diff --git a/src/cmd/8g/cgen.c b/src/cmd/8g/cgen.c
index 8c90ad544ec..474d0713f44 100644
--- a/src/cmd/8g/cgen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/8g/cgen.c
@@ -91,17 +91,12 @@ cgen(Node *n, Node *res)
 
 	// if both are not addressable, use a temporary.
 	if(!n->addable && !res->addable) {
-		if(is64(n->type)) {
-			tempalloc(&n1, n->type);
-			cgen(n, &n1);
-			cgen(&n1, res);
-			tempfree(&n1);
-			return;
-		}
-		regalloc(&n1, n->type, N);
+		// could use regalloc here sometimes,
+		// but have to check for ullman >= UINF.
+		tempalloc(&n1, n->type);
 		cgen(n, &n1);
 		cgen(&n1, res);
-		regfree(&n1);
+		tempfree(&n1);
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/bug168.go b/test/fixedbugs/bug168.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..221eb555852
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/bug168.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// $G $D/$F.go && $L $F.$A && ./$A.out || echo BUG: bug168
+
+// Copyright 2009 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package main
+
+var g byte = 123;
+var f *byte = &g;
+var b = make([]byte, 5);
+
+func main() {
+	b[0:1][0] = *f;
+	if b[0] != 123 {
+		panic("want 123 got ", b[0]);
+	}	
+}