diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/opto/graphKit.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/opto/graphKit.cpp
index 8d8839a0f22..1c4d96c6526 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/opto/graphKit.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/opto/graphKit.cpp
@@ -4021,7 +4021,7 @@ Node* GraphKit::atomic_layout_array_test_and_get_layout_kind(Node* array, Region
 }
 
 // Deoptimize if 'ary' is a null-free inline type array and 'val' is null
-Node* GraphKit::inline_array_null_guard(Node* ary, Node* val, int nargs) {
+Node* GraphKit::inline_array_null_guard(Node* ary, Node* val, int nargs, bool safe_for_replace) {
   RegionNode* region = new RegionNode(3);
   Node* null_ctl = top();
   null_check_oop(val, &null_ctl);
@@ -4045,7 +4045,9 @@ Node* GraphKit::inline_array_null_guard(Node* ary, Node* val, int nargs) {
     const TypeAryPtr* ary_t = _gvn.type(ary)->is_aryptr();
     ary_t = ary_t->cast_to_not_null_free();
     Node* cast = _gvn.transform(new CheckCastPPNode(control(), ary, ary_t));
-    replace_in_map(ary, cast);
+    if (safe_for_replace) {
+      replace_in_map(ary, cast);
+    }
     ary = cast;
   }
   return ary;
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/opto/graphKit.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/opto/graphKit.hpp
index e57194fbf32..8ee5db302b2 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/opto/graphKit.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/opto/graphKit.hpp
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ class GraphKit : public Phase {
   Node* null_free_array_test(Node* array, bool null_free = true);
   Node* null_free_atomic_array_test(Node* array, ciInlineKlass* vk);
   Node* atomic_layout_array_test_and_get_layout_kind(Node* array, RegionNode* atomic_region);
-  Node* inline_array_null_guard(Node* ary, Node* val, int nargs);
+  Node* inline_array_null_guard(Node* ary, Node* val, int nargs, bool safe_for_replace);
 
   Node* gen_subtype_check(Node* obj, Node* superklass);
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/opto/parse2.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/opto/parse2.cpp
index 3c571d5e62b..1a3e69337ac 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/opto/parse2.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/opto/parse2.cpp
@@ -253,11 +253,17 @@ void Parse::array_store(BasicType bt) {
       // Array might be a flat array, emit runtime checks (for null, a simple inline_array_null_guard is sufficient).
       assert(UseArrayFlattening && !not_flat && elemtype->is_oopptr()->can_be_inline_type() &&
              (!array_type->klass_is_exact() || array_type->is_flat()), "array can't be a flat array");
-      // TODO 8350865 Depending on the available layouts, we can avoid this check in below flat/not-flat branches. Also the safe_for_replace arg is now always true.
+      // If the array cannot be flat and null-free, we don't need to do inline_array_null_guard
+      // in the flat branch under. In this case, the flat branch is thus a bit faster, but the
+      // non-flat branch always need to be protected. If the array can be both flat and null-free,
+      // we just do the inline_array_null_guard guard the flat/non-flat branching so we don't
+      // duplicate it.
       bool can_be_flat_and_null_free =
-        elemtype->is_inlinetypeptr() && (elemtype->inline_klass()->has_null_free_atomic_layout() || elemtype->inline_klass()->has_null_free_non_atomic_layout());
+           !elemtype->is_inlinetypeptr()  // Can't tell statically whether it's possible, so we must soundly assume so
+        || elemtype->inline_klass()->has_null_free_atomic_layout()
+        || elemtype->inline_klass()->has_null_free_non_atomic_layout();
       if (can_be_flat_and_null_free) {
-        array = inline_array_null_guard(array, stored_value_casted, 3);
+        array = inline_array_null_guard(array, stored_value_casted, 3, true);
         array_type = _gvn.type(array)->is_aryptr();
       }
       // Reload array type which could have been updated by inline_array_null_guard().
@@ -266,13 +272,15 @@ void Parse::array_store(BasicType bt) {
         // Non-flat array
         if (!array_type->is_flat()) {
           sync_kit(ideal);
+          Node* array_ = array;
+          const TypeAryPtr* array_type_ = array_type;
           if (!can_be_flat_and_null_free) {
-            array = inline_array_null_guard(array, stored_value_casted, 3);
-            array_type = _gvn.type(array)->is_aryptr();
+            array_ = inline_array_null_guard(array_, stored_value_casted, 3, false);
+            array_type_ = _gvn.type(array_)->is_aryptr();
           }
-          assert(array_type->is_not_flat() || ideal.ctrl()->in(0)->as_If()->is_flat_array_check(&_gvn), "Should be found");
+          assert(array_type_->is_not_flat() || ideal.ctrl()->in(0)->as_If()->is_flat_array_check(&_gvn), "Should be found");
           inc_sp(3);
-          access_store_at(array, adr, adr_type, stored_value_casted, elemtype, bt, MO_UNORDERED | IN_HEAP | IS_ARRAY, false);
+          access_store_at(array_, adr, adr_type, stored_value_casted, elemtype, bt, MO_UNORDERED | IN_HEAP | IS_ARRAY, false);
           dec_sp(3);
           ideal.sync_kit(this);
         }
@@ -317,7 +325,7 @@ void Parse::array_store(BasicType bt) {
     } else if (!array_type->is_not_null_free()) {
       // Array is not flat but may be null free
       assert(elemtype->is_oopptr()->can_be_inline_type(), "array can't be null-free");
-      array = inline_array_null_guard(array, stored_value_casted, 3);
+      array = inline_array_null_guard(array, stored_value_casted, 3, true);
     }
   }
   inc_sp(3);