diff --git a/expr.cpp b/expr.cpp
index 81f51151..2ad7a495 100644
--- a/expr.cpp
+++ b/expr.cpp
@@ -643,13 +643,17 @@ InitSymbol(llvm::Value *ptr, const Type *symType, Expr *initExpr,
             return;
         }
 
-        llvm::Value *constPtr = 
-            new llvm::GlobalVariable(*m->module, llvmType, true /* const */, 
-                                     llvm::GlobalValue::InternalLinkage,
-                                     constValue, "const_initializer");
-        llvm::Value *size = g->target.SizeOf(llvmType, 
-                                             ctx->GetCurrentBasicBlock());
-        ctx->MemcpyInst(ptr, constPtr, size);
+        if (Type::IsBasicType(symType))
+            ctx->StoreInst(constValue, ptr);
+        else {
+            llvm::Value *constPtr = 
+                new llvm::GlobalVariable(*m->module, llvmType, true /* const */, 
+                                         llvm::GlobalValue::InternalLinkage,
+                                         constValue, "const_initializer");
+            llvm::Value *size = g->target.SizeOf(llvmType, 
+                                                 ctx->GetCurrentBasicBlock());
+            ctx->MemcpyInst(ptr, constPtr, size);
+        }
 
         return;
     }
diff --git a/ispc.cpp b/ispc.cpp
index 4e39c0b2..e9357832 100644
--- a/ispc.cpp
+++ b/ispc.cpp
@@ -518,7 +518,9 @@ Target::SizeOf(LLVM_TYPE_CONST llvm::Type *type,
 
     const llvm::TargetData *td = GetTargetMachine()->getTargetData();
     Assert(td != NULL);
-    uint64_t byteSize = td->getTypeSizeInBits(type) / 8;
+    uint64_t bitSize = td->getTypeSizeInBits(type);
+    Assert((bitSize % 8) == 0);
+    uint64_t byteSize = bitSize / 8;
     if (is32Bit || g->opt.force32BitAddressing)
         return LLVMInt32((int32_t)byteSize);
     else