diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/gsubr.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/gsubr.go
index 79ca669dfb..ddb431d5ab 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/gsubr.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/gsubr.go
@@ -321,15 +321,9 @@ func ggloblsym(s *obj.LSym, width int32, flags int16) {
 }
 
 func Addrconst(a *obj.Addr, v int64) {
-	a.Sym = nil
-	a.Type = obj.TYPE_CONST
-	a.Offset = v
+	a.SetConst(v)
 }
 
 func Patch(p *obj.Prog, to *obj.Prog) {
-	if p.To.Type != obj.TYPE_BRANCH {
-		base.Fatalf("patch: not a branch")
-	}
 	p.To.SetTarget(to)
-	p.To.Offset = to.Pc
 }
diff --git a/src/cmd/internal/obj/link.go b/src/cmd/internal/obj/link.go
index eaebfaf4b6..7b5c990a5d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/internal/obj/link.go
+++ b/src/cmd/internal/obj/link.go
@@ -250,6 +250,12 @@ func (a *Addr) SetTarget(t *Prog) {
 	a.Val = t
 }
 
+func (a *Addr) SetConst(v int64) {
+	a.Sym = nil
+	a.Type = TYPE_CONST
+	a.Offset = v
+}
+
 // Prog describes a single machine instruction.
 //
 // The general instruction form is: