diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
index 4b2f57dcd9..e92521a79c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/ssa/deadstore.go
@@ -203,7 +203,8 @@ func elimDeadAutosGeneric(f *Func) {
 
 		// If the address of the auto reaches a memory or control
 		// operation not covered above then we probably need to keep it.
-		if v.Type.IsMemory() || v.Type.IsFlags() || (v.Op != OpPhi && v.MemoryArg() != nil) {
+		// We also need to keep autos if they reach Phis (issue #26153).
+		if v.Type.IsMemory() || v.Type.IsFlags() || v.Op == OpPhi || v.MemoryArg() != nil {
 			for _, a := range args {
 				if n, ok := addr[a]; ok {
 					if !used[n] {
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue26153.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue26153.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..53f53cf8a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue26153.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// run
+
+// Copyright 2018 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.
+
+// Issue 26153. The write to ps was incorrectly
+// removed by the dead auto elimination pass.
+
+package main
+
+const hello = "hello world"
+
+func main() {
+	var s string
+	mangle(&s)
+	if s != hello {
+		panic("write incorrectly elided")
+	}
+}
+
+//go:noinline
+func mangle(ps *string) {
+	if ps == nil {
+		var s string
+		ps = &s
+	}
+	*ps = hello
+}