diff --git a/bits_amd64.go b/bits_amd64.go
index 5bd6ac7..7256673 100644
--- a/bits_amd64.go
+++ b/bits_amd64.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func metaMatchH2(m *metadata, h h2) bitset {
 }
 
 func metaMatchEmpty(m *metadata) bitset {
-	b := simd.MatchMetadata((*[groupSize]uint8)(m), empty)
+	b := simd.MatchEmpty((*[groupSize]uint8)(m))
 	return bitset(b)
 }
 
diff --git a/simd/match.s b/simd/match.s
index 5aa2e13..705c320 100644
--- a/simd/match.s
+++ b/simd/match.s
@@ -17,3 +17,14 @@ TEXT ·MatchMetadata(SB), NOSPLIT, $0-18
 	PMOVMSKB X0, AX
 	MOVW     AX, ret+16(FP)
 	RET
+
+// func MatchEmpty(metadata *[16]uint8) uint16
+// Requires: SSE2
+TEXT ·MatchEmpty(SB), NOSPLIT, $0-10
+	MOVQ     metadata+0(FP), AX
+	PXOR     X0, X0
+	MOVOU    (AX), X1
+	PCMPEQB  X1, X0
+	PMOVMSKB X0, AX
+	MOVW     AX, ret+8(FP)
+	RET
diff --git a/simd/match_amd64.go b/simd/match_amd64.go
index ea93a14..ab8d0b6 100644
--- a/simd/match_amd64.go
+++ b/simd/match_amd64.go
@@ -7,3 +7,7 @@ package simd
 // MatchMetadata performs a 16-way probe of |metadata| using SSE instructions
 // nb: |metadata| must be an aligned pointer
 func MatchMetadata(metadata *[16]uint8, hash uint8) uint16
+
+// MatchMetadata performs a 16-way probe of zero byte using SSE instructions
+// nb: |metadata| must be an aligned pointer
+func MatchEmpty(metadata *[16]uint8) uint16
diff --git a/simd/src/asm.go b/simd/src/asm.go
index 13ecf45..58410c2 100644
--- a/simd/src/asm.go
+++ b/simd/src/asm.go
@@ -23,22 +23,41 @@ import (
 func main() {
 	ConstraintExpr("amd64")
 
-	TEXT("MatchMetadata", NOSPLIT, "func(metadata *[16]uint8, hash uint8) uint16")
-	Doc("MatchMetadata performs a 16-way probe of |metadata| using SSE instructions",
-		"nb: |metadata| must be an aligned pointer")
-	m := Mem{Base: Load(Param("metadata"), GP64())}
-	h := Load(Param("hash"), GP32())
-	mask := GP32()
-
-	x0, x1, x2 := XMM(), XMM(), XMM()
-	MOVD(h, x0)
-	PXOR(x1, x1)
-	PSHUFB(x1, x0)
-	MOVOU(m, x2)
-	PCMPEQB(x2, x0)
-	PMOVMSKB(x0, mask)
-
-	Store(mask.As16(), ReturnIndex(0))
-	RET()
+	{
+		TEXT("MatchMetadata", NOSPLIT, "func(metadata *[16]uint8, hash uint8) uint16")
+		Doc("MatchMetadata performs a 16-way probe of |metadata| using SSE instructions",
+			"nb: |metadata| must be an aligned pointer")
+		m := Mem{Base: Load(Param("metadata"), GP64())}
+		h := Load(Param("hash"), GP32())
+		mask := GP32()
+
+		x0, x1, x2 := XMM(), XMM(), XMM()
+		MOVD(h, x0)
+		PXOR(x1, x1)
+		PSHUFB(x1, x0)
+		MOVOU(m, x2)
+		PCMPEQB(x2, x0)
+		PMOVMSKB(x0, mask)
+
+		Store(mask.As16(), ReturnIndex(0))
+		RET()
+	}
+
+	{
+		TEXT("MatchEmpty", NOSPLIT, "func(metadata *[16]uint8) uint16")
+		Doc("MatchMetadata performs a 16-way probe of zero byte using SSE instructions",
+			"nb: |metadata| must be an aligned pointer")
+		m := Mem{Base: Load(Param("metadata"), GP64())}
+		mask := GP32()
+
+		x0, x1 := XMM(), XMM()
+		PXOR(x0, x0)
+		MOVOU(m, x1)
+		PCMPEQB(x1, x0)
+		PMOVMSKB(x0, mask)
+
+		Store(mask.As16(), ReturnIndex(0))
+		RET()
+	}
 	Generate()
 }