diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v b/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
index 5249ca8f60..fb38c09910 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/cgen.v
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) stmts_with_tmp_var(stmts []ast.Stmt, tmp_var string) {
 	for i, stmt in stmts {
 		if i == stmts.len - 1 && tmp_var != '' {
 			// Handle if expressions, set the value of the last expression to the temp var.
-			g.write('$tmp_var = ')
+			g.writeln('$tmp_var = /* if expr set */')
 		}
 		g.stmt(stmt)
 		if g.inside_ternary > 0 && i < stmts.len - 1 {
@@ -3166,8 +3166,9 @@ fn (mut g Gen) if_expr(node ast.IfExpr) {
 	// For if expressions with multiple statements or another if expression inside, it's much
 	// easier to use a temp var, than do C tricks with commas, introduce special vars etc
 	// (as it used to be done).
-	needs_tmp_var := node.is_expr && g.pref.experimental &&
-		(node.branches[0].stmts.len > 1 || node.branches[0].stmts[0] is ast.IfExpr)
+	needs_tmp_var := node.is_expr &&
+		(g.pref.autofree || (g.pref.experimental &&
+		(node.branches[0].stmts.len > 1 || node.branches[0].stmts[0] is ast.IfExpr)))
 	tmp := if needs_tmp_var { g.new_tmp_var() } else { '' }
 	mut cur_line := ''
 	if needs_tmp_var {
@@ -3175,7 +3176,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) if_expr(node ast.IfExpr) {
 		styp := g.typ(node.typ)
 		// g.insert_before_stmt('$styp $tmp;')
 		cur_line = g.go_before_stmt(0)
-		g.writeln('$styp $tmp;')
+		g.writeln('$styp $tmp; /* if prepend */')
 	} else if node.is_expr || g.inside_ternary != 0 {
 		g.inside_ternary++
 		g.write('(')
@@ -3270,7 +3271,8 @@ fn (mut g Gen) if_expr(node ast.IfExpr) {
 	}
 	g.writeln('}')
 	if needs_tmp_var {
-		g.writeln('$cur_line $tmp;')
+		// g.writeln('$cur_line $tmp; /*Z*/')
+		g.write('$cur_line $tmp /*Z*/')
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/1.strings_and_arrays.v b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/1.strings_and_arrays.v
index 1cfb278f7e..f3eb153aad 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/1.strings_and_arrays.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/1.strings_and_arrays.v
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-fn return_array(array_arg []string) []int { // array argument must not be freed
-	s := [1, 2, 3] // escaping array must not be freed
-	return s
-}
-
 fn simple() {
 	nums := [1, 2, 3] // local array must be freed
 	println(nums)
@@ -11,6 +6,13 @@ fn simple() {
 	name := 'Peter' // string literals mustn't be freed
 	str_inter := 'hello, $name' // concatenated strings must be freed
 	// nums.free() // this should result in a double free and a CI error
+	arr := return_array([])
+	println(arr)
+}
+
+fn return_array(array_arg []string) []int { // array argument must not be freed
+	s := [1, 2, 3] // escaping array must not be freed
+	return s
 }
 
 fn handle_strings(s string, p string) int {
@@ -156,6 +158,19 @@ fn tt() {
 	// time.parse_rfc2822('1234')
 }
 
+fn get_string(s string) string {
+	return s
+}
+
+/*
+fn return_if_expr() string {
+	return if true {
+		get_string('a' + 'b')
+	} else {
+		get_string('c' + 'd')
+	}
+}
+*/
 fn main() {
 	println('start')
 	simple()
@@ -171,6 +186,7 @@ fn main() {
 	str_replace2()
 	if_cond()
 	addition_with_tmp_expr()
+	// return_if_expr()
 	println('end')
 }