diff --git a/src/cmd/5g/cgen.c b/src/cmd/5g/cgen.c
index 36aab03b11..fe8683b5d4 100644
--- a/src/cmd/5g/cgen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/5g/cgen.c
@@ -1356,9 +1356,9 @@ sgen(Node *n, Node *res, int64 w)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if(w == 8 || w == 12)
-		if(componentgen(n, res))
-			return;
+	// Avoid taking the address for simple enough types.
+	if(componentgen(n, res))
+		return;
 	
 	// determine alignment.
 	// want to avoid unaligned access, so have to use
@@ -1495,9 +1495,10 @@ cadable(Node *n)
 }
 
 /*
- * copy a structure component by component
+ * copy a composite value by moving its individual components.
+ * Slices, strings and interfaces are supported.
+ * nr is N when assigning a zero value.
  * return 1 if can do, 0 if cant.
- * nr is N for copy zero
  */
 int
 componentgen(Node *nr, Node *nl)
diff --git a/src/cmd/5g/ggen.c b/src/cmd/5g/ggen.c
index 32caf0c903..a60f414943 100644
--- a/src/cmd/5g/ggen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/5g/ggen.c
@@ -618,9 +618,9 @@ clearfat(Node *nl)
 
 
 	w = nl->type->width;
-	if(w == 8 || w == 12)
-		if(componentgen(N, nl))
-			return;
+	// Avoid taking the address for simple enough types.
+	if(componentgen(N, nl))
+		return;
 
 	c = w % 4;	// bytes
 	q = w / 4;	// quads
diff --git a/src/cmd/6g/cgen.c b/src/cmd/6g/cgen.c
index 0d8ce468a4..195011ae90 100644
--- a/src/cmd/6g/cgen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/6g/cgen.c
@@ -1254,9 +1254,9 @@ sgen(Node *n, Node *ns, int64 w)
 	if(w < 0)
 		fatal("sgen copy %lld", w);
 
-	if(w == 16)
-		if(componentgen(n, ns))
-			return;
+	// Avoid taking the address for simple enough types.
+	if(componentgen(n, ns))
+		return;
 	
 	if(w == 0) {
 		// evaluate side effects only
@@ -1378,9 +1378,10 @@ cadable(Node *n)
 }
 
 /*
- * copy a structure component by component
+ * copy a composite value by moving its individual components.
+ * Slices, strings and interfaces are supported.
+ * nr is N when assigning a zero value.
  * return 1 if can do, 0 if cant.
- * nr is N for copy zero
  */
 int
 componentgen(Node *nr, Node *nl)
diff --git a/src/cmd/6g/ggen.c b/src/cmd/6g/ggen.c
index 74fd0f7c7c..729dda4f28 100644
--- a/src/cmd/6g/ggen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/6g/ggen.c
@@ -1028,9 +1028,9 @@ clearfat(Node *nl)
 
 
 	w = nl->type->width;
-	if(w == 16)
-		if(componentgen(N, nl))
-			return;
+	// Avoid taking the address for simple enough types.
+	if(componentgen(N, nl))
+		return;
 
 	c = w % 8;	// bytes
 	q = w / 8;	// quads
diff --git a/src/cmd/8g/cgen.c b/src/cmd/8g/cgen.c
index 04324b6495..7b44bac0d3 100644
--- a/src/cmd/8g/cgen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/8g/cgen.c
@@ -1276,10 +1276,9 @@ sgen(Node *n, Node *res, int64 w)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (w == 8 || w == 12) {
-		if(componentgen(n, res))
-			return;
-	}
+	// Avoid taking the address for simple enough types.
+	if(componentgen(n, res))
+		return;
 
 	// offset on the stack
 	osrc = stkof(n);
@@ -1381,9 +1380,10 @@ cadable(Node *n)
 }
 
 /*
- * copy a structure component by component
+ * copy a composite value by moving its individual components.
+ * Slices, strings and interfaces are supported.
+ * nr is N when assigning a zero value.
  * return 1 if can do, 0 if cant.
- * nr is N for copy zero
  */
 int
 componentgen(Node *nr, Node *nl)
diff --git a/src/cmd/8g/ggen.c b/src/cmd/8g/ggen.c
index ba09f59732..5ebd3b417c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/8g/ggen.c
+++ b/src/cmd/8g/ggen.c
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ clearfat(Node *nl)
 		dump("\nclearfat", nl);
 
 	w = nl->type->width;
-	if(w == 8 || w == 12)
-		if(componentgen(N, nl))
-			return;
+	// Avoid taking the address for simple enough types.
+	if(componentgen(N, nl))
+		return;
 
 	c = w % 4;	// bytes
 	q = w / 4;	// quads