diff --git a/cl/_testrt/cvar/in.go b/cl/_testrt/cvar/in.go
index 408e4942eb..75db1c72b2 100644
--- a/cl/_testrt/cvar/in.go
+++ b/cl/_testrt/cvar/in.go
@@ -18,9 +18,6 @@ var barY struct {
 	Arr [16]int8
 }
 
-// CHECK-LABEL: define void @main.main(){{.*}} {
-// CHECK: load { [16 x i8], [2 x ptr] }, ptr @_bar_x
-// CHECK: load { [16 x i8] }, ptr @_bar_y
 func main() {
 	_ = barX
 	_ = barY
diff --git a/cl/compile.go b/cl/compile.go
index 6ea1569324..14903e83f1 100644
--- a/cl/compile.go
+++ b/cl/compile.go
@@ -1325,34 +1325,28 @@ func (p *context) compileInstrOrValue(b llssa.Builder, iv instrOrValue, asValue
 			if _, ok := p.methodNilDerefChecks[v]; ok {
 				return p.compileCheckedDeref(b, v)
 			}
-			if isEffectfulArrayPointerDeref(v) {
-				x := p.compileValue(b, v.X)
-				p.recordPanicLocation(b, v.Pos())
-				b.AssertNilDeref(x)
-			}
+			effectfulArrayDeref := isEffectfulArrayPointerDeref(v)
 			if refs, ok := nonDebugReferrers(v); ok && len(refs) == 0 {
-				if t := p.type_(v.Type(), llssa.InGo); t.RawType() != nil {
-					if p.isLargeNonPointerValue(t) {
-						x := p.compileValue(b, v.X)
+				if skipUnusedArrayDeref(v) {
+					x := p.compileValue(b, v.X)
+					if effectfulArrayDeref {
 						p.recordPanicLocation(b, v.Pos())
-						p.assertNilDerefBase(b, v.X)
 						b.AssertNilDeref(x)
-						return
 					}
-				}
-				if skipUnusedArrayDeref(v) {
-					p.compileValue(b, v.X)
-					return
-				}
-				if _, ok := types.Unalias(v.Type()).Underlying().(*types.Slice); ok {
-					// Zero-length slice-to-array conversions can leave only
-					// an unused slice deref; preserve its required nil check.
-					x := p.compileValue(b, v.X)
-					p.recordPanicLocation(b, v.Pos())
-					p.assertNilDerefBase(b, v.X)
-					b.AssertNilDeref(x)
 					return
 				}
+				// Elide the unused load, but keep an explicit nil check so the
+				// Go dereference still panics instead of relying on a trapping load.
+				x := p.compileValue(b, v.X)
+				p.recordPanicLocation(b, v.Pos())
+				p.assertNilDerefBase(b, v.X)
+				b.AssertNilDeref(x)
+				return
+			}
+			if effectfulArrayDeref {
+				x := p.compileValue(b, v.X)
+				p.recordPanicLocation(b, v.Pos())
+				b.AssertNilDeref(x)
 			}
 			if refs, ok := nonDebugReferrers(v); ok && len(refs) == 1 {
 				if _, ok := refs[0].(*ssa.MakeInterface); ok {
diff --git a/cl/range_array_compile_test.go b/cl/range_array_compile_test.go
index f004f839da..791ec4a3ea 100644
--- a/cl/range_array_compile_test.go
+++ b/cl/range_array_compile_test.go
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ func rangeArrayReceive(ch <-chan *[3]int) {
 
 	for _, name := range []string{"rangeArrayCall", "rangeArrayReceive"} {
 		ir := mustNamedFunction(t, m, "foo."+name).String()
-		if !strings.Contains(ir, "AssertNilDeref") {
-			t.Fatalf("%s should preserve its required array pointer nil check:\n%s", name, ir)
+		if got := strings.Count(ir, "AssertNilDeref"); got != 1 {
+			t.Fatalf("%s nil-check count = %d, want 1:\n%s", name, got, ir)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -373,6 +373,41 @@ func copyArray(p *[5]int) [5]int {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestEffectfulArrayDerefWithBuiltinRefKeepsNilCheck(t *testing.T) {
+	ssaPkg, _, files := buildGoSSAPkg(t, `
+package foo
+
+func nextArray() *[3]int { return nil }
+
+func discard() { _ = *nextArray() }
+
+func lenSlice(s []int) int { return len(s) }
+`)
+
+	load := findUnOp(t, ssaPkg.Func("discard"), token.MUL, true)
+	refs := load.Referrers()
+	if refs == nil {
+		t.Fatal("array deref has no referrer list")
+	}
+	oldRefs := *refs
+	// Current x/tools folds len(*nextArray()) to a static constant and leaves
+	// the deref unused. Model the builtin ref shape retained by other supported
+	// SSA versions so the compiler compatibility path remains covered.
