diff --git a/src/asahi/clc/asahi_clc.c b/src/asahi/clc/asahi_clc.c
index 9e6028ad0fb..3c40ec81569 100644
--- a/src/asahi/clc/asahi_clc.c
+++ b/src/asahi/clc/asahi_clc.c
@@ -507,7 +507,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
       UNUSED struct agx_uncompiled_shader_info info;
       UNUSED struct agx_shader_info compiled_info;
-      struct agx_shader_key key = {.libagx = nir};
+      struct agx_shader_key key = {
+         .libagx = nir,
+         .is_helper = true,
+      };
 
       agx_preprocess_nir(b.shader, nir, false, &info);
       agx_compile_shader_nir(b.shader, &key, NULL, &binary, &compiled_info);
diff --git a/src/asahi/compiler/agx_compile.c b/src/asahi/compiler/agx_compile.c
index afdbfd36b36..4c773b4c019 100644
--- a/src/asahi/compiler/agx_compile.c
+++ b/src/asahi/compiler/agx_compile.c
@@ -1256,6 +1256,7 @@ agx_emit_intrinsic(agx_builder *b, nir_intrinsic_instr *instr)
    }
 
    case nir_intrinsic_fence_helper_exit_agx: {
+      assert(b->shader->key->is_helper);
       agx_memory_barrier(b);
       agx_unknown_barrier_1(b);
       agx_memory_barrier_2(b);
@@ -1329,12 +1330,15 @@ agx_emit_intrinsic(agx_builder *b, nir_intrinsic_instr *instr)
       return agx_get_sr_to(b, dst, AGX_SR_CORE_ID);
 
    case nir_intrinsic_load_helper_op_id_agx:
+      assert(b->shader->key->is_helper);
       return agx_get_sr_barrier_to(b, dst, AGX_SR_HELPER_OP);
 
    case nir_intrinsic_load_helper_arg_lo_agx:
+      assert(b->shader->key->is_helper);
       return agx_get_sr_barrier_to(b, dst, AGX_SR_HELPER_ARG_L);
 
    case nir_intrinsic_load_helper_arg_hi_agx:
+      assert(b->shader->key->is_helper);
       return agx_get_sr_barrier_to(b, dst, AGX_SR_HELPER_ARG_H);
 
    case nir_intrinsic_load_barycentric_sample:
diff --git a/src/asahi/compiler/agx_compile.h b/src/asahi/compiler/agx_compile.h
index ccff88f9389..00bfb23154a 100644
--- a/src/asahi/compiler/agx_compile.h
+++ b/src/asahi/compiler/agx_compile.h
@@ -232,6 +232,11 @@ struct agx_shader_key {
    /* Whether scratch memory is available in the given shader stage */
    bool has_scratch;
 
+   /* Whether we're compiling the helper program used for scratch allocation.
+    * This has special register allocation requirements.
+    */
+   bool is_helper;
+
    union {
       struct agx_vs_shader_key vs;
       struct agx_fs_shader_key fs;
diff --git a/src/asahi/compiler/agx_register_allocate.c b/src/asahi/compiler/agx_register_allocate.c
index d4b9da765e4..64224b43bfc 100644
--- a/src/asahi/compiler/agx_register_allocate.c
+++ b/src/asahi/compiler/agx_register_allocate.c
@@ -1141,6 +1141,11 @@ agx_ra(agx_context *ctx)
          agx_max_registers_for_occupancy(threads_per_workgroup);
    }
 
+   /* The helper program is unspillable and has a limited register file */
+   if (ctx->key->is_helper) {
+      max_possible_regs = 32;
+   }
+
    /* Calculate the demand. We'll use it to determine if we need to spill and to
     * bound register assignment.
     */
@@ -1211,6 +1216,9 @@ agx_ra(agx_context *ctx)
     * affecting occupancy. This reduces live range splitting.
     */
    unsigned max_regs = agx_occupancy_for_register_count(demand).max_registers;
+   if (ctx->key->is_helper)
+      max_regs = 32;
+
    max_regs = ROUND_DOWN_TO(max_regs, reg_file_alignment);
 
    /* Or, we can bound tightly for debugging */