diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/rangefunc/rangefunc_test.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/rangefunc/rangefunc_test.go
index acf0ef6e095e90..4b4974b9dddd54 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/rangefunc/rangefunc_test.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/rangefunc/rangefunc_test.go
@@ -185,10 +185,11 @@ func Check2[U, V any](forall Seq2[U, V]) Seq2[U, V] {
 	return func(body func(U, V) bool) {
 		state := READY
 		forall(func(u U, v V) bool {
-			if state != READY {
-				panic(fail[state])
-			}
+			tmp := state
 			state = PANIC
+			if tmp != READY {
+				panic(fail[tmp])
+			}
 			ret := body(u, v)
 			if ret {
 				state = READY
@@ -208,10 +209,11 @@ func Check[U any](forall Seq[U]) Seq[U] {
 	return func(body func(U) bool) {
 		state := READY
 		forall(func(u U) bool {
-			if state != READY {
-				panic(fail[state])
-			}
+			tmp := state
 			state = PANIC
+			if tmp != READY {
+				panic(fail[tmp])
+			}
 			ret := body(u)
 			if ret {
 				state = READY
@@ -1122,12 +1124,12 @@ func TestPanickyIterator1(t *testing.T) {
 			} else {
 				t.Errorf("Saw wrong panic '%v'", r)
 			}
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
 		} else {
 			t.Errorf("Wanted to see a failure, result was %v", result)
 		}
-		if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
-		}
 	}()
 	for _, z := range PanickyOfSliceIndex([]int{1, 2, 3, 4}) {
 		result = append(result, z)
@@ -1172,12 +1174,12 @@ func TestPanickyIterator2(t *testing.T) {
 			} else {
 				t.Errorf("Saw wrong panic '%v'", r)
 			}
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
 		} else {
 			t.Errorf("Wanted to see a failure, result was %v", result)
 		}
-		if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
-		}
 	}()
 	for _, x := range OfSliceIndex([]int{100, 200}) {
 		result = append(result, x)
@@ -1207,11 +1209,11 @@ func TestPanickyIterator2Check(t *testing.T) {
 			} else {
 				t.Errorf("Saw wrong panic '%v'", r)
 			}
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
 		} else {
-			t.Errorf("Wanted to see a failure, result was %v", result)
-		}
-		if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			t.Errorf("Wanted to see a panic, result was %v", result)
 		}
 	}()
 	for _, x := range Check2(OfSliceIndex([]int{100, 200})) {
@@ -1234,13 +1236,19 @@ func TestPanickyIterator2Check(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestPanickyIterator3(t *testing.T) {
 	var result []int
-	var expect = []int{100, 10, 1, 2, 200, 10, 1, 2}
+	var expect = []int{100, 10, 1, 2}
 	defer func() {
 		if r := recover(); r != nil {
-			t.Errorf("Unexpected panic '%v'", r)
-		}
-		if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			if matchError(r, RERR_MISSING) {
+				t.Logf("Saw expected panic '%v'", r)
+			} else {
+				t.Errorf("Saw wrong panic '%v'", r)
+			}
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
+		} else {
+			t.Errorf("Wanted to see a panic, result was %v", result)
 		}
 	}()
 	for _, x := range OfSliceIndex([]int{100, 200}) {
@@ -1262,13 +1270,19 @@ func TestPanickyIterator3(t *testing.T) {
 }
 func TestPanickyIterator3Check(t *testing.T) {
 	var result []int
-	var expect = []int{100, 10, 1, 2, 200, 10, 1, 2}
+	var expect = []int{100, 10, 1, 2}
 	defer func() {
 		if r := recover(); r != nil {
-			t.Errorf("Unexpected panic '%v'", r)
-		}
-		if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			if matchError(r, CERR_MISSING) {
+				t.Logf("Saw expected panic '%v'", r)
+			} else {
+				t.Errorf("Saw wrong panic '%v'", r)
+			}
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
+		} else {
+			t.Errorf("Wanted to see a panic, result was %v", result)
 		}
 	}()
 	for _, x := range Check2(OfSliceIndex([]int{100, 200})) {
@@ -1298,9 +1312,11 @@ func TestPanickyIterator4(t *testing.T) {
 			} else {
 				t.Errorf("Saw wrong panic '%v'", r)
 			}
-		}
-		if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
+		} else {
+			t.Errorf("Wanted to see a panic, result was %v", result)
 		}
 	}()
 	for _, x := range SwallowPanicOfSliceIndex([]int{1, 2, 3, 4}) {
@@ -1321,9 +1337,11 @@ func TestPanickyIterator4Check(t *testing.T) {
 			} else {
 				t.Errorf("Saw wrong panic '%v'", r)
 			}
-		}
-		if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
+		} else {
+			t.Errorf("Wanted to see a panic, result was %v", result)
 		}
 	}()
 	for _, x := range Check2(SwallowPanicOfSliceIndex([]int{1, 2, 3, 4})) {
@@ -1409,33 +1427,76 @@ X:
 
