--- old/src/share/vm/oops/oop.inline.hpp	2016-09-10 17:52:16.540303189 -0400
+++ new/src/share/vm/oops/oop.inline.hpp	2016-09-10 17:52:16.392302455 -0400
@@ -129,10 +129,14 @@
   return &_metadata._compressed_klass;
 }
 
+#define CHECK_SET_KLASS(k)                                                \
+  do {                                                                    \
+    assert(Universe::is_bootstrapping() || k != NULL, "NULL Klass");      \
+    assert(Universe::is_bootstrapping() || k->is_klass(), "not a Klass"); \
+  } while (0)
+
 void oopDesc::set_klass(Klass* k) {
-  // since klasses are promoted no store check is needed
-  assert(Universe::is_bootstrapping() || k != NULL, "must be a real Klass*");
-  assert(Universe::is_bootstrapping() || k->is_klass(), "not a Klass*");
+  CHECK_SET_KLASS(k);
   if (UseCompressedClassPointers) {
     *compressed_klass_addr() = Klass::encode_klass_not_null(k);
   } else {
@@ -140,6 +144,18 @@
   }
 }
 
+void oopDesc::release_set_klass(Klass* k) {
+  CHECK_SET_KLASS(k);
+  if (UseCompressedClassPointers) {
+    OrderAccess::release_store(compressed_klass_addr(),
+                               Klass::encode_klass_not_null(k));
+  } else {
+    OrderAccess::release_store_ptr(klass_addr(), k);
+  }
+}
+
+#undef CHECK_SET_KLASS
+
 int oopDesc::klass_gap() const {
   return *(int*)(((intptr_t)this) + klass_gap_offset_in_bytes());
 }