diff --git a/src/cmd/6g/cgen.c b/src/cmd/6g/cgen.c
index 148ee6b217e..2408cfea80b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/6g/cgen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/6g/cgen.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ cgen(Node *n, Node *res)
 		fatal("cgen: res nil");
 
 	// static initializations
-	if(gen_as_init(n, res))
+	if(initflag && gen_as_init(n, res))
 		goto ret;
 
 	if(n->ullman >= UINF) {
diff --git a/src/cmd/6g/gen.c b/src/cmd/6g/gen.c
index 9246bc96b12..598128f2e66 100644
--- a/src/cmd/6g/gen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/6g/gen.c
@@ -699,7 +699,118 @@ clearfat(Node *nl)
 }
 
 int
-gen_as_init(Node *nr, Node *nl)
+getlit(Node *lit)
 {
+	int l;
+
+	if(smallintconst(lit))
+		return mpgetfix(lit->val.u.xval);
+	return -1;
+}
+
+int
+stataddr(Node *nam, Node *n)
+{
+	int l;
+
+	if(n == N)
+		goto no;
+
+	switch(n->op) {
+	case ONAME:
+		*nam = *n;
+		return 1;
+
+	case ODOT:
+		if(!stataddr(nam, n->left))
+			break;
+		nam->xoffset += n->xoffset;
+		nam->type = n->type;
+		return 1;
+
+	case OINDEX:
+		if(n->left->type->bound < 0)
+			break;
+		if(!stataddr(nam, n->left))
+			break;
+		l = getlit(n->right);
+		if(l < 0)
+			break;
+		nam->xoffset += l*n->type->width;
+		nam->type = n->type;
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+no:
 	return 0;
 }
+
+int
+gen_as_init(Node *nr, Node *nl)
+{
+	Node nam;
+	Prog *p;
+
+	if(!initflag)
+		goto no;
+
+	if(nr == N) {
+		if(!stataddr(&nam, nl))
+			goto no;
+		if(nam.class != PEXTERN)
+			goto no;
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	if(nr->type == T ||
+	   !eqtype(nl->type, nr->type))
+		goto no;
+
+	if(!stataddr(&nam, nl))
+		goto no;
+	if(nam.class != PEXTERN)
+		goto no;
+
+	switch(nr->op) {
+	default:
+		goto no;
+
+	case OLITERAL:
+		goto lit;
+	}
+
+no:
+	return 0;
+
+lit:
+	switch(nr->type->etype) {
+	default:
+		goto no;
+
+	case TBOOL:
+		if(memcmp(nam.sym->name, "initdone·", 9) == 0)
+			goto no;
+	case TINT8:
+	case TUINT8:
+	case TINT16:
+	case TUINT16:
+	case TINT32:
+	case TUINT32:
+	case TINT64:
+	case TUINT64:
+	case TINT:
+	case TUINT:
+	case TFLOAT32:
+	case TFLOAT64:
+	case TFLOAT:
+		p = gins(ADATA, &nam, nr);
+		p->from.scale = nr->type->width;
+		break;
+	}
+
+yes:
+//dump("\ngen_as_init", nl);
+//dump("", nr);
+//print("%P\n", p);
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/dcl.c b/src/cmd/gc/dcl.c
index ef49ee0ff93..f680a9c8580 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/dcl.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/dcl.c
@@ -1322,6 +1322,194 @@ anyinit(Node *n)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * the init code (thru initfix) reformats the
+ *	var = ...
+ * statements, rewriting the automatic
+ * variables with the static variables.
+ * this allows the code generator to
+ * generate DATA statements instead
+ * of assignment statements.
+ * it is quadradic, may need to change.
+ * it is extremely fragile knowing exactly
+ * how the code from (struct|array|map)lit
+ * will look. ideally the lit routines could
+ * write the code in this form, but ...
+ */
+
+static	Node*	xxx;
+
+void
+initlin(Node* n)
+{
+	if(n == N)
+		return;
+	initlin(n->ninit);
+	switch(n->op) {
+	default:
