diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 85a685547..e91a7c647 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,20 @@
+2013-02-05 Paulo Andrade <pcpa@gnu.org>
+
+	*include/lightning.h, lib/lightning.c: Add the new jit_live code
+	to explicitly mark a register as live. It is required to avoid
+	assuming functions always return a value in the gpr and fpr return
+	register, and to avoid the need of some very specialized codes
+	that vary too much from backend to backend, to instruct the
+	optimization code the return register is live.
+
+	* lib/jit_arm.c, lib/jit_mips.c, lib/jit_ppc.c, lib/jit_print.c,
+	lib/jit_x86.c: Update for the new jit_live code.
+
+	* check/ret.ok, check/ret.tst: New files implementing a simple
+	test case that would previously fail at least in ix86/x86_64.
+
+	* check/Makefile.am: Update for new "ret" test case.
+
 2013-02-05 Paulo Andrade <pcpa@gnu.org>
 
 	* lib/jit_ppc-cpu.c, lib/jit_ppc.c: Validate and correct
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 5fd2df361..a2d9a25b2 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -13,16 +13,6 @@
 	and "i" variants, and possibly unsigned version. Branches
 	would use "bo" and "bx" prefix.
 
-	* Convert retr to an actual node, otherwise, code like:
-	movi %r0 1
-	divr %r1 %r2 %r3
-	retr %r0
-	will fail in x86 because, besides "divr" telling it clobbers
-	%rax (r0) it ends being ignored because retr is a noop there
-	(removed "mov %rax,%rax" expansion) and the code checking for
-	live registers ends up not knowing about %rax being live after
-	the "divr". This affects only x86.
-
 	* Validate that divrem in jit_x86-cpu.c is not modifying
 	the non result arguments. This is not verified by clobber.tst,
 	as it only checks registers not involved in the operation
diff --git a/check/Makefile.am b/check/Makefile.am
index 34fbbcf59..220c99a37 100644
--- a/check/Makefile.am
+++ b/check/Makefile.am
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST =				\
 	qalu.inc			\
 	qalu_mul.tst	qalu_mul.ok	\
 	qalu_div.tst	qalu_div.ok	\
+	ret.tst		ret.ok		\
 	ccall.ok			\
 	check.sh			\
 	check.x87.sh			\
@@ -92,7 +93,8 @@ base_TESTS =				\
 	varargs stack			\
 	clobber carry call		\
 	float				\
-	qalu_mul qalu_div
+	qalu_mul qalu_div		\
+	ret
 
 $(base_TESTS):	check.sh
 	$(LN_S) $(srcdir)/check.sh $@
diff --git a/check/ret.ok b/check/ret.ok
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9766475a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/check/ret.ok
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ok
diff --git a/check/ret.tst b/check/ret.tst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..de1d82c01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/check/ret.tst
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+.data	16
+ok:
+.c	"ok"
+
+.code
+	jmpi main
+
+/*
+ * very simple test on purpose because otherwise it would not trigger
+ * the bug where the retr %r0 or retr_d %f0 would be omitted because
+ * the argument was already the return register, but the register end
+ * clobbered by another instruction, like the div*, and the wrong
+ * value returned because the retr* was removed and this way, lost
+ * information that the register was live at function exit.
