1 files changed, 8 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/src/passes/OptimizeInstructions.cpp b/src/passes/OptimizeInstructions.cpp
index f458a58b2..acbf39447 100644
--- a/src/passes/OptimizeInstructions.cpp
+++ b/src/passes/OptimizeInstructions.cpp
@@ -397,6 +397,14 @@ struct OptimizeInstructions : public WalkerPass<PostWalker<OptimizeInstructions,
 
   // Optimizations that don't yet fit in the pattern DSL, but could be eventually maybe
   Expression* handOptimize(Expression* curr) {
+    // if this contains dead code, don't bother trying to optimize it, the type
+    // might change (if might not be unreachable if just one arm is, for example).
+    // this optimization pass focuses on actually executing code. the only
+    // exceptions are control flow changes
+    if (curr->type == unreachable &&
+        !curr->is<Break>() && !curr->is<Switch>() && !curr->is<If>()) {
+      return nullptr;
+    }
     if (auto* binary = curr->dynCast<Binary>()) {
       if (Properties::isSymmetric(binary)) {
         // canonicalize a const to the second position