diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.cpp
index 8368f07..be64b7d 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/code/nmethod.cpp
@@ -2101,9 +2101,6 @@ void nmethod::verify() {
     }
   }
 
-  VerifyOopsClosure voc(this);
-  oops_do(&voc);
-  assert(voc.ok(), "embedded oops must be OK");
   Universe::heap()->verify_nmethod(this);
 
   verify_scopes();
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.cpp
index 4815a62..be77d38 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/z/zCollectedHeap.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ jint ZCollectedHeap::initialize() {
   initialize_reserved_region((HeapWord*)ZAddressReservedStart(),
                              (HeapWord*)ZAddressReservedEnd());
 
+  // ZGC fixes up nmethods lazily, so the assumption that nmethods will
+  // look good after GC safepoints, does not hold.
+  Universe::disable_verify_subset(Universe::Verify_CodeCacheOops);
+
   return JNI_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/memory/universe.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/memory/universe.hpp
index 0acc16a..4b89f29 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/memory/universe.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/memory/universe.hpp
@@ -487,6 +487,7 @@ class Universe: AllStatic {
   };
   static void initialize_verify_flags();
   static bool should_verify_subset(uint subset);
+  static void disable_verify_subset(uint subset) { verify_flags &= ~subset; }
   static bool verify_in_progress() { return _verify_in_progress; }
   static void verify(VerifyOption option, const char* prefix);
   static void verify(const char* prefix) {