diff --git a/compiler/optimizing/code_generator_arm.cc b/compiler/optimizing/code_generator_arm.cc
index 1c76630..7a0c9c1 100644
--- a/compiler/optimizing/code_generator_arm.cc
+++ b/compiler/optimizing/code_generator_arm.cc
@@ -2883,7 +2883,7 @@
   Location left = locations->InAt(0);
   Location right = locations->InAt(1);
 
-  Label less, greater, done;
+  NearLabel less, greater, done;
   Primitive::Type type = compare->InputAt(0)->GetType();
   switch (type) {
     case Primitive::kPrimLong: {
@@ -2979,7 +2979,7 @@
                                                           Register temp1,
                                                           Register temp2,
                                                           HInstruction* instruction) {
-  Label fail;
+  NearLabel fail;
   if (offset != 0) {
     __ LoadImmediate(temp1, offset);
     __ add(IP, addr, ShifterOperand(temp1));
@@ -3659,7 +3659,7 @@
                                   Register object,
                                   Register value,
                                   bool can_be_null) {
-  Label is_null;
+  NearLabel is_null;
   if (can_be_null) {
     __ CompareAndBranchIfZero(value, &is_null);
   }
@@ -4081,14 +4081,13 @@
   Register cls = locations->InAt(1).AsRegister<Register>();
   Register out = locations->Out().AsRegister<Register>();
   uint32_t class_offset = mirror::Object::ClassOffset().Int32Value();
-  Label done, zero;
+  NearLabel done, zero;
   SlowPathCodeARM* slow_path = nullptr;
 
   // Return 0 if `obj` is null.
   // avoid null check if we know obj is not null.
   if (instruction->MustDoNullCheck()) {
-    __ cmp(obj, ShifterOperand(0));
-    __ b(&zero, EQ);
+    __ CompareAndBranchIfZero(obj, &zero);
   }
   // Compare the class of `obj` with `cls`.
   __ LoadFromOffset(kLoadWord, out, obj, class_offset);
@@ -4139,16 +4138,17 @@
       instruction, locations->InAt(1), locations->GetTemp(0), instruction->GetDexPc());
   codegen_->AddSlowPath(slow_path);
 
+  NearLabel done;
   // avoid null check if we know obj is not null.
   if (instruction->MustDoNullCheck()) {
-    __ cmp(obj, ShifterOperand(0));
-    __ b(slow_path->GetExitLabel(), EQ);
+    __ CompareAndBranchIfZero(obj, &done);
   }
   // Compare the class of `obj` with `cls`.
   __ LoadFromOffset(kLoadWord, temp, obj, class_offset);
   __ cmp(temp, ShifterOperand(cls));
   __ b(slow_path->GetEntryLabel(), NE);
   __ Bind(slow_path->GetExitLabel());
+  __ Bind(&done);
 }
 
 void LocationsBuilderARM::VisitMonitorOperation(HMonitorOperation* instruction) {
diff --git a/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_arm.h b/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_arm.h
index dee8287..a19a764 100644
--- a/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_arm.h
+++ b/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_arm.h
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@
 class Arm32Assembler;
 class Thumb2Assembler;
 
+// This class indicates that the label and its uses
+// will fall into a range that is encodable in 16bits on thumb2.
+class NearLabel : public Label {
+ public:
+  NearLabel() {}
+
+ private:
+  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(NearLabel);
+};
+
 class ShifterOperand {
  public:
   ShifterOperand() : type_(kUnknown), rm_(kNoRegister), rs_(kNoRegister),
@@ -519,6 +529,9 @@
 
   // Branch instructions.
   virtual void b(Label* label, Condition cond = AL) = 0;
+  virtual void b(NearLabel* label, Condition cond = AL) {
+    b(reinterpret_cast<Label*>(label), cond);
+  }
   virtual void bl(Label* label, Condition cond = AL) = 0;
   virtual void blx(Register rm, Condition cond = AL) = 0;
   virtual void bx(Register rm, Condition cond = AL) = 0;
@@ -654,6 +667,9 @@
   virtual void Bind(Label* label) = 0;
 
   virtual void CompareAndBranchIfZero(Register r, Label* label) = 0;
+  virtual void CompareAndBranchIfZero(Register r, NearLabel* label) {
+    CompareAndBranchIfZero(r, reinterpret_cast<Label*>(label));
+  }
   virtual void CompareAndBranchIfNonZero(Register r, Label* label) = 0;
 
   //
diff --git a/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_arm32.h b/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_arm32.h
index 55ec7b4..4564767 100644
--- a/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_arm32.h
+++ b/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_arm32.h
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@
   void vpopd(DRegister reg, int nregs, Condition cond = AL) OVERRIDE;
 
   // Branch instructions.
-  void b(Label* label, Condition cond = AL);
-  void bl(Label* label, Condition cond = AL);
+  void b(Label* label, Condition cond = AL) OVERRIDE;
+  void bl(Label* label, Condition cond = AL) OVERRIDE;
   void blx(Register rm, Condition cond = AL) OVERRIDE;
   void bx(Register rm, Condition cond = AL) OVERRIDE;
   void Lsl(Register rd, Register rm, uint32_t shift_imm, bool setcc = false,
diff --git a/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_thumb2.cc b/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_thumb2.cc
index 75f2b77..c3b19da 100644
--- a/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_thumb2.cc
+++ b/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_thumb2.cc
@@ -671,11 +671,17 @@
   EmitVFPddd(cond, B23 | B21 | B20 | B18 | B16 | B6, dd, D0, D0);
 }
 
