diff --git a/sysdeps/alpha/atomicity.h b/sysdeps/alpha/atomicity.h
index 34a538f4c0..6ed2ee61ed 100644
--- a/sysdeps/alpha/atomicity.h
+++ b/sysdeps/alpha/atomicity.h
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ exchange_and_add (volatile uint32_t *mem, int val)
 	"addl	%0,%4,%1\n\t"
 	"stl_c	%1,%2\n\t"
 	"beq	%1,2f\n"
-	".subsection 2\n"
+	".subsection 1\n"
 	"2:\t"
 	"br	1b\n"
-	".subsection 1\n\t"
+	".previous\n\t"
 	"mb\n\t"
 	"/* End exchange & add */"
 	: "=&r"(result), "=&r"(tmp), "=m"(*mem)
@@ -61,10 +61,10 @@ atomic_add (volatile uint32_t *mem, int val)
 	"addl	%0,%3,%0\n\t"
 	"stl_c	%0,%1\n\t"
 	"beq	%0,2f\n\t"
-	".subsection 2\n"
+	".subsection 1\n"
 	"2:\t"
 	"br	1b\n"
-	".subsection 1\n\t"
+	".previous\n\t"
 	"mb\n\t"
 	"/* End exchange & add */"
 	: "=&r"(result), "=m"(*mem)
@@ -86,10 +86,10 @@ compare_and_swap (volatile long int *p, long int oldval, long int newval)
 	"mov	%3,%0\n\t"
 	"stq_c	%0,%1\n\t"
 	"beq	%0,2f\n\t"
-	".subsection 2\n"
+	".subsection 1\n"
 	"2:\t"
 	"br	1b\n"
-	".subsection 1\n\t"
+	".previous\n\t"
 	"3:\t"
 	"mb\n\t"
 	"/* End compare & swap */"