diff --git a/compiler/optimizer/GeneralLoopUnroller.cpp b/compiler/optimizer/GeneralLoopUnroller.cpp
index 3dce0faa3b2..3d7f852c834 100644
--- a/compiler/optimizer/GeneralLoopUnroller.cpp
+++ b/compiler/optimizer/GeneralLoopUnroller.cpp
@@ -1667,6 +1667,12 @@ bool TR_LoopUnroller::haveIdenticalOffsets(IntrnPtr *intrnPtr1, IntrnPtr *intrnP
    return false;
    }
 
+bool TR_LoopUnroller::isSymRefSameTypeArrayShadow(TR::Node *node)
+   {
+   // Checks that node symbolReference is an array-shadow with the same data type as the node.
+   return (node->getSymbolReference()->getReferenceNumber() == comp()->getSymRefTab()->getArrayShadowIndex(node->getDataType()));
+   }
+
 void TR_LoopUnroller::examineArrayAccesses()
    {
    // What we are trying to achieve here is to allow the possibility to schedule array accesses
@@ -1696,34 +1702,47 @@ void TR_LoopUnroller::examineArrayAccesses()
       //
       bool canProve = true;
       ListIterator<ArrayAccess> it1(loaa->list);
-      ArrayAccess *aa1;
-      ArrayAccess *aa2;
-      for (aa1 = it1.getFirst(); aa1 && (aa2 = it1.getNext()); aa1 = aa2)
-         {
-         if (trace())
-            traceMsg(comp(), "\tComparing array accesses %p and %p\n", aa1->aaNode, aa2->aaNode);
+      ArrayAccess *aa1, *aa2;
+      aa1 = it1.getFirst();
 
-         // Do not take care of array accesses without internal pointers at this point.
-         //
-         if (!aa1->intrnPtrNode || !aa2->intrnPtrNode)
+      // Ensures that the symbolReference is an array-shadow with the same data type as the node.
+      if (!isSymRefSameTypeArrayShadow(aa1->aaNode))
+         canProve = false;
+      else
+         {
+         for (; aa1 && (aa2 = it1.getNext()); aa1 = aa2)
             {
+            if (trace())
+               traceMsg(comp(), "\tComparing array accesses %p and %p\n", aa1->aaNode, aa2->aaNode);
+
+            if (!isSymRefSameTypeArrayShadow(aa2->aaNode))
+               {
+               canProve = false;
+               break;
+               }
+
+            // Do not take care of array accesses without internal pointers at this point.
+            //
+            if (!aa1->intrnPtrNode || !aa2->intrnPtrNode)
+               {
+               canProve = false;
+               break;
+               }
+
+            IntrnPtr *intrnPtr1 = findIntrnPtr(aa1->intrnPtrNode->getSymbolReference()->getReferenceNumber());
+            IntrnPtr *intrnPtr2 = findIntrnPtr(aa2->intrnPtrNode->getSymbolReference()->getReferenceNumber());
+            if (intrnPtr1 && intrnPtr2)
+               {
+               if (aa1->intrnPtrNode == aa2->intrnPtrNode)
+                  continue;
+               if (intrnPtr1->offsetNode == intrnPtr2->offsetNode)
+                  continue;
+               if (haveIdenticalOffsets(intrnPtr1, intrnPtr2))
+                  continue;
+               }
             canProve = false;
             break;
             }
-
-         IntrnPtr *intrnPtr1 = findIntrnPtr(aa1->intrnPtrNode->getSymbolReference()->getReferenceNumber());
-         IntrnPtr *intrnPtr2 = findIntrnPtr(aa2->intrnPtrNode->getSymbolReference()->getReferenceNumber());
-         if (intrnPtr1 && intrnPtr2)
-            {
-            if (aa1->intrnPtrNode == aa2->intrnPtrNode)
-               continue;
-            if (intrnPtr1->offsetNode == intrnPtr2->offsetNode)
-               continue;
-            if (haveIdenticalOffsets(intrnPtr1, intrnPtr2))
-               continue;
-            }
-         canProve = false;
-         break;
          }
 
       if (!canProve || !aa1->intrnPtrNode) // if cannot prove or if there is only one element in the list
diff --git a/compiler/optimizer/GeneralLoopUnroller.hpp b/compiler/optimizer/GeneralLoopUnroller.hpp
index 53fee996813..8e9afb18796 100644
--- a/compiler/optimizer/GeneralLoopUnroller.hpp
+++ b/compiler/optimizer/GeneralLoopUnroller.hpp
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ class TR_LoopUnroller
    struct IntrnPtr;
    IntrnPtr *findIntrnPtr(int32_t symRefNum);
    bool haveIdenticalOffsets(IntrnPtr *intrnPtr1, IntrnPtr *intrnPtr2);
+   bool isSymRefSameTypeArrayShadow(TR::Node *node);
    void examineArrayAccesses();
    void refineArrayAliasing();