http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=48696
--- Comment #9 from Richard Guenther <rguenth at gcc dot gnu.org> 2011-04-20 15:41:09 UTC --- Btw, the branch from the work "some time ago" created show_bug: .LFB2: movl (%rdi), %eax andl $-64, %eax movl %eax, (%rdi) shrl $6, %eax movzwl %ax, %eax ret for your testcase.