https://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=96566
--- Comment #1 from Tom de Vries <vries at gcc dot gnu.org> --- Corresponding source bit: ... struct Ax_m3 { char a[PTRDIFF_MAX - 3], ax[]; }; struct Ax_m3 xm3_3 = { { 0 }, { 1, 2, 3 } }; .... On x86_64, we generate for this: ... xm3_3: .byte 0 .zero 9223372036854775803 .byte 1 .byte 2 .byte 3 ... where 9223372036854775803 is 0x7FFFFFFFFFFFFFFB.