diff --git a/erts/emulator/beam/erl_term.c b/erts/emulator/beam/erl_term.c
index 1e96d8abbe3f..02fcd7836db8 100644
--- a/erts/emulator/beam/erl_term.c
+++ b/erts/emulator/beam/erl_term.c
@@ -47,6 +47,9 @@ erts_set_literal_tag(Eterm *term, Eterm *hp_start, Eterm hsz)
 	    break;
 	case TAG_PRIMARY_HEADER:
 	    if (header_is_thing(*hp)) {
+                if (*hp == HEADER_SUB_BITS) {
+                    ((ErlSubBits*)hp)->orig |= TAG_LITERAL_PTR;
+                }
 		hp += thing_arityval(*hp);
 	    }
 	    break;