diff --git a/oscar64/NativeCodeGenerator.cpp b/oscar64/NativeCodeGenerator.cpp
index cf16a16..3384721 100644
--- a/oscar64/NativeCodeGenerator.cpp
+++ b/oscar64/NativeCodeGenerator.cpp
@@ -33579,6 +33579,14 @@ bool NativeCodeBasicBlock::PeepHoleOptimizer(NativeCodeProcedure* proc, int pass
 						mIns[i + 1].mType = ASMIT_ROR; mIns[i + 1].mMode = ASMIM_IMPLIED;
 						progress = true;
 					}
+					else if (
+						mIns[i + 0].mType == ASMIT_LDA && mIns[i + 0].mMode == ASMIM_ZERO_PAGE && !(mIns[i + 0].mLive & LIVE_MEM) &&
+						mIns[i + 1].IsShift() && mIns[i + 1].mMode == ASMIM_IMPLIED && !(mIns[i + 1].mLive & LIVE_CPU_REG_A))
+					{
+						mIns[i + 0].mType = mIns[i + 1].mType; mIns[i + 0].mLive |= LIVE_CPU_REG_C;
+						mIns[i + 1].mType = ASMIT_NOP; mIns[i + 1].mMode = ASMIM_IMPLIED;
+						progress = true;
+					}
 					else if (
 						mIns[i + 0].IsShift() && mIns[i + 0].mMode == ASMIM_ZERO_PAGE &&
 						mIns[i + 1].mType == ASMIT_LDA && mIns[i + 1].mMode == ASMIM_ZERO_PAGE && mIns[i + 1].mAddress == mIns[i + 0].mAddress && !(mIns[i + 1].mLive & LIVE_MEM))
@@ -35984,7 +35992,6 @@ bool NativeCodeBasicBlock::PeepHoleOptimizer(NativeCodeProcedure* proc, int pass
 						mIns[i + 3].mAddress = mIns[i + 0].mAddress;
 						progress = true;
 					}
-
 					if (
 						mIns[i + 0].mType == ASMIT_LDY && mIns[i + 0].mMode == ASMIM_IMMEDIATE && mIns[i + 0].mAddress == 0 &&
 						mIns[i + 1].mType == ASMIT_LDA && mIns[i + 1].mMode == ASMIM_INDIRECT_Y &&
diff --git a/samples/sprites/sprmux64.c b/samples/sprites/sprmux64.c
index 94cba11..d34434f 100644
--- a/samples/sprites/sprmux64.c
+++ b/samples/sprites/sprmux64.c
@@ -79,6 +79,24 @@ __interrupt void setspr(void)
 		xpos1 += step;
 	}
 
+	// build highbyte for sprite pos
+	char xymask = 0;
+	if (phase & 0x80)
+	{
+		// put MSB into xymask bit
+		#pragma unroll(full)
+		for(char i=0; i<8; i++)
+			xymask = ((unsigned)xymask | (xp[i] & 0xff00)) >> 1;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		// put MSB into xymask bit
+		#pragma unroll(full)
+		for(char i=0; i<8; i++)
+			xymask = ((unsigned)xymask | (xp[7 - i] & 0xff00)) >> 1;
+	}
+
+
 	// Wait for end of current sprite, xpos will take effect
 	// at start of line, so we need to patch it after the last
 	// pixel line has started
@@ -87,15 +105,10 @@ __interrupt void setspr(void)
 	// Left to right or right to left to get a matching z order
 	if (phase & 0x80)
 	{
-		// MSB mask
-		char	xymask = 0;
-
-		// Update all sprite x LSB and color, put MSB into
-		// xymask bit
+		// Update all sprite x LSB and color
 		#pragma unroll(full)
 		for(char i=0; i<8; i++)
 		{
-			xymask = ((unsigned)xymask | (xp[i] & 0xff00)) >> 1;
 			vic.spr_pos[i].x = xp[i];
 			vic.spr_color[i] = VCOL_ORANGE + i;
 		}
@@ -105,22 +118,16 @@ __interrupt void setspr(void)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		char	xymask = 0;
-
-		// Update all sprite x LSB and color, put MSB into
-		// xymask bit
-
+		// Update all sprite x LSB and color
 		#pragma unroll(full)
 		for(char i=0; i<8; i++)
 		{
-			xymask = ((unsigned)xymask | (xp[7 - i] & 0xff00)) >> 1;
 			vic.spr_pos[i].x = xp[7 - i];
 			vic.spr_color[i] = VCOL_ORANGE + (7 - i);
 		}
-
-		// Update MSB
-		vic.spr_msbx = xymask;		
 	}
+	// Update MSB
+	vic.spr_msbx = xymask;		
 }
 
 // Eight raster interrupts