+		print("o = %O\n", n->op);
+		n->ninit = N;
+		xxx = list(xxx, n);
+		break;
+
+	case OCALL:
+		// call to mapassign1
+		if(n->left->op != ONAME ||
+		   n->right->op != OLIST ||
+		   n->right->left->op != OAS ||
+		   n->right->right->op != OLIST ||
+		   n->right->right->left->op != OAS ||
+		   n->right->right->right->op != OAS ||
+		   memcmp(n->left->sym->name, "mapassign1", 10) != 0)
+			dump("o=call", n);
+		n->ninit = N;
+		xxx = list(xxx, n);
+		break;
+
+	case OAS:
+		n->ninit = N;
+		xxx = list(xxx, n);
+		break;
+
+	case OLIST:
+		initlin(n->left);
+		initlin(n->right);
+		break;
+	}
+}
+
+int
+inittmp(Node *n)
+{
+	if(n != N)
+	if(n->op == ONAME)
+	if(n->sym != S)
+	if(n->class == PAUTO)
+	if(memcmp(n->sym->name, "!tmpname", 8) == 0)
+		return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int
+sametmp(Node *n1, Node *n2)
+{
+	if(inittmp(n1))
+	if(n1->xoffset == n2->xoffset)
+		return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int
+indsametmp(Node *n1, Node *n2)
+{
+	if(n1->op == OIND)
+	if(inittmp(n1->left))
+	if(n1->left->xoffset == n2->xoffset)
+		return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int
+initsub(Node *n, Node *nam)
+{
+	Iter iter;
+	Node *r;
+	int any, i;
+
+	any = 0;
+	r = listfirst(&iter, &xxx);
+	while(r != N) {
+		switch(r->op) {
+		case OAS:
+		case OEMPTY:
+			if(r->left != N)
+			switch(r->left->op) {
+			case ONAME:
+				if(sametmp(r->left, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->left = n;
+				}
+				break;
+			case ODOT:
+				if(sametmp(r->left->left, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->left->left = n;
+				}
+				if(indsametmp(r->left->left, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->left->left->left = n;
+				}
+				break;
+			case OINDEX:
+				if(sametmp(r->left->left, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->left->left = n;
+				}
+				if(indsametmp(r->left->left, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->left->left->left = n;
+				}
+				break;
+			}
+			break;
+		case OCALL:
+			// call to mapassign1
+			// look through all three parameters
+			for(i=0; i<2; i++) {
+				r = r->right;
+				if(r == N || r->op != OLIST)
+					break;
+				if(sametmp(r->left->right, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->left->right = n;
+				}
+				if(indsametmp(r->left->right, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->left->left->right = n;
+				}
+				if(sametmp(r->right->right, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->right->right = n;
+				}
+				if(indsametmp(r->right->right, nam)) {
+					any = 1;
+					r->right->left->right = n;
+				}
+			}
+			break;
+		}
+		r = listnext(&iter);
+	}
+	return any;
+}
+
+Node*
+initfix(Node* n)
+{
+	Iter iter;
+	Node *r;
+
+//dump("prelin", n);
+
+	xxx = N;
+	initlin(n);
+	xxx = rev(xxx);
+
+//dump("preinitfix", xxx);
+	// look for the copy-out reference
+	r = listfirst(&iter, &xxx);
+	while(r != N) {
+		if(r->op == OAS)
+		if(inittmp(r->right)) {
+			if(initsub(r->left, r->right))
+				r->op = OEMPTY;
+		}
+		r = listnext(&iter);
+	}
+//dump("postinitfix", xxx);
+	return xxx;
+}
+
 void
 fninit(Node *n)
 {
@@ -1389,7 +1577,7 @@ fninit(Node *n)
 	}
 
 	// (6)
-	r = list(r, n);
+	r = list(r, initfix(n));
 
