diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
index 982bd7fa70..89f7504341 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ 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 {
+						if v.Op != OpStore && v.Op != OpZero && v.Op != OpVarDef && v.Op != OpVarKill {
 							// CALL, DUFFCOPY, etc. are both
 							// reads and writes.
 							loadUse.add(a.ID)