http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=58805
--- Comment #10 from vries at gcc dot gnu.org --- I've tried out the example from comment 9. Tree-tail-merge considers the statements without effect because: ... (gdb) call debug_gimple_stmt (stmt) # .MEM_10 = VDEF <.MEM_3(D)> __asm__("movq $42, %0 movq %0, %1 " : "t" "=&r" t_8, "r" "=r" *x_4(D)); (gdb) call gimple_has_side_effects (stmt) $2 = false ... and tree-ssa-tail-merge.c:stmt_local_def will return true. The side effect of the asm is in the expression for the output operand, so gimple_has_side_effects should return true.