A method performed during execution of a compilation process for a program having nested loops is provided. The method replaces multiple conditional branch instructions for a processor which uses a conditional branch instruction limited to only comparing a value of a general register with a value of a special register that holds a loop counter value. The method generates, in replacement of the multiple conditional branch instructions, the conditional branch instruction limited to only comparing the value of the general register with the value of the special register that holds the loop counter value for the inner-most loop. The method adds (i) a register initialization outside the nested loops and (ii) a register value adjustment to the inner-most loop. The method defines the value for the general register for the register initialization and conditions for the generated conditional branch instruction, responsive to requirements of the multiple conditional branch instructions.