diff --git a/src/freedreno/ir3/instr-a3xx.h b/src/freedreno/ir3/instr-a3xx.h
index a6546a4530a..c64bf5bc349 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/ir3/instr-a3xx.h
+++ b/src/freedreno/ir3/instr-a3xx.h
@@ -641,6 +641,18 @@ is_madsh(opc_t opc)
    }
 }
 
+static inline bool
+is_sad(opc_t opc)
+{
+   switch (opc) {
+   case OPC_SAD_S16:
+   case OPC_SAD_S32:
+      return true;
+   default:
+      return false;
+   }
+}
+
 static inline bool
 is_local_atomic(opc_t opc)
 {
diff --git a/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3.c b/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3.c
index c1f71dc8f10..8af7d85fcb0 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3.c
+++ b/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3.c
@@ -1301,7 +1301,7 @@ ir3_valid_flags(struct ir3_instruction *instr, unsigned n, unsigned flags)
       break;
    case 3:
       valid_flags =
-         ir3_cat3_absneg(instr->opc) | IR3_REG_RELATIV | IR3_REG_SHARED;
+         ir3_cat3_absneg(instr->opc, n) | IR3_REG_RELATIV | IR3_REG_SHARED;
 
       switch (instr->opc) {
       case OPC_SHRM:
diff --git a/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3.h b/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3.h
index 2ae55458743..accb8cc97a7 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3.h
+++ b/src/freedreno/ir3/ir3.h
@@ -1699,7 +1699,7 @@ ir3_cat2_absneg(opc_t opc)
 
 /* map cat3 instructions to valid abs/neg flags: */
 static inline unsigned
-ir3_cat3_absneg(opc_t opc)
+ir3_cat3_absneg(opc_t opc, unsigned src_n)
 {
    switch (opc) {
    case OPC_MAD_F16:
@@ -1708,6 +1708,10 @@ ir3_cat3_absneg(opc_t opc)
    case OPC_SEL_F32:
       return IR3_REG_FNEG;
 
+   case OPC_SAD_S16:
+   case OPC_SAD_S32:
+      return src_n == 1 ? IR3_REG_SNEG : 0;
+
    case OPC_MAD_U16:
    case OPC_MADSH_U16:
    case OPC_MAD_S16:
@@ -1716,8 +1720,6 @@ ir3_cat3_absneg(opc_t opc)
    case OPC_MAD_S24:
    case OPC_SEL_S16:
    case OPC_SEL_S32:
-   case OPC_SAD_S16:
-   case OPC_SAD_S32:
       /* neg *may* work on 3rd src.. */
 
    case OPC_SEL_B16: