diff --git a/compiler/msg/errore.msg b/compiler/msg/errore.msg
index 9e563e7f55..0b3240b808 100644
--- a/compiler/msg/errore.msg
+++ b/compiler/msg/errore.msg
@@ -2571,7 +2571,7 @@ wpo_cannot_extract_live_symbol_info_no_link=12014_E_Cannot extract symbol livene
 wpo_cannot_find_symbol_progs=12015_F_Cannot find "$1" or "$2" to extract symbol liveness information from linked program
 % Certain symbol liveness collectors need a helper program to extract the symbol information from the linked program.
 % This helper program is normally 'nm', which is part of the GNU binutils
-wpo_error_reading_symbol_file=12016_E_Error during reading symbol liveness information produced by "$2"
+wpo_error_reading_symbol_file=12016_E_Error during reading symbol liveness information produced by "$1"
 % An error occurred during the reading of the symbol liveness file that was generated using the 'nm' or 'objdump' program. The reason
 % can be that it was shorter than expected, or that its format was not understood.
 wpo_error_executing_symbol_prog=12017_F_Error executing "$1" (exitcode: $2) to extract symbol information from linked program
diff --git a/compiler/msgtxt.inc b/compiler/msgtxt.inc
index 3a9aee7ee3..1340dc5647 100644
--- a/compiler/msgtxt.inc
+++ b/compiler/msgtxt.inc
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@ const msgtxt : array[0..000209,1..240] of char=(
   '12015_F_Cannot find "$1" or "$2" to extract symbol liveness informatio'+
   'n from linked program'#000+
   '12016_E_Error during reading symbol liveness information produced by "'+
-  '$2"'#000+
+  '$1"'#000+
   '12017_F_Error executing "$1" (','exitcode: $2) to extract symbol inform'+
   'ation from linked program'#000+
   '12018_E_Collection of symbol liveness information can only help when u'+
diff --git a/compiler/optdead.pas b/compiler/optdead.pas
index bc25c55460..9b2522bcb0 100644
--- a/compiler/optdead.pas
+++ b/compiler/optdead.pas
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ const
         result:=error;
         if not result then
           exit;
-        cgmessage1(wpo_error_reading_symbol_file,'fullutilname');
+        cgmessage1(wpo_error_reading_symbol_file,symbolprogfullpath);
 {$i-}
         close(fsymfile);
 {$i+}
@@ -349,11 +349,11 @@ const
 
 
     begin { twpodeadcodeinfofromexternallinker }
-      { try nm }
-      symbolprogfound:=findutil('nm',nmfullname,symbolprogfullpath);
       { gnu-nm (e.g., on solaris) }
+      symbolprogfound:=findutil('gnm',nmfullname,symbolprogfullpath);
+      { regular nm }
       if not symbolprogfound then
-        symbolprogfound:=findutil('gnm',nmfullname,symbolprogfullpath);
+        symbolprogfound:=findutil('nm',nmfullname,symbolprogfullpath);
       if not symbolprogfound then
         begin
           { try objdump }