diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/Manifest b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/Manifest
index 7d8d6ef088..d6be19dd3d 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/Manifest
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/Manifest
@@ -26,4 +26,6 @@ DIST binutils-2.44-patches-4.tar.xz 83612 BLAKE2B caa71849dbbfe1181072c84985c786
 DIST binutils-2.44.tar.xz 27285788 BLAKE2B 0eb031ace9fb5a7047b81b5a05b1760f7d332c8ed67f98899f153a45f181b83e661a484551af05c0a9b2adc422da84619103c7b1f3c9fad5327872832b5446aa SHA512 b85d3bbc0e334cf67a96219d3c7c65fbf3e832b2c98a7417bf131f3645a0307057ec81cd2b29ff2563cec53e3d42f73e2c60cc5708e80d4a730efdcc6ae14ad7
 DIST binutils-2.45-patches-1.tar.xz 15588 BLAKE2B b88c62a6483807dfb24c97c534aadc1f930ea2d6cd8ad86734c40458a0e3ac4d149c0ee47c6ba541c462ce0e619dfaa5328c3dd5ffbd94511c487956866c7a38 SHA512 05c890a71d465539b3d066c2fd92930e4d6c9003147395a4c2cb9cc514f412fa392892e2c3b8887493a56b00453ac383612d0cac42e4cacce983e65886537149
 DIST binutils-2.45-patches-3.tar.xz 31264 BLAKE2B 3fda1843a13a3ea7d6a2bbfe5826c01f588c28c24c19158e1556d52b472125964a67af6fba14ba5ff3cb61586823c5a839c6fe8e249e85d4a480c30e69e68051 SHA512 2b44300ecef4bac7d0192aa20e561f4c062c49948028753c6aa6e8fd2a34292443d68d1c3adb2f79aba6c65d1bae8005f8174fc8c8833864d9633bd0f6d936b6
+DIST binutils-2.45.1-patches-1.tar.xz 9172 BLAKE2B 37fd7f0d7d231223a88637691bcf6bdec5481a573b47e6385e4dba7f7895b94ceae308c7875bbdc1c6e537c6ff0cb5f222c782f04b5f2757a5730aa83edf1d32 SHA512 c1251d7baf352f5909570e1ee45021eeabffb68222bc80991f4a53faee97857471a68aec664bfbf35cbd3b96ea9e8d0bfa52c3d0e5bbfdbb94daf590957cd89c
+DIST binutils-2.45.1.tar.xz 27962312 BLAKE2B 1ccab38659ec47f9100b61322627345fe79ebd04ed0b1e872c988edded4d292d7c9ac33d9f6ea47bf265ec823dfba60da0e84374900c15ec89e3aa9280ac020c SHA512 ea030419eba387579ab717be7e3223fc99e93b586860b06003c12489f93441640d4082736f76aa5e98233db4f46e232f536a45e471486de1f5b64e1b827c167e
 DIST binutils-2.45.tar.xz 27868232 BLAKE2B 1ce72346b1f531c89feb86b407e2c649151b506ffbd1a02d413411d36f7ede98fa9a1adf75dd941c01df5fe7e6bf151828b269eeb7c278315ca8004bff22eb7f SHA512 c7b10a7466d9fd398d7a0b3f2a43318432668d714f2ec70069a31bdc93c86d28e0fe83792195727167743707fbae45337c0873a0786416db53bbf22860c16ce7
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.32-r2.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.32-r2.ebuild
index 981114f63a..a6cae4bef5 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.32-r2.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.32-r2.ebuild
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 "
 DEPEND="${RDEPEND}
 	doc? ( sys-apps/texinfo )
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.33.1-r1.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.33.1-r1.ebuild
index 1c2cd89ede..667b460435 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.33.1-r1.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.33.1-r1.ebuild
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 "
 DEPEND="${RDEPEND}
 	doc? ( sys-apps/texinfo )
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.34-r2.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.34-r2.ebuild
index a2c26259cc..4e072855fc 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.34-r2.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.34-r2.ebuild
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 "
 DEPEND="${RDEPEND}"
 BDEPEND="
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.35.2.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.35.2.ebuild
index e72fe601fc..6bda94638e 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.35.2.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.35.2.ebuild
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 "
 DEPEND="${RDEPEND}"
 BDEPEND="
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.36.1-r2.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.36.1-r2.ebuild
index c6b27631d0..1df7ac3b3a 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.36.1-r2.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.36.1-r2.ebuild
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 "
 DEPEND="${RDEPEND}"
 BDEPEND="
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.37_p1-r2.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.37_p1-r2.ebuild
index c7f5c90bdb..9ee3f137ab 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.37_p1-r2.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.37_p1-r2.ebuild
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 "
 DEPEND="${RDEPEND}"
 BDEPEND="
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.38-r2.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.38-r2.ebuild
index 2d5fd300f9..89470632d2 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.38-r2.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.38-r2.ebuild
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 "
 DEPEND="${RDEPEND}"
 BDEPEND="
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.39-r5.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.39-r5.ebuild
index 7e454480ca..ec81504d90 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.39-r5.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.39-r5.ebuild
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 "
 DEPEND="${RDEPEND}"
 BDEPEND="
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.40-r9.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.40-r9.ebuild
index b9684c564f..06958376b4 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.40-r9.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.40-r9.ebuild
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.41-r5.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.41-r5.ebuild
index 92d25fbb7f..0f7141fbee 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.41-r5.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.41-r5.ebuild
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.42-r2.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.42-r2.ebuild
index a52ce5a2f3..443731ec02 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.42-r2.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.42-r2.ebuild
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.43-r2.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.43-r2.ebuild
index 05bcbb196b..7302310ba5 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.43-r2.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.43-r2.ebuild
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.44-r4.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.44-r4.ebuild
index 6fbec866fa..8a037106ec 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.44-r4.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.44-r4.ebuild
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45-r1.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45-r1.ebuild
index 592088c132..d4beb896bc 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45-r1.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45-r1.ebuild
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
@@ -528,9 +528,6 @@ src_install() {
 