+
 void Thumb2Assembler::b(Label* label, Condition cond) {
   EmitBranch(cond, label, false, false);
 }
 
 
+void Thumb2Assembler::b(NearLabel* label, Condition cond) {
+  EmitBranch(cond, label, false, false, true /* is_near */);
+}
+
+
 void Thumb2Assembler::bl(Label* label, Condition cond) {
   CheckCondition(cond);
   EmitBranch(cond, label, true, false);
@@ -1613,7 +1619,7 @@
 }
 
 
-void Thumb2Assembler::EmitBranch(Condition cond, Label* label, bool link, bool x) {
+void Thumb2Assembler::EmitBranch(Condition cond, Label* label, bool link, bool x, bool is_near) {
   uint32_t pc = buffer_.Size();
   Branch::Type branch_type;
   if (cond == AL) {
@@ -1644,8 +1650,8 @@
     }
   } else {
     // Branch is to an unbound label.  Emit space for it.
-    uint16_t branch_id = AddBranch(branch_type, pc, cond);    // Unresolved branch.
-    if (!CanRelocateBranches() || force_32bit_) {
+    uint16_t branch_id = AddBranch(branch_type, pc, cond, is_near);    // Unresolved branch.
+    if (force_32bit_ || (!CanRelocateBranches() && !is_near)) {
       Emit16(static_cast<uint16_t>(label->position_));    // Emit current label link.
       Emit16(0);                   // another 16 bits.
     } else {
@@ -2750,6 +2756,11 @@
 }
 
 
+void Thumb2Assembler::CompareAndBranchIfZero(Register r, NearLabel* label) {
+  cbz(r, label);
+}
+
+
 void Thumb2Assembler::CompareAndBranchIfNonZero(Register r, Label* label) {
   if (CanRelocateBranches()) {
     cbnz(r, label);
diff --git a/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_thumb2.h b/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_thumb2.h
index 90d489f..e8def73 100644
--- a/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_thumb2.h
+++ b/compiler/utils/arm/assembler_thumb2.h
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@
 
   // Branch instructions.
   void b(Label* label, Condition cond = AL);
+  void b(NearLabel* label, Condition cond = AL);
   void bl(Label* label, Condition cond = AL);
   void blx(Label* label);
   void blx(Register rm, Condition cond = AL) OVERRIDE;
@@ -273,6 +274,7 @@
   void Mov(Register rd, Register rm, Condition cond = AL) OVERRIDE;
 
   void CompareAndBranchIfZero(Register r, Label* label) OVERRIDE;
+  void CompareAndBranchIfZero(Register r, NearLabel* label) OVERRIDE;
   void CompareAndBranchIfNonZero(Register r, Label* label) OVERRIDE;
 
   // Memory barriers.
@@ -431,7 +433,7 @@
 
   void EmitVPushPop(uint32_t reg, int nregs, bool push, bool dbl, Condition cond);
 
-  void EmitBranch(Condition cond, Label* label, bool link, bool x);
+  void EmitBranch(Condition cond, Label* label, bool link, bool x, bool is_near = false);
   static int32_t EncodeBranchOffset(int32_t offset, int32_t inst);
   static int DecodeBranchOffset(int32_t inst);
   int32_t EncodeTstOffset(int offset, int32_t inst);
@@ -559,6 +561,7 @@
     // Resolve a branch when the target is known.  If this causes the
     // size of the branch to change return true.  Otherwise return false.
     bool Resolve(uint32_t target) {
+      uint32_t old_target = target_;
       target_ = target;
       if (assembler_->CanRelocateBranches()) {
         Size new_size = CalculateSize();
@@ -569,9 +572,11 @@
         return false;
       } else {
         if (kIsDebugBuild) {
-          Size new_size = CalculateSize();
-          // Check that the size has not increased.
-          DCHECK(!(new_size == k32Bit && size_ == k16Bit));
+          if (old_target == kUnresolved) {
+            DCHECK(!(CalculateSize() == k32Bit && size_ == k16Bit));
+          } else {
+            DCHECK(CalculateSize() == size_);
+          }
         }
         return false;
       }
@@ -651,6 +656,10 @@
         if (assembler_->IsForced32Bit() && (type_ == kUnconditional || type_ == kConditional)) {
           return k32Bit;
         }
+        if (IsCompareAndBranch()) {
+          // Compare and branch instructions can only be encoded on 16 bits.
+          return k16Bit;
+        }
         return assembler_->CanRelocateBranches() ? k16Bit : k32Bit;
       }
       // When the target is resolved, we know the best encoding for it.
@@ -714,8 +723,15 @@
   }
 
   // Add an unresolved branch and return its id.
-  uint16_t AddBranch(Branch::Type type, uint32_t location, Condition cond = AL) {
-    branches_.push_back(new Branch(this, type, location, cond));
+  uint16_t AddBranch(Branch::Type type,
+                     uint32_t location,
+                     Condition cond = AL,
+                     bool is_near = false) {
+    Branch* branch = new Branch(this, type, location, cond);
+    if (is_near) {
+      branch->ResetSize(Branch::k16Bit);
+    }
+    branches_.push_back(branch);
     return branches_.size() - 1;
   }