diff --git a/gcc/cobol/gengen.cc b/gcc/cobol/gengen.cc
index 950f20e92b9dd1563d12f0245d4e29aebf6dbff4..4cf03e5ab3cb5e594ce1c445b6382d570d0bb4c2 100644
--- a/gcc/cobol/gengen.cc
+++ b/gcc/cobol/gengen.cc
@@ -1516,6 +1516,7 @@ gg_get_address_of(const tree var_decl)
   // I'll take the dangerous road.
 
   TREE_ADDRESSABLE(var_decl) = 1;
+  TREE_USED(var_decl) = 1;
   return build1(  ADDR_EXPR,
                   build_pointer_type (TREE_TYPE(var_decl)),
                   var_decl);