diff --git a/codeOptimizers/src/prog8/optimizer/StatementOptimizer.kt b/codeOptimizers/src/prog8/optimizer/StatementOptimizer.kt
index 0af583854..17e00b464 100644
--- a/codeOptimizers/src/prog8/optimizer/StatementOptimizer.kt
+++ b/codeOptimizers/src/prog8/optimizer/StatementOptimizer.kt
@@ -430,6 +430,27 @@ class StatementOptimizer(private val program: Program,
                 }
             }
         }
+
+        val constantValue = whenStmt.condition.constValue(program)?.number
+        if(constantValue!=null) {
+            // when condition is a constant
+            var matchingChoice: WhenChoice? = null
+            loop@ for(choice in whenStmt.choices) {
+                for(value in choice.values ?: emptyList()) {
+                    if(value.constValue(program)?.number == constantValue) {
+                        matchingChoice = choice
+                        break@loop
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if(matchingChoice==null)
+                matchingChoice = whenStmt.choices.singleOrNull { it.values==null }
+            if(matchingChoice!=null) {
+                // get rid of the whole when-statement and just leave the matching choice
+                return listOf(IAstModification.ReplaceNode(whenStmt, matchingChoice.statements, parent))
+            }
+        }
+
         return noModifications
     }
 
diff --git a/examples/test.p8 b/examples/test.p8
index f60fec790..c35ff1d9b 100644
--- a/examples/test.p8
+++ b/examples/test.p8
@@ -1,27 +1,17 @@
-%import gfx2
+%zeropage basicsafe
+%option no_sysinit
+%import textio
 
 main {
-    sub start() {
-        gfx2.screen_mode(2)
+  const ubyte FOO = 0
+  const ubyte BAR = 1
 
-        gfx2.safe_circle(120, 140, 200, 1)
-        sys.wait(30)
-        gfx2.safe_circle(520, 140, 200, 1)
-        sys.wait(30)
-        gfx2.safe_circle(120, 340, 200, 1)
-        sys.wait(30)
-        gfx2.safe_circle(520, 340, 200, 1)
-        sys.wait(30)
-
-        gfx2.safe_disc(120, 140, 200, 1)
-        sys.wait(30)
-        gfx2.safe_disc(520, 140, 200, 1)
-        sys.wait(30)
-        gfx2.safe_disc(120, 340, 200, 1)
-        sys.wait(30)
-        gfx2.safe_disc(520, 340, 200, 1)
-
-        repeat {
-        }
+  sub start() {
+    when FOO+BAR {
+        1-> txt.print("path 1")
+        2-> txt.print("path 2")
+        else-> txt.print("path 3")
     }
+    txt.nl()
+  }
 }