diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/expr.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/expr.go
index 779793b2f2..b46fd905fe 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/expr.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ir/expr.go
@@ -157,13 +157,12 @@ const (
 type CallExpr struct {
 	miniExpr
 	origNode
-	X               Node
-	Args            Nodes
-	KeepAlive       []*Name // vars to be kept alive until call returns
-	IsDDD           bool
-	Use             CallUse
-	NoInline        bool
-	PreserveClosure bool // disable directClosureCall for this call
+	X         Node
+	Args      Nodes
+	KeepAlive []*Name // vars to be kept alive until call returns
+	IsDDD     bool
+	Use       CallUse
+	NoInline  bool
 }
 
 func NewCallExpr(pos src.XPos, op Op, fun Node, args []Node) *CallExpr {
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/closure.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/closure.go
index 5db907d01d..2b7fe8f926 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/closure.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/closure.go
@@ -37,14 +37,6 @@ func directClosureCall(n *ir.CallExpr) {
 		return // leave for walkClosure to handle
 	}
 
-	// If wrapGoDefer() in the order phase has flagged this call,
-	// avoid eliminating the closure even if there is a direct call to
-	// (the closure is needed to simplify the register ABI). See
-	// wrapGoDefer for more details.
-	if n.PreserveClosure {
-		return
-	}
-
 	// We are going to insert captured variables before input args.
 	var params []*types.Field
 	var decls []*ir.Name
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/order.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/order.go
index 4d40cf890e..c24f80508a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/order.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/order.go
@@ -1564,11 +1564,10 @@ func (o *orderState) wrapGoDefer(n *ir.GoDeferStmt) {
 	// TODO: maybe not wrap if the called function has no arguments and
 	// only in-register results?
 	if len(callArgs) == 0 && call.Op() == ir.OCALLFUNC && callX.Type().NumResults() == 0 {
-		if c, ok := call.(*ir.CallExpr); ok && callX != nil && callX.Op() == ir.OCLOSURE {
+		if callX.Op() == ir.OCLOSURE {
 			clo := callX.(*ir.ClosureExpr)
 			clo.Func.SetClosureCalled(false)
 			clo.IsGoWrap = true
-			c.PreserveClosure = true
 		}
 		return
 	}
@@ -1771,9 +1770,6 @@ func (o *orderState) wrapGoDefer(n *ir.GoDeferStmt) {
 	topcall := ir.NewCallExpr(n.Pos(), ir.OCALL, clo, nil)
 	typecheck.Call(topcall)
 
-	// Tag the call to insure that directClosureCall doesn't undo our work.
-	topcall.PreserveClosure = true
-
 	fn.SetClosureCalled(false)
 
 	// Finally, point the defer statement at the newly generated call.
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/stmt.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/stmt.go
index e1ac652364..2352719da3 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/stmt.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/walk/stmt.go
@@ -204,7 +204,9 @@ func walkGoDefer(n *ir.GoDeferStmt) ir.Node {
 	}
 
 	var init ir.Nodes
-	n.Call = walkExpr(n.Call, &init)
+
+	call := n.Call.(*ir.CallExpr)
+	call.X = walkExpr(call.X, &init)
 
 	if len(init) > 0 {
 		init.Append(n)