diff --git a/compiler/examples/test.p8 b/compiler/examples/test.p8
index 174e99fac..a321bc392 100644
--- a/compiler/examples/test.p8
+++ b/compiler/examples/test.p8
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@
     word[len(zcoor)] rotatedz=-1
 
     sub start()  {
+
+
+    label1:
+    label2:
+        Y--
+        if_mi goto label1
+        if_mi goto label1 else goto label2
+
         uword anglex
         uword angley
         uword anglez
diff --git a/compiler/examples/whizzine.p8 b/compiler/examples/whizzine.p8
index 128bb43ff..dd8d36b15 100644
--- a/compiler/examples/whizzine.p8
+++ b/compiler/examples/whizzine.p8
@@ -61,15 +61,18 @@ sub irq() {
 
     angle++
     c64.MSIGX=0
-    for ubyte i in 0 to 14 step 2 {
-        word x = (sin8(angle*2-i*8) as word)+190        ;  @todo will/should be using shifts for faster multiplication
-        byte y = cos8(angle*3-i*8) // 2                 ;  @todo will/should be using shifts for faster multiplication
-        @(SP0X+i) = lsb(x)
-        @(SP0Y+i) = y+150 as ubyte
+    ubyte i=14
 
-        lsr(c64.MSIGX)
-        if msb(x) c64.MSIGX |= %10000000
-    }
+nextsprite:     ; @todo should be a for loop from 14 to 0 step -2 but this causes a value out of range error at the moment
+    word x = (sin8(angle*2-i*8) as word)+190        ;  @todo will/should be using shifts for faster multiplication
+    byte y = cos8(angle*3-i*8) // 2                 ;  @todo will/should be using shifts for faster multiplication
+    @(SP0X+i) = lsb(x)
+    @(SP0Y+i) = y+150 as ubyte
+
+    lsl(c64.MSIGX)
+    if msb(x) c64.MSIGX++
+    i-=2
+    if_pl goto nextsprite
 
     c64.EXTCOL++
 }
diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/AST.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/AST.kt
index fe275e327..0145fc1ff 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/ast/AST.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/ast/AST.kt
@@ -270,9 +270,9 @@ interface IAstProcessor {
         return scope
     }
 
-    fun process(typecastExpression: TypecastExpression): IExpression {
-        typecastExpression.expression = typecastExpression.expression.process(this)
-        return typecastExpression
+    fun process(typecast: TypecastExpression): IExpression {
+        typecast.expression = typecast.expression.process(this)
+        return typecast
     }
 
     fun process(memread: DirectMemoryRead): IExpression {
@@ -1934,7 +1934,7 @@ private fun prog8Parser.ReturnstmtContext.toAst() : Return {
 