 # Simple test to make sure our new binutils isn't completely broken.
 # Skip if this binutils is a cross compiler.
-#
-# If coreutils is built with USE=multicall, some of these files
-# will just be wrapper scripts, not actual ELFs we can test.
 binutils_sanity_check() {
 	pushd "${T}" >/dev/null
 
@@ -556,7 +553,8 @@ binutils_sanity_check() {
 	local opt opt2
 	# TODO: test multilib variants?
 	for opt in '' '-O2' ; do
-		for opt2 in '-static' '-static-pie' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
+		# TODO: add static-pie? we need to check if support exists, though (bug #965478)
+		for opt2 in '-static' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
 			$(tc-getCC) ${opt} ${opt2} -B"${ED}${BINPATH}" "${T}"/number.c "${T}"/test.c -o "${T}"/test
 			if "${T}"/test | grep -q "Hello Gentoo! Your magic number is: 42" ; then
 				:;
@@ -571,6 +569,7 @@ binutils_sanity_check() {
 
 pkg_preinst() {
 	[[ -n ${ROOT} ]] && return 0
+	[[ -n ${EPREFIX} ]] && return 0
 	[[ -d ${ED}${BINPATH} ]] || return 0
 	[[ -n ${BOOTSTRAP_RAP} ]] || return 0
 	is_cross && return 0
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.44.9999.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.1.ebuild
similarity index 90%
rename from sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.44.9999.ebuild
rename to sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.1.ebuild
index e21b286bb0..bcc6e94568 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.44.9999.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.1.ebuild
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ IUSE="cet debuginfod doc gprofng hardened multitarget +nls pgo +plugins static-l
 # PATCH_DEV          - Use download URI https://dev.gentoo.org/~{PATCH_DEV}/distfiles/...
 #                      for the patchsets
 
