diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/escape/escape.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/escape/escape.go
index 5df82d8cdc..9b9b8f6a58 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/escape/escape.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/escape/escape.go
@@ -583,6 +583,9 @@ func (e *escape) exprSkipInit(k hole, n ir.Node) {
 		if n.Class == ir.PFUNC || n.Class == ir.PEXTERN {
 			return
 		}
+		if n.IsClosureVar() && n.Defn == nil {
+			return // ".this" from method value wrapper
+		}
 		e.flow(k, e.oldLoc(n))
 
 	case ir.ONAMEOFFSET:
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/name.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/name.go
index a51cf79929..cfb481e31c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/name.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/name.go
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ const (
 	nameNeedzero              // if it contains pointers, needs to be zeroed on function entry
 	nameAutoTemp              // is the variable a temporary (implies no dwarf info. reset if escapes to heap)
 	nameUsed                  // for variable declared and not used error
-	nameIsClosureVar          // PAUTOHEAP closure pseudo-variable; original at n.Name.Defn
+	nameIsClosureVar          // PAUTOHEAP closure pseudo-variable; original (if any) at n.Defn
 	nameIsOutputParamHeapAddr // pointer to a result parameter's heap copy
 	nameAddrtaken             // address taken, even if not moved to heap
 	nameInlFormal             // PAUTO created by inliner, derived from callee formal
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ func (n *Name) SetVal(v constant.Value) {
 // it appears in the function that immediately contains the
 // declaration. Otherwise, Canonical simply returns n itself.
 func (n *Name) Canonical() *Name {
-	if n.IsClosureVar() {
+	if n.IsClosureVar() && n.Defn != nil {
 		n = n.Defn.(*Name)
 	}
 	return n
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/func.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/func.go
index 8789395ffb..12762f7ee8 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/func.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/typecheck/func.go
@@ -246,29 +246,26 @@ func MethodValueWrapper(dot *ir.SelectorExpr) *ir.Func {
 	fn.SetWrapper(true)
 
 	// Declare and initialize variable holding receiver.
-	cr := ir.NewClosureRead(rcvrtype, types.Rnd(int64(types.PtrSize), int64(rcvrtype.Align)))
-	var ptr *ir.Name
-	var body []ir.Node
-	if rcvrtype.IsPtr() || rcvrtype.IsInterface() {
-		ptr = Temp(rcvrtype)
-		body = append(body, ir.NewAssignStmt(base.Pos, ptr, cr))
-	} else {
-		ptr = Temp(types.NewPtr(rcvrtype))
-		body = append(body, ir.NewAssignStmt(base.Pos, ptr, NodAddr(cr)))
-	}
+	ptr := ir.NewNameAt(base.Pos, Lookup(".this"))
+	ptr.Class = ir.PAUTOHEAP
+	ptr.SetType(rcvrtype)
+	ptr.Curfn = fn
+	ptr.SetIsClosureVar(true)
+	ptr.SetByval(true)
+	fn.ClosureVars = append(fn.ClosureVars, ptr)
 
 	call := ir.NewCallExpr(base.Pos, ir.OCALL, ir.NewSelectorExpr(base.Pos, ir.OXDOT, ptr, meth), nil)
 	call.Args = ir.ParamNames(tfn.Type())
 	call.IsDDD = tfn.Type().IsVariadic()
+
+	var body ir.Node = call
 	if t0.NumResults() != 0 {
 		ret := ir.NewReturnStmt(base.Pos, nil)
 		ret.Results = []ir.Node{call}
-		body = append(body, ret)
-	} else {
-		body = append(body, call)
+		body = ret
 	}
 
-	fn.Body = body
+	fn.Body = []ir.Node{body}
 	FinishFuncBody()
 
 	Func(fn)