diff --git a/src/pkg/runtime/gc_test.go b/src/pkg/runtime/gc_test.go
index a3c731ccb0..dbd68c1c75 100644
--- a/src/pkg/runtime/gc_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/runtime/gc_test.go
@@ -136,7 +136,9 @@ func TestGcRescan(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
 		p := &Y{}
 		p.c = make(chan error)
-		p.nextx = &head.X
+		if head != nil {
+			p.nextx = &head.X
+		}
 		p.nexty = head
 		p.p = new(int)
 		*p.p = 42
diff --git a/test/recover3.go b/test/recover3.go
index ebfa0a3075..e17bfb3f6a 100644
--- a/test/recover3.go
+++ b/test/recover3.go
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ func main() {
 
 	i = 99999
 	var sl []int
-	check("array-bounds", func() { println(p[i]) }, "index out of range")
+	p1 := new([10]int)
+	check("array-bounds", func() { println(p1[i]) }, "index out of range")
 	check("slice-bounds", func() { println(sl[i]) }, "index out of range")
 
 	var inter interface{}