-PATCH_VER=4
-PATCH_DEV=dilfridge
+PATCH_VER=1
+PATCH_DEV=sam
 
 if [[ ${PV} == 9999 ]]; then
 	inherit git-r3
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ else
 	[[ -z ${PATCH_VER} ]] || SRC_URI="${SRC_URI}
 		https://dev.gentoo.org/~${PATCH_DEV}/distfiles/binutils-${PATCH_BINUTILS_VER}-patches-${PATCH_VER}.tar.xz"
 	SLOT=$(ver_cut 1-2)
-	#KEYWORDS="~alpha ~amd64 ~arm ~arm64 ~hppa ~loong ~m68k ~mips ~ppc ~ppc64 ~riscv ~s390 ~sparc ~x86"
+	KEYWORDS="~alpha ~amd64 ~arm ~arm64 ~hppa ~loong ~m68k ~mips ~ppc ~ppc64 ~riscv ~s390 ~sparc ~x86"
 fi
 
 #
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
@@ -134,12 +134,6 @@ src_prepare() {
 
 	if [[ -n ${PATCH_VER} ]] || [[ ${PV} == *9999 ]] ; then
 		if ! use vanilla; then
-			# We backported a patch in 2.44 but it needed a few
-			# followups. Better to just handle it in 2.45 instead.
-			rm "${WORKDIR}/patch/0007-strip-Add-GCC-LTO-IR-support.patch" \
-				"${WORKDIR}/patch/0008-ld-testsuite-Use-plug_opt-for-plugin-option.patch" \
-				"${WORKDIR}/patch/0009-binutils-Don-t-complain-plugin-with-all-LTO-sections.patch" || die
-
 			einfo "Applying binutils patchset ${patchsetname}"
 			eapply "${WORKDIR}/patch"
 			einfo "Done."
@@ -148,7 +142,7 @@ src_prepare() {
 			# It should be okay on non-prefix systems though. See bug #892549.
 			if is_cross || use prefix; then
 				eapply "${FILESDIR}"/binutils-2.40-linker-search-path.patch \
-					   "${FILESDIR}"/binutils-2.41-linker-prefix.patch
+					   "${FILESDIR}"/binutils-2.43-linker-prefix.patch
 			fi
 		fi
 	fi
@@ -198,8 +192,6 @@ src_configure() {
 
 	# Keep things sane
 	strip-flags
-	# Adds a property which confuses tests (PR33267)
-	filter-flags '-mno-direct-extern-access'
 	use cet && filter-flags -mindirect-branch -mindirect-branch=*
 	use elibc_musl && append-ldflags -Wl,-z,stack-size=2097152
 	lto-guarantee-fat
@@ -303,9 +295,9 @@ src_configure() {
 
 		# We can enable this by default in future, but it's brand new
 		# in 2.39 with several bugs:
-		# - Doesn't build on musl (https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=29477)
-		# - No man pages (https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=29521)
-		# - Broken at runtime without Java (https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=29479)
+		# - Doesn't build on musl (https://sourceware.org/PR29477)
+		# - No man pages (https://sourceware.org/PR29521)
+		# - Broken at runtime without Java (https://sourceware.org/PR29479)
 		# - binutils-config (and this ebuild?) needs adaptation first (https://bugs.gentoo.org/865113)
 		$(use_enable gprofng)
 
@@ -319,7 +311,7 @@ src_configure() {
 			# These hardening options are available from 2.39+ but
 			# they unconditionally enable the behaviour even on arches
 			# where e.g. execstacks can't be avoided.
-			# See https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=29592.
+			# See https://sourceware.org/PR29592.
 			#
 			# TODO: Get the logic for this fixed upstream so it doesn't
 			# create impossible broken combinations on some arches, like mips.
@@ -534,6 +526,56 @@ src_install() {
 	find "${ED}" -depth -type d -exec rmdir {} + 2>/dev/null
 }
 
