diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/AST.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/AST.kt
index 416d31684..af188c938 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/AST.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/AST.kt
@@ -1695,6 +1695,7 @@ class Subroutine(override val name: String,
                  val isAsmSubroutine: Boolean,
                  override var statements: MutableList<IStatement>,
                  override val position: Position) : IStatement, INameScope {
+    var keepAlways: Boolean = false
     override lateinit var parent: Node
     val calledBy = mutableSetOf<INameScope>()
     val calls = mutableSetOf<Subroutine>()
diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/StmtReorderer.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/StmtReorderer.kt
index d0732f744..5b6d0c71e 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/StmtReorderer.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/StmtReorderer.kt
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ private class StatementReorderer(private val program: Program): IAstProcessor {
             val statements = varInits.map{it.value}.toMutableList()
             val varInitSub = Subroutine(initvarsSubName, emptyList(), emptyList(), emptyList(), emptyList(),
                     emptySet(), null, false, statements, block.position)
+            varInitSub.keepAlways = true
             varInitSub.linkParents(block)
             block.statements.add(varInitSub)
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/optimizing/StatementOptimizer.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/optimizing/StatementOptimizer.kt
index 180fd05c3..00727c678 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/optimizing/StatementOptimizer.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/optimizing/StatementOptimizer.kt
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@ import kotlin.math.floor
 
 
 /*
-    TODO FIX THE OPTIMIZER: RESULTS IN WRONG CODE FOR THE primes.p8  EXAMPLE
-
-
     todo: subroutines with 1 or 2 byte args or 1 word arg can be converted to asm sub calling convention (args in registers)
 
     todo: implement usage counters for variables (locals and heap), blocks. Remove if count is zero.
@@ -40,13 +37,15 @@ class StatementOptimizer(private val program: Program) : IAstProcessor {
         val entrypoint = program.entrypoint()
         program.modules.forEach {
             callgraph.forAllSubroutines(it) { sub ->
-                if(sub !== entrypoint && (sub.calledBy.isEmpty() || (sub.containsNoCodeNorVars() && !sub.isAsmSubroutine)))
+                if(sub !== entrypoint && !sub.keepAlways && (sub.calledBy.isEmpty() || (sub.containsNoCodeNorVars() && !sub.isAsmSubroutine)))
                     removeSubroutines.add(sub)
             }
         }
 
         if(removeSubroutines.isNotEmpty()) {
-            removeSubroutines.forEach { it.definingScope().statements.remove(it) }
+            removeSubroutines.forEach {
+                it.definingScope().statements.remove(it)
+            }
         }
 
         val removeBlocks = mutableSetOf<Block>()
diff --git a/examples/primes.p8 b/examples/primes.p8
index 51e40c1b6..f89672ed3 100644
--- a/examples/primes.p8
+++ b/examples/primes.p8
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
 
 ~ main {
 
-    ;   TODO FIX THE COMPILER OPTIMIZER ;  RESULTS IN WRONG CODE FOR THIS PROGRAM
-
-
     ubyte[256] sieve
     ubyte candidate_prime = 2       ; is increased in the loop