diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/liveness/arg.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/liveness/arg.go
index 2ca5d095aa..abbc8c9771 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/liveness/arg.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/liveness/arg.go
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ func (lv *argLiveness) valueEffect(v *ssa.Value, live bitvec.BitVec) bool {
 func mayFault(v *ssa.Value) bool {
 	switch v.Op {
 	case ssa.OpLoadReg, ssa.OpStoreReg, ssa.OpCopy, ssa.OpPhi,
-		ssa.OpVarDef, ssa.OpVarKill, ssa.OpVarLive, ssa.OpKeepAlive,
+		ssa.OpVarDef, ssa.OpVarLive, ssa.OpKeepAlive,
 		ssa.OpSelect0, ssa.OpSelect1, ssa.OpSelectN, ssa.OpMakeResult,
 		ssa.OpConvert, ssa.OpInlMark, ssa.OpGetG:
 		return false
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/liveness/plive.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/liveness/plive.go
index 93f49fad45..1a2d3a45c9 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/liveness/plive.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/liveness/plive.go
@@ -80,15 +80,6 @@ import (
 // the liveness analysis work on single-word values as well, although
 // there are complications around interface values, slices, and strings,
 // all of which cannot be treated as individual words.
-//
-// OpVarKill is the opposite of OpVarDef: it marks a value as no longer needed,
-// even if its address has been taken. That is, an OpVarKill annotation asserts
-// that its argument is certainly dead, for use when the liveness analysis
-// would not otherwise be able to deduce that fact.
-
-// TODO: get rid of OpVarKill here. It's useful for stack frame allocation
-// so the compiler can allocate two temps to the same location. Here it's now
-// useless, since the implementation of stack objects.
 
 // blockEffects summarizes the liveness effects on an SSA block.
 type blockEffects struct {
@@ -269,7 +260,7 @@ func (lv *liveness) valueEffects(v *ssa.Value) (int32, liveEffect) {
 	// OpVarFoo pseudo-ops. Ignore them to prevent "lost track of
 	// variable" ICEs (issue 19632).
 	switch v.Op {
-	case ssa.OpVarDef, ssa.OpVarKill, ssa.OpVarLive, ssa.OpKeepAlive:
+	case ssa.OpVarDef, ssa.OpVarLive, ssa.OpKeepAlive:
 		if !n.Used() {
 			return -1, 0
 		}
@@ -334,7 +325,7 @@ func affectedVar(v *ssa.Value) (*ir.Name, ssa.SymEffect) {
 
 	case ssa.OpVarLive:
 		return v.Aux.(*ir.Name), ssa.SymRead
-	case ssa.OpVarDef, ssa.OpVarKill:
+	case ssa.OpVarDef:
 		return v.Aux.(*ir.Name), ssa.SymWrite
 	case ssa.OpKeepAlive:
 		n, _ := ssa.AutoVar(v.Args[0])
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
index d694133ec3..b0e4e2bb09 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func dse(f *Func) {
 				for _, a := range v.Args {
 					if a.Block == b && a.Type.IsMemory() {
 						storeUse.add(a.ID)
-						if v.Op != OpStore && v.Op != OpZero && v.Op != OpVarDef && v.Op != OpVarKill {
+						if v.Op != OpStore && v.Op != OpZero && v.Op != OpVarDef {
 							// CALL, DUFFCOPY, etc. are both
 							// reads and writes.
 							loadUse.add(a.ID)
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func elimDeadAutosGeneric(f *Func) {
 				changed = true
 			}
 			return
-		case OpVarDef, OpVarKill:
+		case OpVarDef:
 			// v should be eliminated if we eliminate the auto.
 			n, ok := v.Aux.(*ir.Name)
 			if !ok || n.Class != ir.PAUTO {
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/debug.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/debug.go
index 4ed016f4ad..3eaba3a238 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/debug.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/debug.go
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ func BuildFuncDebug(ctxt *obj.Link, f *Func, loggingLevel int, stackOffset func(
 	// This would probably be better as an output from stackframe.
 	for _, b := range f.Blocks {
 		for _, v := range b.Values {
-			if v.Op == OpVarDef || v.Op == OpVarKill {
+			if v.Op == OpVarDef {
 				n := v.Aux.(*ir.Name)
 				if ir.IsSynthetic(n) {
 					continue
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ func (state *debugState) processValue(v *Value, vSlots []SlotID, vReg *Register)
 	}
 