 	// (7)
 	// could check that it is fn of no args/returns
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/gen.c b/src/cmd/gc/gen.c
index 1302ae10c62..0856dfa11db 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/gen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/gen.c
@@ -444,6 +444,8 @@ cgen_as(Node *nl, Node *nr)
 				return;
 			if(nl->class & PHEAP)
 				return;
+			if(gen_as_init(nr, nl))
+				return;
 		}
 
 		tl = nl->type;
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
index 6482eba4cac..4892c669ff4 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
@@ -588,26 +588,26 @@ loop:
 		l = n->left;
 		if(l == N)
 			goto ret;
+
+		switch(t->etype) {
+		default:
+			yyerror("invalid type for composite literal: %T", t);
+			goto ret;
+
+		case TSTRUCT:
+			r = structlit(n, N);
+			break;
+
+		case TARRAY:
+			r = arraylit(n, N);
+			break;
+
+		case TMAP:
+			r = maplit(n, N);
+			break;
+		}
+		indir(n, r);
 		walktype(l, Erv);
-
-		// structure literal
-		if(t->etype == TSTRUCT) {
-			indir(n, structlit(n, N));
-			goto ret;
-		}
-
-		// array literal
-		if(t->etype == TARRAY) {
-			indir(n, arraylit(n, N));
-			goto ret;
-		}
-
-		// map literal
-		if(t->etype == TMAP) {
-			indir(n, maplit(n, N));
-			goto ret;
-		}
-		yyerror("invalid type for composite literal: %T", t);
 		goto ret;
 
 	case ORETURN:
@@ -926,18 +926,19 @@ loop:
 			goto nottop;
 		defaultlit(n->left, T);
 		if(n->left->op == OCOMPOS && n->left->type != T) {
+			Node *nvar, *nas, *nstar;
+
 			// turn &Point(1, 2) or &[]int(1, 2) or &[...]int(1, 2) into allocation.
 			// initialize with
 			//	nvar := new(*Point);
 			//	*nvar = Point(1, 2);
 			// and replace expression with nvar
-			; // stupid c syntax - case label must be on stmt, not decl
-			Node *nvar, *nas, *nstar;
 
 			nvar = nod(OXXX, N, N);
 			tempname(nvar, ptrto(n->left->type));
 
 			nas = nod(OAS, nvar, callnew(n->left->type));
+			walktype(nas, Etop);
 			addtop = list(addtop, nas);
 
 			nstar = nod(OIND, nvar, N);
@@ -957,6 +958,7 @@ loop:
 				goto badlit;
 			}
 
+			walktype(n->left->left, Erv);
 			indir(n, nvar);
 			goto ret;
 		}
@@ -3837,8 +3839,8 @@ arraylit(Node *n, Node *var)
 {
 	Iter saver;
 	Type *t;
-	Node *r, *a, *nnew;
-	int idx, ninit, b;
+	Node *r, *a;
+	int ninit, b;
 
 	t = n->type;
 	if(t->etype != TARRAY)
@@ -3867,13 +3869,12 @@ arraylit(Node *n, Node *var)
 		tempname(var, t);
 	}
 
-	nnew = nil;
 	if(b < 0) {
 		// slice
-		nnew = nod(OMAKE, N, N);
-		nnew->type = t;
-
-		a = nod(OAS, var, nnew);
+		a = nod(OMAKE, N, N);
+		a->type = t;
+		a->left = nodintconst(ninit);
+		a = nod(OAS, var, a);
 		addtop = list(addtop, a);
 	} else {
 		// if entire array isnt initialized,
@@ -3884,21 +3885,20 @@ arraylit(Node *n, Node *var)
 		}
 	}
 
-	idx = 0;
+	ninit = 0;
 	r = listfirst(&saver, &n->left);
 	if(r != N && r->op == OEMPTY)
 		r = N;
 	while(r != N) {
 		// build list of var[c] = expr
-		a = nodintconst(idx);
+		a = nodintconst(ninit);
 		a = nod(OINDEX, var, a);
 		a = nod(OAS, a, r);
+		walktype(a, Etop);	// add any assignments in r to addtop
 		addtop = list(addtop, a);
-		idx++;
+		ninit++;
 		r = listnext(&saver);
 	}
-	if(b < 0)
-		nnew->left = nodintconst(idx);
 	return var;
 }
 
@@ -3941,6 +3941,7 @@ loop:
 
 	a = nod(OINDEX, var, r->left);
 	a = nod(OAS, a, r->right);
+	walktype(a, Etop);	// add any assignments in r to addtop
 	addtop = list(addtop, a);
 
 	r = listnext(&saver);