 // TestVeryBad1 checks the behavior of an extremely poorly behaved iterator.
 func TestVeryBad1(t *testing.T) {
-	result := veryBad([]int{10, 20, 30, 40, 50}) // odd length
-	expect := []int{1, 10}
+	expect := []int{} // assignment does not happen
+	var result []int
 
-	if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-		t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			expectPanic(t, r, RERR_MISSING)
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("(Inner) Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
+		} else {
+			t.Error("Wanted to see a failure")
+		}
+	}()
+
+	result = veryBad([]int{10, 20, 30, 40, 50}) // odd length
+
+}
+
+func expectPanic(t *testing.T, r any, s string) {
+	if matchError(r, s) {
+		t.Logf("Saw expected panic '%v'", r)
+	} else {
+		t.Errorf("Saw wrong panic '%v'", r)
+	}
+}
+
+func expectError(t *testing.T, err any, s string) {
+	if matchError(err, s) {
+		t.Logf("Saw expected error '%v'", err)
+	} else {
+		t.Errorf("Saw wrong error '%v'", err)
 	}
 }
 
 // TestVeryBad2 checks the behavior of an extremely poorly behaved iterator.
 func TestVeryBad2(t *testing.T) {
-	result := veryBad([]int{10, 20, 30, 40}) // even length
-	expect := []int{1, 10}
+	result := []int{}
+	expect := []int{}
+
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			expectPanic(t, r, RERR_MISSING)
+			if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+				t.Errorf("(Inner) Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+			}
+		} else {
+			t.Error("Wanted to see a failure")
+		}
+	}()
+
+	result = veryBad([]int{10, 20, 30, 40}) // even length
 
-	if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-		t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
-	}
 }
 
 // TestVeryBadCheck checks the behavior of an extremely poorly behaved iterator,
 // which also suppresses the exceptions from "Check"
 func TestVeryBadCheck(t *testing.T) {
-	result := veryBadCheck([]int{10, 20, 30, 40}) // even length
-	expect := []int{1, 10}
+	expect := []int{}
+	var result []int
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			expectPanic(t, r, CERR_MISSING)
+		}
+		if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
+			t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	result = veryBadCheck([]int{10, 20, 30, 40}) // even length
 
-	if !slices.Equal(expect, result) {
-		t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v", expect, result)
-	}
 }
 
 // TestOk is the nice version of the very bad iterator.
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/rangefunc/rewrite.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/rangefunc/rewrite.go
index 3752eb9ecdd13e..74c7f55801c6d7 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/rangefunc/rewrite.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/rangefunc/rewrite.go
@@ -157,8 +157,9 @@ The value of #stateK transitions
 
 (3) at the beginning of the iteration of the loop body,
 
-	if #stateN != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#stateN) }
+	if #stateN != abi.RF_READY { #stateN = abi.RF_PANIC ; runtime.panicrangestate(#stateN) }
 	#stateN = abi.RF_PANIC
+	// This is slightly rearranged below for better code generation.
 
