--- old/src/share/vm/opto/output.cpp	2014-02-20 15:52:40.000000000 -0800
+++ new/src/share/vm/opto/output.cpp	2014-02-20 15:52:40.000000000 -0800
@@ -499,9 +499,21 @@
         if (bnum > i) { // adjust following block's offset
           offset -= adjust_block_start;
         }
+
+        // This block can be a loop header, account for the padding
+        // in the previous block.
+        int prev_block_loop_pad = block->code_alignment() - relocInfo::addr_unit();
+        if (i > 0 && prev_block_loop_pad > 0) {
+          assert(br_offs >= prev_block_loop_pad, "Should have at least a padding on top");
+        } else {
+          // First block or not a loop
+          prev_block_loop_pad = 0;
+        }
         // In the following code a nop could be inserted before
         // the branch which will increase the backward distance.
-        bool needs_padding = ((uint)br_offs == last_may_be_short_branch_adr);
+        bool needs_padding = ((uint)(br_offs - prev_block_loop_pad) == last_may_be_short_branch_adr);
+        assert(!needs_padding || jmp_offset[i] == 0, "padding only branches at the beginning of block");
+
         if (needs_padding && offset <= 0)
           offset -= nop_size;