diff --git a/arch/xtensa/core/elf.c b/arch/xtensa/core/elf.c
index 0ce9885eed6..04dac478215 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/core/elf.c
+++ b/arch/xtensa/core/elf.c
@@ -124,9 +124,11 @@ void arch_elf_relocate_local(struct llext_loader *ldr, struct llext *ext, const
 	if (ELF_ST_TYPE(sym->st_info) == STT_SECTION) {
 		elf_shdr_t *shdr = llext_peek(ldr, ldr->hdr.e_shoff +
 					      sym->st_shndx * ldr->hdr.e_shentsize);
+
+		/* shdr->sh_addr is NULL when not built for a specific address */
 		sh_addr = shdr->sh_addr &&
 			(!ldr_parm->section_detached || !ldr_parm->section_detached(shdr)) ?
-			shdr->sh_addr : (uintptr_t)llext_peek(ldr, shdr->sh_offset);
+			shdr->sh_addr : (uintptr_t)llext_loaded_sect_ptr(ldr, ext, sym->st_shndx);
 	} else {
 		sh_addr = ldr->sects[LLEXT_MEM_TEXT].sh_addr;
 	}