+	builtin := findBuiltinCall(t, ssaPkg.Func("lenSlice"), "len")
+	*refs = []ssa.Instruction{&ssa.Call{Call: ssa.CallCommon{Value: builtin}}}
+	defer func() { *refs = oldRefs }()
+
+	prog := newLLSSAProg(t)
+	pkg, err := NewPackage(prog, ssaPkg, files)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	ir := mustNamedFunction(t, pkg.Module(), "foo.discard").String()
+	if !strings.Contains(ir, "foo.nextArray") || !strings.Contains(ir, "AssertNilDeref") {
+		t.Fatalf("builtin-referenced array deref should retain its call and nil check:\n%s", ir)
+	}
+}
+
 func findUnOp(t *testing.T, fn *ssa.Function, op token.Token, wantArray bool) *ssa.UnOp {
 	t.Helper()
 	for _, block := range fn.Blocks {
diff --git a/cl/zero_size_deref_test.go b/cl/zero_size_deref_test.go
index 48de2b8d67..a84cccc06f 100644
--- a/cl/zero_size_deref_test.go
+++ b/cl/zero_size_deref_test.go
@@ -71,3 +71,24 @@ func keepPointer(pointer *struct{}) func() bool {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestUnusedDerefEmitsNilGuard(t *testing.T) {
+	const src = `package unusedderef
+func LoadArrayElement() {
+	var values [2]*int
+	_ = *values[1]
+}
+func LoadPointer(p *int) {
+	_ = *p
+}
+`
+	ir := compileWithRewrites(t, src, nil)
+	arrayLoad := llvmFunction(t, ir, "unusedderef.LoadArrayElement")
+	if !strings.Contains(arrayLoad, "AssertNilDeref") {
+		t.Fatalf("unused array-element dereference should retain a nil guard:\n%s", arrayLoad)
+	}
+	directLoad := llvmFunction(t, ir, "unusedderef.LoadPointer")
+	if !strings.Contains(directLoad, "AssertNilDeref") {
+		t.Fatalf("unused direct dereference should retain a nil guard:\n%s", directLoad)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/test/go/nil_deref_address_test.go b/test/go/nil_deref_address_test.go
index e2a9506b3d..c02f966f53 100644
--- a/test/go/nil_deref_address_test.go
+++ b/test/go/nil_deref_address_test.go
@@ -47,6 +47,33 @@ func TestNilDerefAddressOperationsPanic(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestUnusedNilDerefOperationsPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		f    func()
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "direct pointer",
+			f: func() {
+				var p *int
+				_ = *p
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "pointer loaded from array",
+			f: func() {
+				var values [2]*int
+				_ = *values[1]
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			expectNilDerefAddressPanic(t, tt.f)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestNilDerefPrintedCompositeLoadsPanic(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name string
diff --git a/test/goroot/xfail.yaml b/test/goroot/xfail.yaml
index dae23f6fb2..3ae5c8c3ba 100644
--- a/test/goroot/xfail.yaml
+++ b/test/goroot/xfail.yaml
@@ -1391,14 +1391,6 @@ xfails:
     directive: run
     case: fixedbugs/issue29504.go
     reason: panic/fault statement-line granularity in untracked functions (P4b prebuilt pcline)
-  - platform: darwin/arm64
-    directive: run
-    case: fixedbugs/issue38496.go
-    reason: current main goroot run failure on darwin/arm64
-  - platform: linux/amd64
-    directive: run
-    case: fixedbugs/issue38496.go
-    reason: current main goroot run failure on linux/amd64
   - version: go1.26
     platform: darwin/arm64
     directive: rundir