--- a/gold/archive.cc	
+++ a/gold/archive.cc	
@@ -179,7 +179,8 @@ Archive::Archive(const std::string& name, Input_file* input_file,
   : Library_base(task), name_(name), input_file_(input_file), armap_(),
     armap_names_(), extended_names_(), armap_checked_(), seen_offsets_(),
     members_(), is_thin_archive_(is_thin_archive), included_member_(false),
-    nested_archives_(), dirpath_(dirpath), num_members_(0)
+    nested_archives_(), dirpath_(dirpath), num_members_(0),
+    included_all_members_(false)
 {
   this->no_export_ =
     parameters->options().check_excluded_libs(input_file->found_name());
@@ -847,6 +848,13 @@ bool
 Archive::include_all_members(Symbol_table* symtab, Layout* layout,
                              Input_objects* input_objects, Mapfile* mapfile)
 {
+  // Don't include the same archive twice.  This can happen if
+  // --whole-archive is nested inside --start-group (PR gold/12163).
+  if (this->included_all_members_)
+    return true;
+
+  this->included_all_members_ = true;
+
   input_objects->archive_start(this);
 
   if (this->members_.size() > 0)
--- a/gold/archive.h	
+++ a/gold/archive.h	
@@ -405,6 +405,8 @@ class Archive : public Library_base
   unsigned int num_members_;
   // True if we exclude this library archive from automatic export.
   bool no_export_;
+  // True if this library has been included as a --whole-archive.
+  bool included_all_members_;
 };
 
 // This class is used to read an archive and pick out the desired