diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/cgen.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/cgen.go
index dbefcc7a0b..74fe463dae 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/cgen.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/cgen.go
@@ -2855,11 +2855,6 @@ func cgen_append(n, res *Node) {
 		Dump("cgen_append-n", n)
 		Dump("cgen_append-res", res)
 	}
-	if res.Op != ONAME && !samesafeexpr(res, n.List.First()) {
-		Dump("cgen_append-n", n)
-		Dump("cgen_append-res", res)
-		Fatalf("append not lowered")
-	}
 	for _, n1 := range n.List.Slice() {
 		if n1.Ullman >= UINF {
 			Fatalf("append with function call arguments")
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue15988.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue15988.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2bed2a9c30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue15988.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+// compile
+
+// Copyright 2016 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 p
+
+func f(p, q []int) {
+	p = append(q, 5)
+	sink = &p
+}
+
+var sink *[]int