diff --git a/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/ir/dfg.rs b/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/ir/dfg.rs
index 68c8cb18ee3..8619e588023 100644
--- a/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/ir/dfg.rs
+++ b/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/ir/dfg.rs
@@ -793,6 +793,17 @@ impl DataFlowGraph {
             _ => ArrayOffset::None,
         }
     }
+
+    /// Check if the results of an instruction are used in the databus to return a value..
+    ///
+    /// This only applies to ACIR, as in Brillig the databus will always be empty.
+    pub(crate) fn is_returned_in_databus(&self, instruction_id: InstructionId) -> bool {
+        let Some(return_data) = self.data_bus.return_data else {
+            return false;
+        };
+        let results = self.instruction_results(instruction_id);
+        results.iter().any(|id| *id == return_data)
+    }
 }
 
 impl std::ops::Index<InstructionId> for DataFlowGraph {
diff --git a/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/die.rs b/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/die.rs
index 9a0f9e5ecab..d8106d23ec6 100644
--- a/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/die.rs
+++ b/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/die.rs
@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@
 //!     multiple unused array accesses. As to avoid redundant OOB checks, we search for "array get groups"
 //!     and only insert a single OOB check for an array get group.
 //!   - [Store][Instruction::Store] instructions can only be removed if the `flattened` flag is set.
+//!   - Instructions that create the value which is returned in the databus (if present) is not removed.
 //! - Brillig
 //!   - Array operations are explicit and thus it is expected separate OOB checks
 //!     have been laid down. Thus, no extra instructions are inserted for unused array accesses.
 //!   - [Store][Instruction::Store] instructions are never removed.
+//!   - The databus is never used to return values, so instructions to create a Field array to return are never generated.
 //!
 //! ## Preconditions
 //! - ACIR: By default the pass must be run after [mem2reg][crate::ssa::opt::mem2reg] and [CFG flattening][crate::ssa::opt::flatten_cfg].
@@ -344,7 +346,8 @@ impl Context {
 
         if can_be_eliminated_if_unused(instruction, function, self.flattened) {
             let results = function.dfg.instruction_results(instruction_id);
-            results.iter().all(|result| !self.used_values.contains(result))
+            let results_unused = results.iter().all(|result| !self.used_values.contains(result));
+            results_unused && !function.dfg.is_returned_in_databus(instruction_id)
         } else if let Instruction::Call { func, arguments } = instruction {
             // TODO: make this more general for instructions which don't have results but have side effects "sometimes" like `Intrinsic::AsWitness`
             let as_witness_id = function.dfg.get_intrinsic(Intrinsic::AsWitness);
@@ -1194,4 +1197,17 @@ mod test {
         }
         "#);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn keeps_unused_databus_return_value() {
+        let src = r#"
+        acir(inline) predicate_pure fn main f0 {
+          return_data: v0
+          b0():
+            v0 = make_array [Field 0] : [Field; 1]
+            unreachable
+        }
+        "#;
+        assert_ssa_does_not_change(src, Ssa::dead_instruction_elimination);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/remove_unreachable_instructions.rs b/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/remove_unreachable_instructions.rs
index 34ba0dbde89..1b1492d17bd 100644
--- a/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/remove_unreachable_instructions.rs
+++ b/compiler/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/opt/remove_unreachable_instructions.rs
@@ -189,7 +189,17 @@ impl Function {
             }
 
             if current_block_reachability == Reachability::Unreachable {
-                context.remove_current_instruction();
+                if context.dfg.is_returned_in_databus(context.instruction_id) {
+                    // We have to keep databus assignments at the end of the ACIR main function alive,
+                    // otherwise we can't print the SSA, as it will crash trying to normalize values
+                    // that no longer get created in the SSA.
+                    // The reason it is enough to this only for unreachable blocks without worrying
+                    // about their successors is that databus is only used in ACIR, and we only remove
+                    // unreachable instructions after flattening, so there is only one block.
+                    remove_and_replace_with_defaults(context, func_id, block_id);
+                } else {
+                    context.remove_current_instruction();
+                }
                 return;
             }
 
@@ -1375,4 +1385,32 @@ mod test {
         }
         "#);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn replaces_databus_return_data_with_default_in_unreachable() {
+        let src = "
+        acir(inline) predicate_pure fn main f0 {
+          return_data: v3
+          b0(v0: u32):
+            constrain u1 0 == u1 1
+            v1 = sub v0, u32 10
+            v2 = cast v1 as Field
+            v3 = make_array [v2] : [Field; 1]
+            return v3
+        }
+        ";
+
+        let ssa = Ssa::from_str(src).unwrap();
+        let ssa = ssa.remove_unreachable_instructions();
+
+        assert_ssa_snapshot!(ssa, @r"
+        acir(inline) predicate_pure fn main f0 {
+          return_data: v4
+          b0(v0: u32):
+            constrain u1 0 == u1 1
+            v4 = make_array [Field 0] : [Field; 1]
+            unreachable
+        }
+        ");
+    }
 }