+ */
+
+check_r0:
+	prolog
+	movi %r0 1
+	movi %r2 10
+	// on x86 this changes %rax on other arches could use %r0 as temporary
+	divi %r1 %r2 3
+	// %r0 must still be 1
+	retr %r0
+	epilog
+
+check_f0:
+	prolog
+	movi_d %f0 0.5
+	movi_d %f2 10
+	divi_d %f1 %f2 3
+	retr_d %f0
+	epilog
+
+main:
+	prolog
+	calli check_r0
+	retval %r1
+	beqi r0_ok %r1 1
+	calli @abort
+r0_ok:
+	calli check_f0
+	retval_d %f1
+	beqi_d f0_ok %f1 0.5
+	calli @abort
+f0_ok:
+	prepare
+		pushargi ok
+	finishi @puts
+	ret
+	epilog
diff --git a/include/lightning.h b/include/lightning.h
index 3694616cb..057b45a12 100644
--- a/include/lightning.h
+++ b/include/lightning.h
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ typedef struct jit_state	jit_state_t;
 typedef enum {
 #define jit_data(u,v,w)		_jit_data(_jit,u,v,w)
     jit_code_data,
+#define jit_live(u)		jit_new_node_w(jit_code_live, u)
+    jit_code_live,
     jit_code_save,		jit_code_load,
 #define jit_name(u)		_jit_name(_jit,u)
     jit_code_name,
diff --git a/lib/jit_arm.c b/lib/jit_arm.c
index d27d79678..4c760f845 100644
--- a/lib/jit_arm.c
+++ b/lib/jit_arm.c
@@ -278,7 +278,10 @@ _jit_ret(jit_state_t *_jit)
 void
 _jit_retr(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
-    jit_movr(JIT_RET, u);
+    if (JIT_RET != u)
+	jit_movr(JIT_RET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_RET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -295,20 +298,24 @@ _jit_retr_f(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
     if (jit_cpu.abi) {
 	if (u != JIT_FRET)
 	    jit_movr_f(JIT_FRET, u);
+	else
+	    jit_live(JIT_FRET);
+    }
+    else {
+	if (u != JIT_RET)
+	    jit_movr_f_w(JIT_RET, u);
+	else
+	    jit_live(JIT_RET);
     }
-    else if (u != JIT_RET)
-	jit_movr_f_w(JIT_RET, u);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
 void
 _jit_reti_f(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_float32_t u)
 {
-    if (jit_cpu.abi) {
-	if (u != JIT_FRET)
-	    jit_movi_f(JIT_FRET, u);
-    }
-    else if (u != JIT_RET)
+    if (jit_cpu.abi)
+	jit_movi_f(JIT_FRET, u);
+    else
 	jit_movi_f_w(JIT_RET, u);
     jit_ret();
 }
@@ -319,20 +326,24 @@ _jit_retr_d(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
     if (jit_cpu.abi) {
 	if (u != JIT_FRET)
 	    jit_movr_d(JIT_FRET, u);
+	else
+	    jit_live(JIT_FRET);
+    }
+    else {
+	if (u != JIT_RET)
+	    jit_movr_d_ww(JIT_RET, _R1, u);
+	else
+	    jit_live(JIT_RET);
     }
-    else if (u != JIT_RET)
-	jit_movr_d_ww(JIT_RET, _R1, u);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
 void
 _jit_reti_d(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_float64_t u)
 {
-    if (jit_cpu.abi) {
-	if (u != JIT_FRET)
-	    jit_movi_d(JIT_FRET, u);
-    }
-    else if (u != JIT_RET)
+    if (jit_cpu.abi)
+	jit_movi_d(JIT_FRET, u);
+    else
 	jit_movi_d_ww(JIT_RET, _R1, u);
     jit_ret();
 }
@@ -1476,6 +1487,7 @@ _emit_code(jit_state_t *_jit)
 		else
 		    vfp_movi_d(rn(node->u.w), node->w.d);
 		break;
+	    case jit_code_live:
 	    case jit_code_arg:
 	    case jit_code_arg_f:		case jit_code_arg_d:
 		break;
diff --git a/lib/jit_mips.c b/lib/jit_mips.c
index 4c606c4bc..745623ff4 100644
--- a/lib/jit_mips.c
+++ b/lib/jit_mips.c
@@ -187,14 +187,20 @@ _jit_retr(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 void
 _jit_reti(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_word_t u)
 {
-    jit_movi(JIT_RET, u);
+    if (JIT_RET != u)
+	jit_movi(JIT_RET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_RET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
 void
 _jit_retr_f(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
-    jit_movr_f(JIT_FRET, u);
+    if (JIT_FRET != u)
+	jit_movr_f(JIT_FRET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_FRET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -208,7 +214,10 @@ _jit_reti_f(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_float32_t u)
