diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
index b4c38ec12b..69c8390fe0 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
@@ -2140,6 +2140,12 @@ func needwritebarrier(l *Node, r *Node) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
+	// No write barrier for storing global function, which is live
+	// no matter what.
+	if r.Op == ONAME && r.Class == PFUNC {
+		return false
+	}
+
 	// Otherwise, be conservative and use write barrier.
 	return true
 }
diff --git a/test/writebarrier.go b/test/writebarrier.go
index dcd20a0225..e591eaab32 100644
--- a/test/writebarrier.go
+++ b/test/writebarrier.go
@@ -158,3 +158,13 @@ func t1(i interface{}) **int {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+type T17 struct {
+	f func(*T17)
+}
+
+func f17(x *T17) {
+	// See golang.org/issue/13901
+	x.f = f17                      // no barrier
+	x.f = func(y *T17) { *y = *x } // ERROR "write barrier"
+}