 (4) when loop iteration continues,
 
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ becomes
 		{
 			var #state1 = abi.RF_READY
 			f(func(x T1) bool {
-				if #state1 != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#state1) }
+				if #state1 != abi.RF_READY { #state1 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state1) }
 				#state1 = abi.RF_PANIC
 				...
 				if ... { #state1 = abi.RF_DONE ; return false }
@@ -232,11 +233,11 @@ becomes
 		)
 		var #state1 = abi.RF_READY
 		f(func() bool {
-			if #state1 != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#state1) }
+			if #state1 != abi.RF_READY { #state1 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state1) }
 			#state1 = abi.RF_PANIC
 			var #state2 = abi.RF_READY
 			g(func() bool {
-				if #state2 != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#state2) }
+				if #state2 != abi.RF_READY { #state2 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state2) }
 				...
 				{
 					// return a, b
@@ -324,15 +325,15 @@ becomes
 		var #next int
 		var #state1 = abi.RF_READY
 		f(func() { // 1,2
-			if #state1 != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#state1) }
+			if #state1 != abi.RF_READY { #state1 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state1) }
 			#state1 = abi.RF_PANIC
 			var #state2 = abi.RF_READY
 			g(func() { // 3,4
-				if #state2 != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#state2) }
+				if #state2 != abi.RF_READY { #state2 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state2) }
 				#state2 = abi.RF_PANIC
 				var #state3 = abi.RF_READY
 				h(func() { // 5,6
-					if #state3 != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#state3) }
+					if #state3 != abi.RF_READY { #state3 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state3) }
 					#state3 = abi.RF_PANIC
 					...
 					{
@@ -425,16 +426,16 @@ becomes
 		var #next int
 		var #state1 = abi.RF_READY
 		f(func() {
-			if #state1 != abi.RF_READY{ runtime.panicrangestate(#state1) }
+			if #state1 != abi.RF_READY{ #state1 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state1) }
 			#state1 = abi.RF_PANIC
 			var #state2 = abi.RF_READY
 			g(func() {
-				if #state2 != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#state2) }
+				if #state2 != abi.RF_READY { #state2 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state2) }
 				#state2 = abi.RF_PANIC
 				...
 				var #state3 bool = abi.RF_READY
 				h(func() {
-					if #state3 != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#state3) }
+					if #state3 != abi.RF_READY { #state3 = abi.RF_PANIC; runtime.panicrangestate(#state3) }
 					#state3 = abi.RF_PANIC
 					...
 					{
@@ -1182,8 +1183,25 @@ func (r *rewriter) bodyFunc(body []syntax.Stmt, lhs []syntax.Expr, def bool, fty
 	loop := r.forStack[len(r.forStack)-1]
 
 	if r.checkFuncMisuse() {
-		bodyFunc.Body.List = append(bodyFunc.Body.List, r.assertReady(start, loop))
+		// #tmpState := #stateVarN
+		// #stateVarN = abi.RF_PANIC
+		// if #tmpState != abi.RF_READY {
+		//    runtime.panicrangestate(#tmpState)
+		// }
+		//
+		// That is a slightly code-size-optimized version of
+		//
+		// if #stateVarN != abi.RF_READY {
+		//	  #stateVarN = abi.RF_PANIC // If we ever need to specially detect "iterator swallowed checking panic" we put a different value here.
+		//    runtime.panicrangestate(#tmpState)
+		// }
+		// #stateVarN = abi.RF_PANIC
+		//
+
+		tmpDecl, tmpState := r.declSingleVar("#tmpState", r.int.Type(), r.useObj(loop.stateVar))
+		bodyFunc.Body.List = append(bodyFunc.Body.List, tmpDecl)
 		bodyFunc.Body.List = append(bodyFunc.Body.List, r.setState(abi.RF_PANIC, start))
+		bodyFunc.Body.List = append(bodyFunc.Body.List, r.assertReady(start, tmpState))
 	}
 
 	// Original loop body (already rewritten by editStmt during inspect).
@@ -1327,14 +1345,14 @@ func setValueType(x syntax.Expr, typ syntax.Type) {
 
 // assertReady returns the statement:
 //
-//	if #stateK != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#stateK) }
-//
-// where #stateK is the state variable for loop.
-func (r *rewriter) assertReady(start syntax.Pos, loop *forLoop) syntax.Stmt {
+//	if #tmpState != abi.RF_READY { runtime.panicrangestate(#tmpState) }
+func (r *rewriter) assertReady(start syntax.Pos, tmpState *types2.Var) syntax.Stmt {
+
 	nif := &syntax.IfStmt{
-		Cond: r.cond(syntax.Neq, r.useObj(loop.stateVar), r.stateConst(abi.RF_READY)),
+		Cond: r.cond(syntax.Neq, r.useObj(tmpState), r.stateConst(abi.RF_READY)),
 		Then: &syntax.BlockStmt{
-			List: []syntax.Stmt{r.callPanic(start, r.useObj(loop.stateVar))},
+			List: []syntax.Stmt{
+				r.callPanic(start, r.useObj(tmpState))},
 		},
 	}
 	setPos(nif, start)