reloc_base) ?  0 : reloc_base;
-
 		if (verbose_loading)
 			log("LD: reloc_base: ", Hex(reloc_base),
 			    " start: ",         Hex(start),
diff --git a/repos/base/src/lib/ldso/include/region_map.h b/repos/base/src/lib/ldso/include/region_map.h
index 5982aded9..cbee34c63 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/lib/ldso/include/region_map.h
+++ b/repos/base/src/lib/ldso/include/region_map.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ class Linker::Region_map
 		Region_map_client _rm { _env.pd().linker_area() };
 		Allocator_avl     _range; /* VM range allocator */
 		addr_t      const _base;  /* base address of dataspace */
+		addr_t            _end = _base + Pd_session::LINKER_AREA_SIZE;
 
 	protected:
 
@@ -65,23 +66,32 @@ class Linker::Region_map
 		static Constructible_region_map &r();
 
 		/**
-		 * Reserve VM region of 'size' at 'vaddr'. Allocate any free region if
-		 * 'vaddr' is zero
+		 * Allocate region anywhere within the region map
 		 */
-		addr_t alloc_region(size_t size, addr_t vaddr = 0)
+		addr_t alloc_region(size_t size)
 		{
-			addr_t addr = vaddr;
-
-			if (addr && (_range.alloc_addr(size, addr).error()))
+			addr_t result = 0;
+			if (_range.alloc_aligned(size, (void **)&result,
+			                         get_page_size_log2()).error())
 				throw Region_conflict();
-			else if (!addr &&
-			         _range.alloc_aligned(size, (void **)&addr,
-			                              get_page_size_log2()).error())
-			{
-				throw Region_conflict();
-			}
 
-			return addr;
+			return result;
+		}
+
+		/**
+		 * Allocate region at specified 'vaddr'
+		 */
+		void alloc_region_at(size_t size, addr_t vaddr)
+		{
+			if (_range.alloc_addr(size, vaddr).error())
+				throw Region_conflict();
+		}
+
+		addr_t alloc_region_at_end(size_t size)
+		{
+			_end -= align_addr(size, get_page_size_log2());
+			alloc_region_at(size, _end);
+			return _end;
 		}
 
 		void free_region(addr_t vaddr) { _range.free((void *)vaddr); }