+# Simple test to make sure our new binutils isn't completely broken.
+# Skip if this binutils is a cross compiler.
+binutils_sanity_check() {
+	pushd "${T}" >/dev/null
+
+	einfo "Last-minute run tests with binutils in ${ED}${BINPATH} ..."
+
+	cat <<-EOF > "${T}"/number.c
+	int get_magic_number() {
+		return 42;
+	}
+	EOF
+
+	cat <<-EOF > "${T}"/test.c
+	#include <stdio.h>
+	int get_magic_number();
+
+	int main() {
+		printf("Hello Gentoo! Your magic number is: %d\n", get_magic_number());
+	}
+	EOF
+
+	local -x LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${ED}${LIBPATH}${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}}"
+
+	local opt opt2
+	# TODO: test multilib variants?
+	for opt in '' '-O2' ; do
+		# TODO: add static-pie? we need to check if support exists, though (bug #965478)
+		for opt2 in '-static' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
+			$(tc-getCC) ${opt} ${opt2} -B"${ED}${BINPATH}" "${T}"/number.c "${T}"/test.c -o "${T}"/test
+			if "${T}"/test | grep -q "Hello Gentoo! Your magic number is: 42" ; then
+				:;
+			else
+				die "Test with '${opt} ${opt2}' failed! Aborting to avoid broken binutils!"
+			fi
+		done
+	done
+
+	popd >/dev/null
+}
+
+pkg_preinst() {
+	[[ -n ${ROOT} ]] && return 0
+	[[ -n ${EPREFIX} ]] && return 0
+	[[ -d ${ED}${BINPATH} ]] || return 0
+	[[ -n ${BOOTSTRAP_RAP} ]] || return 0
+	is_cross && return 0
+	binutils_sanity_check
+}
+
 pkg_postinst() {
 	# Make sure this ${CTARGET} has a binutils version selected
 	[[ -e ${EROOT}/etc/env.d/binutils/config-${CTARGET} ]] && return 0
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.9999.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.9999.ebuild
index 43d4bbfea9..6bef4f37b4 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.9999.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.9999.ebuild
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
@@ -92,10 +92,12 @@ src_unpack() {
 		"
 		EGIT_CHECKOUT_DIR=${WORKDIR}/patches-git
 		git-r3_src_unpack
-		mv patches-git/9999 patch || die
 
 		if [[ ${PV} != 9999 ]] ; then
 			EGIT_BRANCH=binutils-$(ver_cut 1)_$(ver_cut 2)-branch
+			mv patches-git/${PV%*.9999} patch || die
+		else
+			mv patches-git/9999 patch || die
 		fi
 		EGIT_REPO_URI="
 			https://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git
@@ -530,9 +532,6 @@ src_install() {
 
 # Simple test to make sure our new binutils isn't completely broken.
 # Skip if this binutils is a cross compiler.
-#
-# If coreutils is built with USE=multicall, some of these files
-# will just be wrapper scripts, not actual ELFs we can test.
 binutils_sanity_check() {
 	pushd "${T}" >/dev/null
 
@@ -558,7 +557,8 @@ binutils_sanity_check() {
 	local opt opt2
 	# TODO: test multilib variants?
 	for opt in '' '-O2' ; do
-		for opt2 in '-static' '-static-pie' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
+		# TODO: add static-pie? we need to check if support exists, though (bug #965478)
+		for opt2 in '-static' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
 			$(tc-getCC) ${opt} ${opt2} -B"${ED}${BINPATH}" "${T}"/number.c "${T}"/test.c -o "${T}"/test
 			if "${T}"/test | grep -q "Hello Gentoo! Your magic number is: 42" ; then
 				:;
@@ -573,6 +573,7 @@ binutils_sanity_check() {
 
 pkg_preinst() {
 	[[ -n ${ROOT} ]] && return 0
+	[[ -n ${EPREFIX} ]] && return 0
 	[[ -d ${ED}${BINPATH} ]] || return 0
 	[[ -n ${BOOTSTRAP_RAP} ]] || return 0
 	is_cross && return 0
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.ebuild
index a92897aab9..ca5584f86d 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-2.45.ebuild
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
@@ -530,9 +530,6 @@ src_install() {
 
 # Simple test to make sure our new binutils isn't completely broken.
 # Skip if this binutils is a cross compiler.
-#
-# If coreutils is built with USE=multicall, some of these files
-# will just be wrapper scripts, not actual ELFs we can test.
 binutils_sanity_check() {
 	pushd "${T}" >/dev/null
 
