diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/builtin.c b/src/cmd/gc/builtin.c
index 535e38fac58..6354fa22c8c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/builtin.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/builtin.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ char *runtimeimport =
 	"func @\"\".stringiter2(? string, ? int) (@\"\".retk int, @\"\".retv rune)\n"
 	"func @\"\".copy(@\"\".to any, @\"\".fr any, @\"\".wid uint32) (? int)\n"
 	"func @\"\".slicestringcopy(@\"\".to any, @\"\".fr any) (? int)\n"
+	"func @\"\".typ2Itab(@\"\".typ *byte, @\"\".typ2 *byte, @\"\".cache **byte) (@\"\".ret *byte)\n"
 	"func @\"\".convI2E(@\"\".elem any) (@\"\".ret any)\n"
 	"func @\"\".convI2I(@\"\".typ *byte, @\"\".elem any) (@\"\".ret any)\n"
 	"func @\"\".convT2E(@\"\".typ *byte, @\"\".elem any) (@\"\".ret any)\n"
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/gen.c b/src/cmd/gc/gen.c
index ebb410ba54c..9b667775eb3 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/gen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/gen.c
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ gen(Node *n)
 		p1 = gjmp(P);			//		goto test
 		p2 = gjmp(P);			// p2:		goto else
 		patch(p1, pc);				// test:
-		bgen(n->ntest, 0, 0, p2);			//		if(!test) goto p2
+		bgen(n->ntest, 0, -n->likely, p2);		//		if(!test) goto p2
 		genlist(n->nbody);				//		then
 		p3 = gjmp(P);			//		goto done
 		patch(p2, pc);				// else:
@@ -746,12 +746,17 @@ ret:
 void
 cgen_eface(Node *n, Node *res)
 {
+	/* 
+	 * the right node of an eface may contain function calls that uses res as an argument,
+	 * so it's important that it is done first
+	 */
 	Node dst;
 	dst = *res;
 	dst.type = types[tptr];
-	cgen(n->left, &dst);
 	dst.xoffset += widthptr;
 	cgen(n->right, &dst);
+	dst.xoffset -= widthptr;
+	cgen(n->left, &dst);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/go.h b/src/cmd/gc/go.h
index 7bbaabb3780..4a8d191dc7b 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/go.h
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/go.h
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ struct	Node
 	uchar	implicit;
 	uchar	addrtaken;	// address taken, even if not moved to heap
 	uchar	dupok;	// duplicate definitions ok (for func)
+	schar	likely; // likeliness of if statement
 
 	// most nodes
 	Type*	type;
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/runtime.go b/src/cmd/gc/runtime.go
index 408f624cff5..7ab24a0440f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/runtime.go
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/runtime.go
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ func copy(to any, fr any, wid uint32) int
 func slicestringcopy(to any, fr any) int
 
 // interface conversions
+func typ2Itab(typ *byte, typ2 *byte, cache **byte) (ret *byte)
 func convI2E(elem any) (ret any)
 func convI2I(typ *byte, elem any) (ret any)
 func convT2E(typ *byte, elem any) (ret any)
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
index 4855b13ba94..935fa6d65d7 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 	int et;
 	int64 v;
 	int32 lno;
-	Node *n, *fn;
+	Node *n, *fn, *n1, *n2;
 	Sym *sym;
 	char buf[100], *p;
 
@@ -771,6 +771,44 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 			l = nod(OADDR, sym->def, N);
 			l->addable = 1;
 			ll = list(ll, l);
+
+			if(n->left->type->width == widthptr &&
+		   	   isint[simsimtype(n->left->type)]) {
+				/* For pointer types, we can make a special form of optimization
+				 *
+				 * These statements are put onto the expression init list:
+				 * 	Itab *tab = atomicloadtype(&cache);
+				 * 	if(tab == nil)
+				 * 		tab = typ2Itab(type, itype, &cache);
+				 *
+				 * The CONVIFACE expression is replaced with this:
+				 * 	OEFACE{tab, ptr};
+				 */
+				l = temp(ptrto(types[TUINT8]));
+
+				n1 = nod(OAS, l, sym->def);
+				typecheck(&n1, Etop);
+				*init = list(*init, n1);
+
+				fn = syslook("typ2Itab", 1);
+				n1 = nod(OCALL, fn, N);
+				n1->list = ll;
+				typecheck(&n1, Erv);
+				walkexpr(&n1, init);
+
+				n2 = nod(OIF, N, N);
+				n2->ntest = nod(OEQ, l, nodnil());
+				n2->nbody = list1(nod(OAS, l, n1));
+				n2->likely = -1;
+				typecheck(&n2, Etop);
+				*init = list(*init, n2);
+
+				l = nod(OEFACE, l, n->left);
+				l->typecheck = n->typecheck; 
+				l->type = n->type;
+				n = l;
+				goto ret;
+			}
 		}
 		ll = list(ll, n->left);
 		argtype(fn, n->left->type);
@@ -1168,7 +1206,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 		else
 			r = nod(OOROR, nod(ONE, nod(OITAB, n->left, N), nod(OITAB, n->right, N)), r);
 		typecheck(&r, Erv);
-		walkexpr(&r, nil);
+		walkexpr(&r, init);
 		r->type = n->type;
 		n = r;
 		goto ret;
diff --git a/src/pkg/runtime/iface.c b/src/pkg/runtime/iface.c
index 864954d0d52..8e0150d07b9 100644
--- a/src/pkg/runtime/iface.c
+++ b/src/pkg/runtime/iface.c
@@ -183,6 +183,18 @@ copyout(Type *t, void **src, void *dst)
 		alg->copy(size, dst, *src);
 }
 
+#pragma textflag 7
+void
+runtime·typ2Itab(Type *t, InterfaceType *inter, Itab **cache, Itab *ret)
+{
+	Itab *tab;
+
+	tab = itab(inter, t, 0);
+	runtime·atomicstorep(cache, tab);
+	ret = tab;
+	FLUSH(&ret);
+}
+
 // func convT2I(typ *byte, typ2 *byte, cache **byte, elem any) (ret any)
 #pragma textflag 7
 void