diff --git a/make/hotspot/lib/JvmFeatures.gmk b/make/hotspot/lib/JvmFeatures.gmk
index 9477b0925d2..7dc5fd676a1 100644
--- a/make/hotspot/lib/JvmFeatures.gmk
+++ b/make/hotspot/lib/JvmFeatures.gmk
@@ -173,6 +173,10 @@ ifeq ($(call check-jvm-feature, link-time-opt), true)
   ifneq ($(call isCompiler, microsoft), true)
     JVM_LDFLAGS_FEATURES += $(CXX_O_FLAG_HIGHEST_JVM)
   endif
+  # avoid elimination of Metadata vtable when using LTO (important for serviceability agent)
+  ifeq ($(call isCompiler, gcc), true)
+    JVM_LDFLAGS_FEATURES += -Wl,--undefined=_ZTV8Metadata
+  endif
 else
   JVM_LTO := false
   ifeq ($(call isCompiler, gcc), true)
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/oops/metadata.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/oops/metadata.hpp
index d88bd9d087d..bd3f17fa3f4 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/oops/metadata.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/oops/metadata.hpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2011, 2025, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2011, 2026, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ class Metadata : public MetaspaceObj {
   NOT_PRODUCT(int _valid;)
  public:
   NOT_PRODUCT(Metadata() : _valid(0) {})
+
+  // We have to keep the vtable alive under LTGC dead-section removal/LTO
+  // for serviceability tests to work.
+  // This can be done by linker settings or modifications to the Metadata class.
+
   NOT_PRODUCT(bool is_valid() const { return _valid == 0; })
 
   int identity_hash()                { return (int)(uintptr_t)this; }