 	switch {
-	case v.Op == OpVarDef, v.Op == OpVarKill:
+	case v.Op == OpVarDef:
 		n := v.Aux.(*ir.Name)
 		if ir.IsSynthetic(n) {
 			break
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/gen/genericOps.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/gen/genericOps.go
index e04b7db6e7..da386b9dff 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/gen/genericOps.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/gen/genericOps.go
@@ -528,7 +528,6 @@ var genericOps = []opData{
 	{name: "Unknown"},
 
 	{name: "VarDef", argLength: 1, aux: "Sym", typ: "Mem", symEffect: "None", zeroWidth: true}, // aux is a *gc.Node of a variable that is about to be initialized.  arg0=mem, returns mem
-	{name: "VarKill", argLength: 1, aux: "Sym", symEffect: "None"},                             // aux is a *gc.Node of a variable that is known to be dead.  arg0=mem, returns mem
 	// TODO: what's the difference between VarLive and KeepAlive?
 	{name: "VarLive", argLength: 1, aux: "Sym", symEffect: "Read", zeroWidth: true}, // aux is a *gc.Node of a variable that must be kept live.  arg0=mem, returns mem
 	{name: "KeepAlive", argLength: 2, typ: "Mem", zeroWidth: true},                  // arg[0] is a value that must be kept alive until this mark.  arg[1]=mem, returns mem
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/lower.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/lower.go
index 5760c35601..fb4b748413 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/lower.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/lower.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func checkLower(f *Func) {
 				continue // lowered
 			}
 			switch v.Op {
-			case OpSP, OpSB, OpInitMem, OpArg, OpArgIntReg, OpArgFloatReg, OpPhi, OpVarDef, OpVarKill, OpVarLive, OpKeepAlive, OpSelect0, OpSelect1, OpSelectN, OpConvert, OpInlMark:
+			case OpSP, OpSB, OpInitMem, OpArg, OpArgIntReg, OpArgFloatReg, OpPhi, OpVarDef, OpVarLive, OpKeepAlive, OpSelect0, OpSelect1, OpSelectN, OpConvert, OpInlMark:
 				continue // ok not to lower
 			case OpMakeResult:
 				if b.Controls[0] == v {
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/nilcheck.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/nilcheck.go
index 14f511a5f1..521cdfd7ae 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/nilcheck.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/nilcheck.go
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ func nilcheckelim2(f *Func) {
 				continue
 			}
 			if v.Type.IsMemory() || v.Type.IsTuple() && v.Type.FieldType(1).IsMemory() {
-				if v.Op == OpVarKill || v.Op == OpVarLive || (v.Op == OpVarDef && !v.Aux.(*ir.Name).Type().HasPointers()) {
+				if v.Op == OpVarLive || (v.Op == OpVarDef && !v.Aux.(*ir.Name).Type().HasPointers()) {
 					// These ops don't really change memory.
 					continue
 					// Note: OpVarDef requires that the defined variable not have pointers.
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/numberlines.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/numberlines.go
index 9d6aeca9c0..4cbc4919f4 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/numberlines.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/numberlines.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func nextGoodStatementIndex(v *Value, i int, b *Block) int {
 // statement boundary.
 func notStmtBoundary(op Op) bool {
 	switch op {
-	case OpCopy, OpPhi, OpVarKill, OpVarDef, OpVarLive, OpUnknown, OpFwdRef, OpArg, OpArgIntReg, OpArgFloatReg:
+	case OpCopy, OpPhi, OpVarDef, OpVarLive, OpUnknown, OpFwdRef, OpArg, OpArgIntReg, OpArgFloatReg:
 		return true
 	}
 	return false
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/opGen.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/opGen.go
index efda41f69c..84b4763ff5 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/opGen.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/opGen.go
@@ -3088,7 +3088,6 @@ const (
 	OpFwdRef
 	OpUnknown
 	OpVarDef
-	OpVarKill
 	OpVarLive
 	OpKeepAlive
 	OpInlMark
@@ -39144,13 +39143,6 @@ var opcodeTable = [...]opInfo{
 		symEffect: SymNone,
 		generic:   true,
 	},
-	{
-		name:      "VarKill",
-		auxType:   auxSym,
-		argLen:    1,
-		symEffect: SymNone,
-		generic:   true,
-	},
 	{
 		name:      "VarLive",
 		auxType:   auxSym,
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/value.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/value.go
index 8f125cef99..9f2f4689e7 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/value.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/value.go
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ func (v *Value) LackingPos() bool {
 	// The exact definition of LackingPos is somewhat heuristically defined and may change
 	// in the future, for example if some of these operations are generated more carefully
 	// with respect to their source position.
-	return v.Op == OpVarDef || v.Op == OpVarKill || v.Op == OpVarLive || v.Op == OpPhi ||
+	return v.Op == OpVarDef || v.Op == OpVarLive || v.Op == OpPhi ||
 		(v.Op == OpFwdRef || v.Op == OpCopy) && v.Type == types.TypeMem
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/writebarrier.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/writebarrier.go
index d32669bdbc..cb8c0a5e0e 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/writebarrier.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/writebarrier.go
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ func writebarrier(f *Func) {
 					last = w
 					end = i + 1
 				}
-			case OpVarDef, OpVarLive, OpVarKill:
+			case OpVarDef, OpVarLive:
 				continue
 			default:
 				if last == nil {
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ func writebarrier(f *Func) {
 				fn = typedmemclr
 				typ = reflectdata.TypeLinksym(w.Aux.(*types.Type))
 				nWBops--
-			case OpVarDef, OpVarLive, OpVarKill:
+			case OpVarDef, OpVarLive:
 			}
 
