diff --git a/src/llvm_backend.cpp b/src/llvm_backend.cpp
index 4eb343fa7..d7f391690 100644
--- a/src/llvm_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/llvm_backend.cpp
@@ -758,9 +758,29 @@ lbProcedure *lb_create_startup_runtime(lbModule *main_module, lbProcedure *start
 		GB_ASSERT(e->kind == Entity_Variable);
 		e->code_gen_module = entity_module;
 
-		Ast *init_expr = var->decl->init_expr;
+		Ast *init_expr = unparen_expr(var->decl->init_expr);
 		if (init_expr != nullptr)  {
-			lbValue init = lb_build_expr(p, init_expr);
+			lbValue init = {};
+
+			if (!(is_type_any(e->type) || is_type_union(e->type))) {
+				if (init_expr->kind == Ast_UnaryExpr && init_expr->UnaryExpr.op.kind == Token_And) {
+					// NOTE(bill): Just get the value directly and store it in another global variable
+					Ast *expr = unparen_expr(init_expr->UnaryExpr.expr);
+					if (expr->tav.value.kind != ExactValue_Invalid) {
+						init = lb_build_expr(p, expr);
+						GB_ASSERT(init.value != nullptr);
+						GB_ASSERT(LLVMIsConstant(init.value));
+
+						lbAddr addr = lb_add_global_generated(p->module, init.type, init, nullptr);
+						LLVMValueRef global_val = lb_make_global_truly_private(addr);
+						LLVMSetInitializer(var->var.value, global_val);
+						var->is_initialized = true;
+						continue;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			init = lb_build_expr(p, init_expr);
 			if (init.value == nullptr) {
 				LLVMTypeRef global_type = llvm_addr_type(p->module, var->var);
 				if (is_type_untyped_undef(init.type)) {
@@ -1588,7 +1608,6 @@ void lb_generate_code(lbGenerator *gen) {
 		bool is_foreign = e->Variable.is_foreign;
 		bool is_export  = e->Variable.is_export;
 
-
 		lbModule *m = &gen->default_module;
 		String name = lb_get_entity_name(m, e);
 
diff --git a/src/llvm_backend.hpp b/src/llvm_backend.hpp
index 79f0f37e7..70f528251 100644
--- a/src/llvm_backend.hpp
+++ b/src/llvm_backend.hpp
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ lbContextData *lb_push_context_onto_stack_from_implicit_parameter(lbProcedure *p
 
 lbAddr lb_add_global_generated(lbModule *m, Type *type, lbValue value={}, Entity **entity_=nullptr);
 lbAddr lb_add_local(lbProcedure *p, Type *type, Entity *e=nullptr, bool zero_init=true, i32 param_index=0, bool force_no_init=false);
+LLVMValueRef lb_make_global_truly_private(lbAddr const &addr);
 
 void lb_add_foreign_library_path(lbModule *m, Entity *e);
 
diff --git a/src/llvm_backend_general.cpp b/src/llvm_backend_general.cpp
index 1f8fccdcb..94429e410 100644
--- a/src/llvm_backend_general.cpp
+++ b/src/llvm_backend_general.cpp
@@ -926,11 +926,7 @@ void lb_emit_store(lbProcedure *p, lbValue ptr, lbValue value) {
 			return;
 		} else if (LLVMIsConstant(value.value)) {
 			lbAddr addr = lb_add_global_generated(p->module, value.type, value, nullptr);
-			LLVMValueRef global_data = addr.addr.value;
-			// make it truly private data
-			LLVMSetLinkage(global_data, LLVMPrivateLinkage);
-			LLVMSetUnnamedAddress(global_data, LLVMGlobalUnnamedAddr);
-			LLVMSetGlobalConstant(global_data, true);
+			LLVMValueRef global_data = lb_make_global_truly_private(addr);
 
 			LLVMValueRef dst_ptr = ptr.value;
 			LLVMValueRef src_ptr = global_data;
@@ -2669,6 +2665,15 @@ lbValue lb_find_procedure_value_from_entity(lbModule *m, Entity *e) {
 	return {};
 }
 
+LLVMValueRef lb_make_global_truly_private(lbAddr const &addr) {
+	LLVMValueRef global_data = addr.addr.value;
+	// make it truly private data
+	LLVMSetLinkage(global_data, LLVMPrivateLinkage);
+	LLVMSetUnnamedAddress(global_data, LLVMGlobalUnnamedAddr);
+	LLVMSetGlobalConstant(global_data, true);
+	return global_data;
+}
+
 lbAddr lb_add_global_generated(lbModule *m, Type *type, lbValue value, Entity **entity_) {
 	GB_ASSERT(type != nullptr);
 	type = default_type(type);