@@ -558,7 +555,8 @@ binutils_sanity_check() {
 	local opt opt2
 	# TODO: test multilib variants?
 	for opt in '' '-O2' ; do
-		for opt2 in '-static' '-static-pie' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
+		# TODO: add static-pie? we need to check if support exists, though (bug #965478)
+		for opt2 in '-static' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
 			$(tc-getCC) ${opt} ${opt2} -B"${ED}${BINPATH}" "${T}"/number.c "${T}"/test.c -o "${T}"/test
 			if "${T}"/test | grep -q "Hello Gentoo! Your magic number is: 42" ; then
 				:;
@@ -573,6 +571,7 @@ binutils_sanity_check() {
 
 pkg_preinst() {
 	[[ -n ${ROOT} ]] && return 0
+	[[ -n ${EPREFIX} ]] && return 0
 	[[ -d ${ED}${BINPATH} ]] || return 0
 	[[ -n ${BOOTSTRAP_RAP} ]] || return 0
 	is_cross && return 0
diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-9999.ebuild b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-9999.ebuild
index 43d4bbfea9..e6d0f2c851 100644
--- a/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-9999.ebuild
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/portage-stable/sys-devel/binutils/binutils-9999.ebuild
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ is_cross() { [[ ${CHOST} != ${CTARGET} ]] ; }
 #
 RDEPEND="
 	>=sys-devel/binutils-config-3
-	sys-libs/zlib
+	virtual/zlib:=
 	debuginfod? (
 		dev-libs/elfutils[debuginfod(-)]
 	)
@@ -92,10 +92,12 @@ src_unpack() {
 		"
 		EGIT_CHECKOUT_DIR=${WORKDIR}/patches-git
 		git-r3_src_unpack
-		mv patches-git/9999 patch || die
 
 		if [[ ${PV} != 9999 ]] ; then
 			EGIT_BRANCH=binutils-$(ver_cut 1)_$(ver_cut 2)-branch
+			mv patches-git/${PV%*.9999} patch || die
+		else
+			mv patches-git/9999 patch || die
 		fi
 		EGIT_REPO_URI="
 			https://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git
@@ -192,8 +194,6 @@ src_configure() {
 
 	# Keep things sane
 	strip-flags
-	# Adds a property which confuses tests (PR33267)
-	filter-flags '-mno-direct-extern-access'
 	use cet && filter-flags -mindirect-branch -mindirect-branch=*
 	use elibc_musl && append-ldflags -Wl,-z,stack-size=2097152
 	lto-guarantee-fat
@@ -530,9 +530,6 @@ src_install() {
 
 # Simple test to make sure our new binutils isn't completely broken.
 # Skip if this binutils is a cross compiler.
-#
-# If coreutils is built with USE=multicall, some of these files
-# will just be wrapper scripts, not actual ELFs we can test.
 binutils_sanity_check() {
 	pushd "${T}" >/dev/null
 
@@ -558,7 +555,8 @@ binutils_sanity_check() {
 	local opt opt2
 	# TODO: test multilib variants?
 	for opt in '' '-O2' ; do
-		for opt2 in '-static' '-static-pie' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
+		# TODO: add static-pie? we need to check if support exists, though (bug #965478)
+		for opt2 in '-static' '-fno-PIE -no-pie' ; do
 			$(tc-getCC) ${opt} ${opt2} -B"${ED}${BINPATH}" "${T}"/number.c "${T}"/test.c -o "${T}"/test
 			if "${T}"/test | grep -q "Hello Gentoo! Your magic number is: 42" ; then
 				:;
@@ -573,6 +571,7 @@ binutils_sanity_check() {
 
 pkg_preinst() {
 	[[ -n ${ROOT} ]] && return 0
+	[[ -n ${EPREFIX} ]] && return 0
 	[[ -d ${ED}${BINPATH} ]] || return 0
 	[[ -n ${BOOTSTRAP_RAP} ]] || return 0
 	is_cross && return 0