https://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=97474
Bug ID: 97474 Summary: Regression: optimization produces wrong code Product: gcc Version: 11.0 Status: UNCONFIRMED Keywords: wrong-code Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: c++ Assignee: unassigned at gcc dot gnu.org Reporter: sfranzen85 at hotmail dot com Target Milestone: --- While searching for something different I found the following example code demonstrating a possible gcc bug: --- #include <iostream> using std::cout; struct A { int a; int& b; A(int x) : a(x), b(a) {} A(const A& other) : a(other.a), b(a) {} A() : a(0), b(a) {} }; int foo(A a) { a.a *= a.b; return a.b; } int main() { A a(3); cout << foo(a) << '\n'; return 0; } --- (Source: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/62853805/why-does-modifying-a-field-that-is-referenced-by-another-variable-lead-to-unexpe) I was unable to find a related bug report, hence this one. Wrong output (3 instead of 9) is produced with -O1 or higher, since gcc version 6.4, as mentioned in a comment. Indeed gcc trunk on godbolt still generates faulty code: https://godbolt.org/z/TcedxE.