diff --git a/asm_utils/src/lib.rs b/asm_utils/src/lib.rs
index 36443c4927..62b6b6c09a 100644
--- a/asm_utils/src/lib.rs
+++ b/asm_utils/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 //! Common crate for generalized assembly handling.
 
+use ast::{Argument, FunctionOpKind, Register};
+
 pub mod ast;
 pub mod data_parser;
 pub mod data_storage;
@@ -9,4 +11,8 @@ pub mod utils;
 
 pub trait Architecture {
     fn instruction_ends_control_flow(instr: &str) -> bool;
+    fn get_references<'a, R: Register, F: FunctionOpKind>(
+        instr: &str,
+        args: &'a [Argument<R, F>],
+    ) -> Vec<&'a str>;
 }
diff --git a/asm_utils/src/reachability.rs b/asm_utils/src/reachability.rs
index 3d5cbaa855..b517883241 100644
--- a/asm_utils/src/reachability.rs
+++ b/asm_utils/src/reachability.rs
@@ -168,25 +168,32 @@ pub fn extract_label_offsets<R: Register, F: FunctionOpKind>(
         })
 }
 
-pub fn references_in_statement<R: Register, F: FunctionOpKind>(
+pub fn references_in_statement<R: Register, F: FunctionOpKind, A: Architecture>(
     statement: &Statement<R, F>,
 ) -> BTreeSet<&str> {
     let mut ret = BTreeSet::new();
     match statement {
         Statement::Label(_) | Statement::Directive(_, _) => (),
-        Statement::Instruction(_, args) => {
-            for arg in args {
-                arg.post_visit_expressions(&mut |expr| {
-                    if let Expression::Symbol(sym) = expr {
-                        ret.insert(sym.as_str());
-                    }
-                });
-            }
+        Statement::Instruction(name, args) => {
+            ret.extend(A::get_references(name, args));
         }
     };
     ret
 }
 
+pub fn symbols_in_args<R: Register, F: FunctionOpKind>(args: &[Argument<R, F>]) -> Vec<&str> {
+    let mut ret = Vec::new();
+    for arg in args {
+        arg.post_visit_expressions(&mut |expr| {
+            if let Expression::Symbol(sym) = expr {
+                ret.push(sym.as_str());
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
+    ret
+}
+
 fn basic_block_references_starting_from<R: Register, F: FunctionOpKind, A: Architecture>(
     statements: &[Statement<R, F>],
 ) -> (Vec<&str>, Vec<&str>) {
@@ -196,7 +203,7 @@ fn basic_block_references_starting_from<R: Register, F: FunctionOpKind, A: Archi
         if let Statement::Label(l) = s {
             seen_labels.push(l.as_str());
         } else {
-            referenced_labels.extend(references_in_statement(s))
+            referenced_labels.extend(references_in_statement::<R, F, A>(s))
         }
     });
     (referenced_labels.into_iter().collect(), seen_labels)
diff --git a/riscv/src/compiler.rs b/riscv/src/compiler.rs
index ee1e4daa5e..3218583c85 100644
--- a/riscv/src/compiler.rs
+++ b/riscv/src/compiler.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use asm_utils::{
     data_parser::{self, DataValue},
     data_storage::{store_data_objects, SingleDataValue},
     parser::parse_asm,
-    reachability,
+    reachability::{self, symbols_in_args},
     utils::{
         argument_to_escaped_symbol, argument_to_number, escape_label, expression_to_number, quote,
     },
@@ -70,13 +70,28 @@ impl Architecture for RiscvArchitecture {
             | "srli" | "srl" | "srai" | "seqz" | "snez" | "slt" | "slti" | "sltu" | "sltiu"
             | "sgtz" | "beq" | "beqz" | "bgeu" | "bltu" | "blt" | "bge" | "bltz" | "blez"
             | "bgtz" | "bgez" | "bne" | "bnez" | "jal" | "jalr" | "call" | "ecall" | "ebreak"
-            | "lw" | "lb" | "lbu" | "lhu" | "sw" | "sh" | "sb" | "nop" => false,
+            | "lw" | "lb" | "lbu" | "lhu" | "sw" | "sh" | "sb" | "nop" | "fence" | "fence.i" => {
+                false
+            }
             "j" | "jr" | "tail" | "ret" | "unimp" => true,
             _ => {
                 panic!("Unknown instruction: {instr}");
             }
         }
     }
+
+    fn get_references<'a, R: asm_utils::ast::Register, F: asm_utils::ast::FunctionOpKind>(
+        instr: &str,
+        args: &'a [asm_utils::ast::Argument<R, F>],
+    ) -> Vec<&'a str> {
+        // fence arguments are not symbols, they are like reserved
+        // keywords affecting the instruction behavior
+        if instr.starts_with("fence") {
+            Vec::new()
+        } else {
+            symbols_in_args(args)
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 pub fn machine_decls() -> Vec<&'static str> {
@@ -670,7 +685,7 @@ fn preamble() -> String {
         wrap_bit * (1 - wrap_bit) = 0;
     }
 
-    // Input is a 32 bit unsigned number. We check the 7th bit and set all higher bits to that value.
+    // Input is a 32 bit unsigned number. We check bit 7 and set all higher bits to that value.
     instr sign_extend_byte Y -> X {
         // wrap_bit is used as sign_bit here.
         Y = Y_7bit + wrap_bit * 0x80 + X_b2 * 0x100 + X_b3 * 0x10000 + X_b4 * 0x1000000,
@@ -1346,6 +1361,9 @@ fn process_instruction(instr: &str, args: &[Argument]) -> Vec<String> {
             only_if_no_write_to_zero(format!("{rd} <== load_label({label});"), rd)
         }
 
+        // atomic and synchronization
+        "fence" | "fence.i" => vec![],
+
         _ => {
             panic!("Unknown instruction: {instr}");
         }