diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/ssa.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/ssa.go
index 81f9c8f6ce..2a1c184803 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/ssa.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/ssa.go
@@ -1268,6 +1268,14 @@ func (s *state) expr(n *Node) *ssa.Value {
 			return s.constInt(Types[TINT], n.Left.Type.Bound)
 		}
 
+	case OSPTR:
+		a := s.expr(n.Left)
+		if n.Left.Type.IsSlice() {
+			return s.newValue1(ssa.OpSlicePtr, n.Type, a)
+		} else {
+			return s.newValue1(ssa.OpStringPtr, n.Type, a)
+		}
+
 	case OITAB:
 		a := s.expr(n.Left)
 		return s.newValue1(ssa.OpITab, n.Type, a)