diff --git a/src/codegen/llvm.zig b/src/codegen/llvm.zig
index d6313305ac..5c683a965a 100644
--- a/src/codegen/llvm.zig
+++ b/src/codegen/llvm.zig
@@ -10475,11 +10475,14 @@ pub const FuncGen = struct {
         const slice_ty = self.typeOfIndex(inst);
         const slice_llvm_ty = try o.lowerType(pt, slice_ty);
 
+        // If operand is small (e.g. `u8`), then signedness becomes a problem -- GEP always treats the index as signed.
+        const extended_operand = try self.wip.conv(.unsigned, operand, try o.lowerType(pt, .usize), "");
+
         const error_name_table_ptr = try self.getErrorNameTable();
         const error_name_table =
             try self.wip.load(.normal, .ptr, error_name_table_ptr.toValue(&o.builder), .default, "");
         const error_name_ptr =
-            try self.wip.gep(.inbounds, slice_llvm_ty, error_name_table, &.{operand}, "");
+            try self.wip.gep(.inbounds, slice_llvm_ty, error_name_table, &.{extended_operand}, "");
         return self.wip.load(.normal, slice_llvm_ty, error_name_ptr, .default, "");
     }
 
@@ -12774,7 +12777,7 @@ fn isByRef(ty: Type, zcu: *Zcu) bool {
         },
         .@"union" => switch (ty.containerLayout(zcu)) {
             .@"packed" => return false,
-            else => return ty.hasRuntimeBits(zcu),
+            else => return ty.hasRuntimeBits(zcu) and !ty.unionHasAllZeroBitFieldTypes(zcu),
         },
         .error_union => {
             const payload_ty = ty.errorUnionPayload(zcu);
diff --git a/test/behavior/cast.zig b/test/behavior/cast.zig
index 740d123170..7eee20e3e0 100644
--- a/test/behavior/cast.zig
+++ b/test/behavior/cast.zig
@@ -2722,3 +2722,18 @@ test "@intFromFloat vector boundary cases" {
     try S.doTheTest();
     try comptime S.doTheTest();
 }
+
+test "coerce enum to union with zero-bit fields through local variables" {
+    if (builtin.zig_backend == .stage2_aarch64) return error.SkipZigTest;
+
+    const E = enum(u1) { foo, bar };
+    const U = union(E) { foo, bar };
+
+    var runtime: E = undefined;
+    runtime = .foo;
+
+    var result: U = undefined;
+    result = runtime;
+
+    try expect(result == .foo);
+}