 private fun prog8Parser.UnconditionaljumpContext.toAst(): Jump {
     val address = integerliteral()?.toAst()?.number?.toInt()
-    val identifier = scoped_identifier().toAst()
+    val identifier = scoped_identifier()?.toAst()
     return Jump(address, identifier, null, toPosition())
 }
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/Compiler.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/Compiler.kt
index 308b0dc0e..4bdc0c00e 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/Compiler.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/Compiler.kt
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ private class StatementTranslator(private val prog: IntermediateProgram,
                 is VariableInitializationAssignment -> translate(stmt)        // for initializing vars in a scope
                 is Assignment -> translate(stmt)        // normal and augmented assignments
                 is PostIncrDecr -> translate(stmt)
-                is Jump -> translate(stmt)
+                is Jump -> translate(stmt, null)
                 is FunctionCallStatement -> translate(stmt)
                 is IfStatement -> translate(stmt)
                 is BranchStatement -> translate(stmt)
@@ -399,35 +399,67 @@ private class StatementTranslator(private val prog: IntermediateProgram,
          * _stmt_999_end:
          *      nop
          *
-         * @todo generate more efficient bytecode for the form with just jumps: if_xx goto .. [else goto ..] ?
-         *  -> this should translate into just a single branch opcode per goto
+         * if the branch statement just contains jumps, more efficient code is generated.
+         * (just the appropriate branching instruction is outputted!)
          */
+        if(branch.elsepart.isEmpty() && branch.truepart.isEmpty())
+            return
+
+        fun branchOpcode(branch: BranchStatement, complement: Boolean) =
+            if(complement) {
+                when (branch.condition) {
+                    BranchCondition.CS -> Opcode.BCC
+                    BranchCondition.CC -> Opcode.BCS
+                    BranchCondition.EQ, BranchCondition.Z -> Opcode.BNZ
+                    BranchCondition.NE, BranchCondition.NZ -> Opcode.BZ
+                    BranchCondition.VS -> Opcode.BVC
+                    BranchCondition.VC -> Opcode.BVS
+                    BranchCondition.MI, BranchCondition.NEG -> Opcode.BPOS
+                    BranchCondition.PL, BranchCondition.POS -> Opcode.BNEG
+                }
+            } else {
+                when (branch.condition) {
+                    BranchCondition.CS -> Opcode.BCS
+                    BranchCondition.CC -> Opcode.BCC
+                    BranchCondition.EQ, BranchCondition.Z -> Opcode.BZ
+                    BranchCondition.NE, BranchCondition.NZ -> Opcode.BNZ
+                    BranchCondition.VS -> Opcode.BVS
+                    BranchCondition.VC -> Opcode.BVC
+                    BranchCondition.MI, BranchCondition.NEG -> Opcode.BNEG
+                    BranchCondition.PL, BranchCondition.POS -> Opcode.BPOS
+                }
+            }
+
         prog.line(branch.position)
-        val labelElse = makeLabel("else")
-        val labelEnd = makeLabel("end")
-        val opcode = when(branch.condition) {
-            BranchCondition.CS -> Opcode.BCC
-            BranchCondition.CC -> Opcode.BCS
-            BranchCondition.EQ, BranchCondition.Z -> Opcode.BNZ
-            BranchCondition.NE, BranchCondition.NZ -> Opcode.BZ
-            BranchCondition.VS -> Opcode.BVC
-            BranchCondition.VC -> Opcode.BVS
-            BranchCondition.MI, BranchCondition.NEG -> Opcode.BPOS
-            BranchCondition.PL, BranchCondition.POS -> Opcode.BNEG
-        }
-        if(branch.elsepart.isEmpty()) {
-            prog.instr(opcode, callLabel = labelEnd)
-            translate(branch.truepart)
-            prog.label(labelEnd)
+        val truejump = branch.truepart.statements.first()
+        val elsejump = branch.elsepart.statements.firstOrNull()
+        if(truejump is Jump && truejump.address==null && (elsejump ==null || (elsejump is Jump && elsejump.address==null))) {
+            // optimized code for just conditional jumping
+            val opcodeTrue = branchOpcode(branch, false)
+            translate(truejump, opcodeTrue)
+            if(elsejump is Jump) {
+                val opcodeFalse = branchOpcode(branch, true)
+                translate(elsejump, opcodeFalse)
+            }
         } else {
-            prog.instr(opcode, callLabel = labelElse)
-            translate(branch.truepart)
-            prog.instr(Opcode.JUMP, callLabel = labelEnd)
-            prog.label(labelElse)
-            translate(branch.elsepart)
-            prog.label(labelEnd)
+            // regular if..else branching
+            val labelElse = makeLabel("else")
+            val labelEnd = makeLabel("end")
+            val opcode = branchOpcode(branch, true)
+            if (branch.elsepart.isEmpty()) {
+                prog.instr(opcode, callLabel = labelEnd)
+                translate(branch.truepart)
+                prog.label(labelEnd)
+            } else {
+                prog.instr(opcode, callLabel = labelElse)
+                translate(branch.truepart)
+                prog.instr(Opcode.JUMP, callLabel = labelEnd)
+                prog.label(labelElse)
+                translate(branch.elsepart)
+                prog.label(labelEnd)
+            }
+            prog.instr(Opcode.NOP)
         }
-        prog.instr(Opcode.NOP)
     }
 
     private fun makeLabel(postfix: String): String {
@@ -1235,13 +1267,17 @@ private class StatementTranslator(private val prog: IntermediateProgram,
         prog.instr(Opcode.SYSCALL, Value(DataType.UBYTE, callNr))
     }
 
-    private fun translate(stmt: Jump) {
+    private fun translate(stmt: Jump, branchOpcode: Opcode?) {
         var jumpAddress: Value? = null
         var jumpLabel: String? = null
 
         when {
             stmt.generatedLabel!=null -> jumpLabel = stmt.generatedLabel
-            stmt.address!=null -> jumpAddress = Value(DataType.UWORD, stmt.address)
+            stmt.address!=null -> {
+                if(branchOpcode!=null)
+                    throw CompilerException("cannot branch to address, should use absolute jump instead")
+                jumpAddress = Value(DataType.UWORD, stmt.address)
+            }
             else -> {
                 val target = stmt.identifier!!.targetStatement(namespace)!!
                 jumpLabel = when(target) {
@@ -1252,7 +1288,7 @@ private class StatementTranslator(private val prog: IntermediateProgram,
             }
         }
         prog.line(stmt.position)
-        prog.instr(Opcode.JUMP, jumpAddress, jumpLabel)
+        prog.instr(branchOpcode ?: Opcode.JUMP, jumpAddress, jumpLabel)
     }
 
     private fun translate(stmt: PostIncrDecr) {
diff --git a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/target/c64/AsmGen.kt b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/target/c64/AsmGen.kt
index 53bd9b816..b2d6960da 100644
--- a/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/target/c64/AsmGen.kt
+++ b/compiler/src/prog8/compiler/target/c64/AsmGen.kt
@@ -414,8 +414,18 @@ class AsmGen(val options: CompilationOptions, val program: IntermediateProgram,
             Opcode.CLC -> " clc"
             Opcode.SEI -> " sei"
             Opcode.CLI -> " cli"
-            Opcode.JUMP -> " jmp  ${ins.callLabel}"
-            Opcode.CALL -> " jsr  ${ins.callLabel}"
+            Opcode.JUMP -> {
+                if(ins.callLabel!=null)
+                    " jmp  ${ins.callLabel}"
+                else
+                    " jmp  ${hexVal(ins)}"
+            }
+            Opcode.CALL -> {
+                if(ins.callLabel!=null)
+                    " jsr  ${ins.callLabel}"
+                else
+                    " jsr  ${hexVal(ins)}"
+            }
             Opcode.RETURN -> " rts"
             Opcode.RSAVE -> {
                 // save cpu status flag and all registers A, X, Y.