 			// then block: emit write barrier call
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ func writebarrier(f *Func) {
 				}
 				// Note that we set up a writebarrier function call.
 				f.fe.SetWBPos(pos)
-			case OpVarDef, OpVarLive, OpVarKill:
+			case OpVarDef, OpVarLive:
 				memThen = bThen.NewValue1A(pos, w.Op, types.TypeMem, w.Aux, memThen)
 			}
 
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func writebarrier(f *Func) {
 			case OpZeroWB:
 				memElse = bElse.NewValue2I(pos, OpZero, types.TypeMem, w.AuxInt, ptr, memElse)
 				memElse.Aux = w.Aux
-			case OpVarDef, OpVarLive, OpVarKill:
+			case OpVarDef, OpVarLive:
 				memElse = bElse.NewValue1A(pos, w.Op, types.TypeMem, w.Aux, memElse)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssagen/ssa.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssagen/ssa.go
index 847a5133c9..e5fe646eaf 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssagen/ssa.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssagen/ssa.go
@@ -1470,9 +1470,6 @@ func (s *state) stmt(n ir.Node) {
 				s.Fatalf("dottype of non-load")
 			}
 			mem := s.mem()
-			if mem.Op == ssa.OpVarKill {
-				mem = mem.Args[0]
-			}
 			if res.Args[1] != mem {
 				s.Fatalf("memory no longer live from 2-result dottype load")
 			}
@@ -6947,7 +6944,7 @@ func genssa(f *ssa.Func, pp *objw.Progs) {
 			case ssa.OpGetG:
 				// nothing to do when there's a g register,
 				// and checkLower complains if there's not
-			case ssa.OpVarDef, ssa.OpVarLive, ssa.OpKeepAlive, ssa.OpVarKill:
+			case ssa.OpVarDef, ssa.OpVarLive, ssa.OpKeepAlive:
 				// nothing to do; already used by liveness
 			case ssa.OpPhi:
 				CheckLoweredPhi(v)