diff --git a/artiq/compiler/transforms/llvm_ir_generator.py b/artiq/compiler/transforms/llvm_ir_generator.py
index 660cf6750..2956020c8 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/transforms/llvm_ir_generator.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/transforms/llvm_ir_generator.py
@@ -171,6 +171,21 @@ class LLVMIRGenerator:
         self.phis = []
         self.debug_info_emitter = DebugInfoEmitter(self.llmodule)
 
+    def needs_sret(self, lltyp, may_be_large=True):
+        if isinstance(lltyp, ll.VoidType):
+            return False
+        elif isinstance(lltyp, ll.IntType) and lltyp.width <= 32:
+            return False
+        elif isinstance(lltyp, ll.PointerType):
+            return False
+        elif may_be_large and isinstance(lltyp, ll.DoubleType):
+            return False
+        elif may_be_large and isinstance(lltyp, ll.LiteralStructType) \
+                and len(lltyp.elements) <= 2:
+            return not any([self.needs_sret(elt, may_be_large=False) for elt in lltyp.elements])
+        else:
+            return True
+
     def llty_of_type(self, typ, bare=False, for_return=False):
         typ = typ.find()
         if types.is_tuple(typ):
@@ -183,13 +198,28 @@ class LLVMIRGenerator:
         elif types._is_pointer(typ):
             return llptr
         elif types.is_function(typ):
+            sretarg = []
+            llretty = self.llty_of_type(typ.ret, for_return=True)
+            if self.needs_sret(llretty):
+                sretarg = [llretty.as_pointer()]
+                llretty = llvoid
+
             envarg = llptr
-            llty = ll.FunctionType(args=[envarg] +
+            llty = ll.FunctionType(args=sretarg + [envarg] +
                                         [self.llty_of_type(typ.args[arg])
                                          for arg in typ.args] +
                                         [self.llty_of_type(ir.TOption(typ.optargs[arg]))
                                          for arg in typ.optargs],
-                                   return_type=self.llty_of_type(typ.ret, for_return=True))
+                                   return_type=llretty)
+
+            # TODO: actually mark the first argument as sret (also noalias nocapture).
+            # llvmlite currently does not have support for this;
+            # https://github.com/numba/llvmlite/issues/91.
+            if sretarg:
+                llty.__has_sret = True
+            else:
+                llty.__has_sret = False
+
             if bare:
                 return llty
             else:
@@ -896,8 +926,22 @@ class LLVMIRGenerator:
                                        name=insn.name)
         else:
             llfun, llargs = self._prepare_closure_call(insn)
-            return self.llbuilder.call(llfun, llargs,
-                                       name=insn.name)
+
+            if llfun.type.pointee.__has_sret:
+                llstackptr = self.llbuilder.call(self.llbuiltin("llvm.stacksave"), [])
+
+                llresultslot = self.llbuilder.alloca(llfun.type.pointee.args[0].pointee)
+                print(llfun)
+                print(llresultslot)
+                self.llbuilder.call(llfun, [llresultslot] + llargs)
+                llresult = self.llbuilder.load(llresultslot)
+
+                self.llbuilder.call(self.llbuiltin("llvm.stackrestore"), [llstackptr])
+
+                return llresult
+            else:
+                return self.llbuilder.call(llfun, llargs,
+                                           name=insn.name)
 
     def process_Invoke(self, insn):
         llnormalblock = self.map(insn.normal_target())
@@ -937,7 +981,11 @@ class LLVMIRGenerator:
         if builtins.is_none(insn.value().type):
             return self.llbuilder.ret_void()
         else:
-            return self.llbuilder.ret(self.map(insn.value()))
+            if self.llfunction.type.pointee.__has_sret:
+                self.llbuilder.store(self.map(insn.value()), self.llfunction.args[0])
+                return self.llbuilder.ret_void()
+            else:
+                return self.llbuilder.ret(self.map(insn.value()))
 
     def process_Unreachable(self, insn):
         return self.llbuilder.unreachable()