diff --git a/org.eclipse.jdt.core.tests.compiler/src/org/eclipse/jdt/core/tests/compiler/regression/NullReferenceTest.java b/org.eclipse.jdt.core.tests.compiler/src/org/eclipse/jdt/core/tests/compiler/regression/NullReferenceTest.java
index 8a4ac74..ed80071 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jdt.core.tests.compiler/src/org/eclipse/jdt/core/tests/compiler/regression/NullReferenceTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jdt.core.tests.compiler/src/org/eclipse/jdt/core/tests/compiler/regression/NullReferenceTest.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 // Only the highest compliance level is run; add the VM argument
 // -Dcompliance=1.4 (for example) to lower it if needed
 static {
-//		TESTS_NAMES = new String[] { "test358827" };
+//		TESTS_NAMES = new String[] { "testBug256796" };
 //		TESTS_NUMBERS = new int[] { 561 };
 //		TESTS_RANGE = new int[] { 1, 2049 };
 }
@@ -14978,4 +14978,150 @@
 				"----------\n");
 	}
 }
+// https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=256796
+public void testBug256796() {
+	Map compilerOptions = getCompilerOptions();
+	compilerOptions.put(CompilerOptions.OPTION_ReportUnnecessaryElse, CompilerOptions.IGNORE);
+	compilerOptions.put(CompilerOptions.OPTION_ReportDeadCode, CompilerOptions.WARNING);
+	compilerOptions.put(CompilerOptions.OPTION_ReportDeadCodeInTrivialIfStatement, CompilerOptions.DISABLED);
+	this.runNegativeTest(
+			new String[] {
+				"Bug.java",
+				"public class Bug {\n" +
+				"	private static final boolean TRUE = true;\n" +
+				"   private static final boolean FALSE = false;\n" +
+				"	void foo() throws Exception {\n" + 
+				"		if (TRUE) return;\n" +
+				"		else System.out.println(\"\");\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// not dead code
+				"		if (TRUE) throw new Exception();\n" +
+				"		else System.out.println(\"\");\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// not dead code
+				"		if (TRUE) return;\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// not dead code
+				"		if (FALSE) System.out.println(\"\");\n" +
+				"		else return;\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// not dead code
+				"		if (FALSE) return;\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// not dead code
+				"		if (false) return;\n" +				// dead code
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		
+				"		if (true) return;\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// dead code
+				"	}\n" + 
+				"}\n"
+			},
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"1. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 18)\n" + 
+			"	if (false) return;\n" + 
+			"	           ^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"2. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 21)\n" + 
+			"	System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n",
+			null,
+			true,
+			compilerOptions);
+}
+// https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=256796
+public void testBug256796a() {
+	Map compilerOptions = getCompilerOptions();
+	compilerOptions.put(CompilerOptions.OPTION_ReportUnnecessaryElse, CompilerOptions.IGNORE);
+	compilerOptions.put(CompilerOptions.OPTION_ReportDeadCode, CompilerOptions.WARNING);
+	compilerOptions.put(CompilerOptions.OPTION_ReportDeadCodeInTrivialIfStatement, CompilerOptions.ENABLED);
+	this.runNegativeTest(
+			new String[] {
+				"Bug.java",
+				"public class Bug {\n" +
+				"	private static final boolean TRUE = true;\n" +
+				"   private static final boolean FALSE = false;\n" +
+				"	void foo() throws Exception {\n" + 
+				"		if (TRUE) return;\n" +
+				"		else System.out.println(\"\");\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// dead code
+				"	}\n" +
+				"   void foo2() {\n" +
+				"		if (TRUE) return;\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// dead code
+				"	}\n" +
+				"	void foo3() throws Exception {\n" + 
+				"		if (TRUE) throw new Exception();\n" +
+				"		else System.out.println(\"\");\n" + // dead code
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// dead code
+				"	}\n" + 
+				"	void foo4() throws Exception {\n" + 
+				"		if (FALSE) System.out.println(\"\");\n" +
+				"		else return;\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// dead code
+				"	}\n" + 
+				"	void foo5() throws Exception {\n" + 
+				"		if (FALSE) return;\n" +				// dead code
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		
+				"	}\n" +
+				"	void foo6() throws Exception {\n" + 
+				"		if (false) return;\n" +				// dead code
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		
+				"		if (true) return;\n" +
+				"		System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 		// dead code
+				"	}\n" +
+				"}\n"
+			},
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"1. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 6)\n" + 
+			"	else System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"2. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 7)\n" + 
+			"	System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"3. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 11)\n" + 
+			"	System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"4. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 15)\n" + 
+			"	else System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"5. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 16)\n" + 
+			"	System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"6. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 19)\n" + 
+			"	if (FALSE) System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"7. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 21)\n" + 
+			"	System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"8. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 24)\n" + 
+			"	if (FALSE) return;\n" + 
+			"	           ^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"9. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 28)\n" + 
