In a method for reducing code size, replaceable subsets of instructions at first locations in areas of infrequently executed instructions in a set of instructions and target subsets of instructions at second locations in the set of instructions are identified, wherein each replaceable subset matches at least one target subset. If multiple target subsets of instructions match one replaceable subset of instructions, one of the multiple matching target subsets is chosen as the matching target subset for the one replaceable subset based on whether the multiple target subsets are located in regions of frequently executed code. For each of at least some of the replaceable subsets of instructions, the replaceable subset of instructions is replaced with an instruction to cause the matching target subset of instructions at the second location to be executed.