 void
 _jit_retr_d(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
-    jit_movr_d(JIT_FRET, u);
+    if (JIT_FRET != u)
+	jit_movr_d(JIT_FRET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_FRET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -1209,6 +1218,7 @@ _emit_code(jit_state_t *_jit)
 		movi_d_ww(rn(node->u.w), rn(node->v.w),
 			  (jit_float64_t *)node->w.n->u.w);
 		break;
+	    case jit_code_live:
 	    case jit_code_arg:
 	    case jit_code_arg_f:		case jit_code_arg_d:
 		break;
diff --git a/lib/jit_ppc.c b/lib/jit_ppc.c
index 301c3fb06..d63fe7902 100644
--- a/lib/jit_ppc.c
+++ b/lib/jit_ppc.c
@@ -186,7 +186,10 @@ _jit_ret(jit_state_t *_jit)
 void
 _jit_retr(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
-    jit_movr(JIT_RET, u);
+    if (JIT_RET != u)
+	jit_movr(JIT_RET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_RET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -200,7 +203,10 @@ _jit_reti(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_word_t u)
 void
 _jit_retr_f(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
-    jit_movr_f(JIT_FRET, u);
+    if (JIT_RET != u)
+	jit_movr_f(JIT_FRET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_FRET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -214,7 +220,10 @@ _jit_reti_f(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_float32_t u)
 void
 _jit_retr_d(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
-    jit_movr_d(JIT_FRET, u);
+    if (JIT_FRET != u)
+	jit_movr_d(JIT_FRET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_FRET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -1188,6 +1197,7 @@ _emit_code(jit_state_t *_jit)
 		epilog(node);
 		_jit->function = NULL;
 		break;
+	    case jit_code_live:
 	    case jit_code_arg:
 	    case jit_code_arg_f:		case jit_code_arg_d:
 		break;
diff --git a/lib/jit_print.c b/lib/jit_print.c
index ee7e08d23..5cec55b6a 100644
--- a/lib/jit_print.c
+++ b/lib/jit_print.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
  */
 static char *code_name[] = {
     "data",
+    "live",
     "save",		"load",
     "#name",		"#note",
     "label",
diff --git a/lib/jit_x86.c b/lib/jit_x86.c
index bac645964..f33448a76 100644
--- a/lib/jit_x86.c
+++ b/lib/jit_x86.c
@@ -356,8 +356,12 @@ _jit_ret(jit_state_t *_jit)
 void
 _jit_retr(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
+    /* movr(%ret, %ret) would be optimized out */
     if (JIT_RET != u)
 	jit_movr(JIT_RET, u);
+    /* explicitly tell it is live */
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_RET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -373,6 +377,8 @@ _jit_retr_f(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
     if (JIT_FRET != u)
 	jit_movr_f(JIT_FRET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_FRET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -388,6 +394,8 @@ _jit_retr_d(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_int32_t u)
 {
     if (JIT_FRET != u)
 	jit_movr_d(JIT_FRET, u);
+    else
+	jit_live(JIT_FRET);
     jit_ret();
 }
 
@@ -1599,6 +1607,7 @@ _emit_code(jit_state_t *_jit)
 		    fstpr(rn(node->u.w) + 1);
 		break;
 #endif
+	    case jit_code_live:
 	    case jit_code_arg:
 	    case jit_code_arg_f:		case jit_code_arg_d:
 		break;
diff --git a/lib/lightning.c b/lib/lightning.c
index c2ee09078..2486e51cf 100644
--- a/lib/lightning.c
+++ b/lib/lightning.c
@@ -809,6 +809,9 @@ _jit_classify(jit_state_t *_jit, jit_code_t code)
 	case jit_code_prolog:	case jit_code_epilog:
 	    mask = 0;
 	    break;
+	case jit_code_live:
+	    mask = jit_cc_a0_reg;
+	    break;
 	case jit_code_arg:	case jit_code_arg_f:	case jit_code_arg_d:
 	    mask = jit_cc_a0_int;
 	    break;