+			"	if (false) return;\n" + 
+			"	           ^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n" + 
+			"10. WARNING in Bug.java (at line 31)\n" + 
+			"	System.out.println(\"\");\n" + 
+			"	^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^\n" + 
+			"Dead code\n" + 
+			"----------\n",
+			null,
+			true,
+			compilerOptions);
+}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jdt.core/compiler/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/compiler/ast/IfStatement.java b/org.eclipse.jdt.core/compiler/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/compiler/ast/IfStatement.java
index 2b9c876..830fe22 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jdt.core/compiler/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/compiler/ast/IfStatement.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jdt.core/compiler/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/compiler/ast/IfStatement.java
@@ -86,11 +86,12 @@
 		// No need if the whole if-else construct itself lies in unreachable code
 		this.bits |= ASTNode.IsElseStatementUnreachable;
 	}
+	boolean reportDeadCodeForKnownPattern = !isKnowDeadCodePattern(this.condition) || currentScope.compilerOptions().reportDeadCodeInTrivialIfStatement;
 	if (this.thenStatement != null) {
 		// Save info for code gen
 		this.thenInitStateIndex = currentScope.methodScope().recordInitializationStates(thenFlowInfo);
 		if (isConditionOptimizedFalse || ((this.bits & ASTNode.IsThenStatementUnreachable) != 0)) {
-			if (!isKnowDeadCodePattern(this.condition) || currentScope.compilerOptions().reportDeadCodeInTrivialIfStatement) {
+			if (reportDeadCodeForKnownPattern) {
 				this.thenStatement.complainIfUnreachable(thenFlowInfo, flowContext, currentScope, initialComplaintLevel, false);
 			} else {
 				// its a known coding pattern which should be tolerated by dead code analysis
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@
 		// Save info for code gen
 		this.elseInitStateIndex = currentScope.methodScope().recordInitializationStates(elseFlowInfo);
 		if (isConditionOptimizedTrue || ((this.bits & ASTNode.IsElseStatementUnreachable) != 0)) {
-			if (!isKnowDeadCodePattern(this.condition) || currentScope.compilerOptions().reportDeadCodeInTrivialIfStatement) {
+			if (reportDeadCodeForKnownPattern) {
 				this.elseStatement.complainIfUnreachable(elseFlowInfo, flowContext, currentScope, initialComplaintLevel, false);
 			} else {
 				// its a known coding pattern which should be tolerated by dead code analysis
@@ -136,7 +137,8 @@
 		isConditionOptimizedFalse,
 		true /*if(true){ return; }  fake-reachable(); */,
 		flowInfo,
-		this);
+		this,
+		reportDeadCodeForKnownPattern);
 	this.mergedInitStateIndex = currentScope.methodScope().recordInitializationStates(mergedInfo);
 	return mergedInfo;
 }
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jdt.core/compiler/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/compiler/flow/FlowInfo.java b/org.eclipse.jdt.core/compiler/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/compiler/flow/FlowInfo.java
index 5c995f9..2a7966a 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jdt.core/compiler/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/compiler/flow/FlowInfo.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jdt.core/compiler/org/eclipse/jdt/internal/compiler/flow/FlowInfo.java
@@ -405,12 +405,28 @@
 public static UnconditionalFlowInfo mergedOptimizedBranchesIfElse(
 		FlowInfo initsWhenTrue, boolean isOptimizedTrue,
 		FlowInfo initsWhenFalse, boolean isOptimizedFalse,
-		boolean allowFakeDeadBranch, FlowInfo flowInfo, IfStatement ifStatement) {
+		boolean allowFakeDeadBranch, FlowInfo flowInfo, IfStatement ifStatement,
+		boolean reportDeadCodeInKnownPattern) {
 	UnconditionalFlowInfo mergedInfo;
 	if (isOptimizedTrue){
 		if (initsWhenTrue == FlowInfo.DEAD_END && allowFakeDeadBranch) {
-			mergedInfo = initsWhenFalse.setReachMode(FlowInfo.UNREACHABLE_OR_DEAD).
-				unconditionalInits();
+			if (!reportDeadCodeInKnownPattern) {
+				// https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=256796
+				// do not report code even after if-else as dead as a consequence of analysis done in known dead code pattern
+				// when the CompilerOptions$reportDeadCodeInTrivialIfStatement option is disabled
+				if (ifStatement.elseStatement == null) {
+					mergedInfo = flowInfo.unconditionalInits();
+				} else {
+					mergedInfo = initsWhenFalse.unconditionalInits();
+					if (initsWhenFalse != FlowInfo.DEAD_END) {
+						// let the definitely true status of known dead code pattern not affect the reachability
+						mergedInfo.setReachMode(flowInfo.reachMode());
+					}
+				}
+			} else {
+				mergedInfo = initsWhenFalse.setReachMode(FlowInfo.UNREACHABLE_OR_DEAD).
+					unconditionalInits();
+			}
 		}
 		else {
 			mergedInfo =
@@ -421,8 +437,23 @@
 	}
 	else if (isOptimizedFalse) {
 		if (initsWhenFalse == FlowInfo.DEAD_END && allowFakeDeadBranch) {
-			mergedInfo = initsWhenTrue.setReachMode(FlowInfo.UNREACHABLE_OR_DEAD).
-				unconditionalInits();
+			if (!reportDeadCodeInKnownPattern) {
+				// https://bugs.eclipse.org/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=256796
+				// do not report code even after if-else as dead as a consequence of analysis done in known dead code pattern
+				// when the CompilerOptions$reportDeadCodeInTrivialIfStatement option is disabled
+				if (ifStatement.thenStatement == null) {
+					mergedInfo = flowInfo.unconditionalInits();
+				} else {
+					mergedInfo = initsWhenTrue.unconditionalInits();
+					if (initsWhenTrue != FlowInfo.DEAD_END) {
+						// let the definitely false status of known dead code pattern not affect the reachability
+						mergedInfo.setReachMode(flowInfo.reachMode());
+					}
+				}
+			} else {
+				mergedInfo = initsWhenTrue.setReachMode(FlowInfo.UNREACHABLE_OR_DEAD).
+					unconditionalInits();
+			}
 		}
 		else {
 			mergedInfo =