diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-primitives.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-primitives.ts
index 5dfe9cfec..f62b6f05c 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-primitives.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/expr-primitives.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@ import { BYTES_ELEM_NUM, closureIdentityEqual, f64Lit } from "./common.js";
 import { emitStringInputs } from "./string-lifetimes.js";
 import { emitStringParts, numberPart, stringParts } from "./string-construction.js";
 import { emitBorrowedInputs } from "./borrowed-inputs.js";
-import { exactInteger, widenInteger, integerNumber } from "./integer-values.js";
+import {
+  exactInteger,
+  int32Number,
+  integerNumber,
+  narrowInteger,
+  widenInteger,
+} from "./integer-values.js";
 import {
   bitwiseIdentityOperand,
   integerArithmeticRange,
@@ -233,9 +239,20 @@ export function emitOperatorExpr(
         const li = exactInteger(host, l, e.left),
           ri = exactInteger(host, r, e.right);
         if (li && ri) {
+          const range = e.op === "%" ? null : integerArithmeticRange(e.op, li.range, ri.range);
+          if (range && withinInt32(range) && withinInt32(li.range) && withinInt32(ri.range)) {
+            // Int32 operands and result: 32-bit arithmetic that cannot
+            // overflow. The nsw flag survives where a truncated 64-bit
+            // result would lose it, so LLVM can widen loop counters such
+            // as `i = (i + 1) | 0` into 64-bit address arithmetic.
+            const result = B.tmp();
+            B.line(
+              `${result} = ${e.op === "+" ? "add" : e.op === "-" ? "sub" : "mul"} nsw i32 ${narrowInteger(host, li)}, ${narrowInteger(host, ri)}`,
+            );
+            return int32Number(host, result, range, e.type);
+          }
           const left = widenInteger(host, li),
             right = widenInteger(host, ri);
-          const range = e.op === "%" ? null : integerArithmeticRange(e.op, li.range, ri.range);
           if (range) {
             const result = B.tmp();
             B.line(
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/integer-values.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/integer-values.ts
index b20d748d2..63e279d04 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/integer-values.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/integer-values.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ export function exactInteger(
   if (value.uint32 !== undefined && range.min >= -2147483648 && range.max <= 2147483647) {
     return { name: value.uint32, type: "i32", signed: true, range };
   }
+  if (range.min >= -2147483648 && range.max <= 2147483647) {
+    // An int32 conversion lets LLVM fold it with an int32 source's sitofp.
+    const name = host.B.tmp();
+    host.B.line(`${name} = fptosi double ${value.name} to i32`);
+    return { name, type: "i32", signed: true, range };
+  }
   const name = host.B.tmp();
   host.B.line(`${name} = fptosi double ${value.name} to i64`);
   return { name, type: "i64", signed: true, range };
@@ -52,6 +58,26 @@ export function widenInteger(host: LlvmEmitterContext, value: LlInteger): string
   return wide;
 }
 
+/** The i32 of an integer whose range is within int32. */
+export function narrowInteger(host: LlvmEmitterContext, value: LlInteger): string {
+  if (value.type === "i32") return value.name;
+  const narrow = host.B.tmp();
+  host.B.line(`${narrow} = trunc i64 ${value.name} to i32`);
+  return narrow;
+}
+
+/** `integerNumber` for an i32 whose range is within int32. */
+export function int32Number(
+  host: LlvmEmitterContext,
+  name: string,
+  range: IntegerRange,
+  type: IrType,
+): LlValue {
+  const number = host.B.tmp();
+  host.B.line(`${number} = sitofp i32 ${name} to double`);
+  return { name: number, type, uint32: name, integer: { name, type: "i32", signed: true, range } };
+}
+
 export function integerNumber(
   host: LlvmEmitterContext,
   name: string,
@@ -60,7 +86,18 @@ export function integerNumber(
 ): LlValue {
   const number = host.B.tmp();
   const uint32 = host.B.tmp();
-  host.B.line(`${number} = sitofp i64 ${name} to double`);
   host.B.line(`${uint32} = trunc i64 ${name} to i32`);
+  // A proven int32 converts from its low half. The value is the same, but
+  // LLVM folds `fptosi (sitofp i32 x)` back to x, also through the phis of
+  // loop-carried locals (whose other incoming values are int32 too, such as
+  // `x | 0`), while a 64-bit source is not known to convert exactly. So a
+  // counter written `i = (i + 1) | 0` stays an integer instead of taking a
+  // double round trip on every iteration.
+  const int32 = range.min >= -2147483648 && range.max <= 2147483647;
+  host.B.line(
+    int32
+      ? `${number} = sitofp i32 ${uint32} to double`
+      : `${number} = sitofp i64 ${name} to double`,
+  );
   return { name: number, type, uint32, integer: { name, type: "i64", signed: true, range } };
 }
diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/integer-read-emission.test.ts b/packages/compiler/test/integer-read-emission.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..92aa8e757
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/integer-read-emission.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import { mkdtemp, readFile, rm, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { compile, deserializeModule } from "../src/index.js";
+import { emitLlvmModule } from "../src/backend/llvm/emitter.js";
+
+test("int32 counters stay 32-bit integer arithmetic", async () => {
+  const dir = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), "scriptc-integer-reads-"));
+  try {
+    const entry = join(dir, "main.ts");
+    const outPath = join(dir, "main.ir.json");
+    await writeFile(
+      entry,
+      `
+class Text {
+  pos: number;
+  end: number;
+  units: Uint16Array;
+  values: Float64Array;
+  constructor(n: number) {
+    this.units = new Uint16Array(n);
+    this.values = new Float64Array(n);
+    this.pos = 0;
+    this.end = n | 0;
+  }
+  skip(): number {
+    const units = this.units;
+    const end = this.end;
+    let pos = this.pos;
+    while (pos < end) {
+      const c = units[pos] | 0;
+      if (c === 42 || c > 127) break;
+      pos = (pos + 1) | 0;
+    }
+    this.pos = pos;
+    return pos;
+  }
+  sum(at: number): number {
+    return this.values[at] + this.units[at];
+  }
+}
+const text = new Text(8);
+console.log(text.skip(), text.sum(3), text.sum(9));
+`,
+    );
+    const result = await compile(entry, { outDir: dir, outPath, outputKind: "ir" });
+    if (!result.ok)
+      throw new Error(result.diagnostics.map((d) => `${d.code}: ${d.message}`).join("\n"));
+    const mod = deserializeModule(await readFile(outPath, "utf8"));
+    const ll = emitLlvmModule(mod);
+    const body = (name: string): string =>
+      ll.match(new RegExp(`define internal [^\\n]+ @sc_bf_${name}\\([^\\n]*\\) #0 \\{([\\s\\S]*?)\\n\\}`))![1]!;
+    const skip = body("_x25_Text_skip");
+    // The counter's increment is 32-bit arithmetic that cannot overflow and
+    // converts from i32, so LLVM folds the double round trip of the local.
+    expect(skip).toMatch(/ = add nsw i32 /);
+    expect(skip).not.toMatch(/ = sitofp i64 /);
+  } finally {
+    await rm(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  }
+});