diff --git a/src/regexp/backtrack.go b/src/regexp/backtrack.go
index 41ae59bcaa..0739f5ff58 100644
--- a/src/regexp/backtrack.go
+++ b/src/regexp/backtrack.go
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ func (re *Regexp) tryBacktrack(b *bitState, i input, pc uint32, pos int) bool {
 		}
 	Skip:
 
-		inst := re.prog.Inst[pc]
+		inst := &re.prog.Inst[pc]
 
 		switch inst.Op {
 		default:
diff --git a/src/regexp/exec.go b/src/regexp/exec.go
index 4411e4c3e6..3fc4b684fe 100644
--- a/src/regexp/exec.go
+++ b/src/regexp/exec.go
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ func (re *Regexp) doOnePass(ir io.RuneReader, ib []byte, is string, pos, ncap in
 		flag = i.context(pos)
 	}
 	pc := re.onepass.Start
-	inst := re.onepass.Inst[pc]
+	inst := &re.onepass.Inst[pc]
 	// If there is a simple literal prefix, skip over it.
 	if pos == 0 && flag.match(syntax.EmptyOp(inst.Arg)) &&
 		len(re.prefix) > 0 && i.canCheckPrefix() {
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ func (re *Regexp) doOnePass(ir io.RuneReader, ib []byte, is string, pos, ncap in
 		pc = int(re.prefixEnd)
 	}
 	for {
-		inst = re.onepass.Inst[pc]
+		inst = &re.onepass.Inst[pc]
 		pc = int(inst.Out)
 		switch inst.Op {
 		default:
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ func (re *Regexp) doOnePass(ir io.RuneReader, ib []byte, is string, pos, ncap in
 			}
 		// peek at the input rune to see which branch of the Alt to take
 		case syntax.InstAlt, syntax.InstAltMatch:
-			pc = int(onePassNext(&inst, r))
+			pc = int(onePassNext(inst, r))
 			continue
 		case syntax.InstFail:
 			goto Return