diff --git a/compiler/dbgdwarf.pas b/compiler/dbgdwarf.pas
index 7f2769ac8e..7b1e1523e7 100644
--- a/compiler/dbgdwarf.pas
+++ b/compiler/dbgdwarf.pas
@@ -4279,7 +4279,11 @@ implementation
               { yes -> length = 0 }
               current_asmdata.asmlists[al_dwarf_info].concat(tai_const.create_8bit(ord(DW_OP_lit0)));
               current_asmdata.asmlists[al_dwarf_info].concat(tai_const.create_8bit(ord(DW_OP_skip)));
-              current_asmdata.asmlists[al_dwarf_info].concat(tai_const.create_16bit_unaligned(3));
+              if upperopcodes=16 then
+                { skip the extra deref_size argument and the division by two of the length }
+                current_asmdata.asmlists[al_dwarf_info].concat(tai_const.create_16bit_unaligned(6))
+              else
+                current_asmdata.asmlists[al_dwarf_info].concat(tai_const.create_16bit_unaligned(3));
               { no -> load length }
               if upperopcodes=16 then
                 { for Windows WideString the size is always a DWORD }