diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/deadcode/deadcode.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/deadcode/deadcode.go
index 65a48b6803..c37a5a6990 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/deadcode/deadcode.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/deadcode/deadcode.go
@@ -163,4 +163,5 @@ func markHiddenClosureDead(n ir.Node) {
 	if clo.Func.IsHiddenClosure() {
 		clo.Func.SetIsDeadcodeClosure(true)
 	}
+	ir.VisitList(clo.Func.Body, markHiddenClosureDead)
 }
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue51839.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue51839.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c3c18915b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue51839.go
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+// compile
+
+// Copyright 2022 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package main
+
+func main() {
+	testRecover()
+
+}
+
+func testRecover() {
+	if false {
+		func() {
+			defer func() {
+				_ = recover()
+			}()
+		}()
+	}
+}