diff --git a/src/apk_solver_data.h b/src/apk_solver_data.h
index 8076a08..5777325 100644
--- a/src/apk_solver_data.h
+++ b/src/apk_solver_data.h
@@ -17,10 +17,24 @@
 #include "apk_provider_data.h"
 
 struct apk_score {
-	uint32_t unsatisfied;
-	uint32_t non_preferred_actions;
-	uint32_t non_preferred_pinnings;
-	uint32_t preference;
+	union {
+		struct {
+#if __BYTE_ORDER__ == __ORDER_LITTLE_ENDIAN__
+			unsigned short preference;
+			unsigned short non_preferred_pinnings;
+			unsigned short non_preferred_actions;
+			unsigned short unsatisfied;
+#elif __BYTE_ORDER__ == __ORDER_BIG_ENDIAN__
+			unsigned short unsatisfied;
+			unsigned short non_preferred_actions;
+			unsigned short non_preferred_pinnings;
+			unsigned short preference;
+#else
+#error Unknown endianess.
+#endif
+		};
+		uint64_t score;
+	};
 };
 
 struct apk_solver_name_state {
diff --git a/src/solver.c b/src/solver.c
index 24ee5a9..ff91434 100644
--- a/src/solver.c
+++ b/src/solver.c
@@ -129,15 +129,11 @@ static solver_result_t push_decision(struct apk_solver_state *ss,
 				     int branching_point,
 				     int topology_position);
 
+#ifdef DEBUG_CHECKS
 static void addscore(struct apk_score *a, struct apk_score *b)
 {
 	struct apk_score orig = *a;
-
-	a->unsatisfied			+= b->unsatisfied;
-	a->non_preferred_actions	+= b->non_preferred_actions;
-	a->non_preferred_pinnings	+= b->non_preferred_pinnings;
-	a->preference			+= b->preference;
-
+	a->score += b->score;
 	ASSERT(a->unsatisfied >= orig.unsatisfied, "Unsatisfied overflow");
 	ASSERT(a->non_preferred_actions >= orig.non_preferred_actions, "Preferred action overflow");
 	ASSERT(a->non_preferred_pinnings >= orig.non_preferred_pinnings, "Preferred pinning overflow");
@@ -147,36 +143,38 @@ static void addscore(struct apk_score *a, struct apk_score *b)
 static void subscore(struct apk_score *a, struct apk_score *b)
 {
 	struct apk_score orig = *a;
-
-	a->unsatisfied			-= b->unsatisfied;
-	a->non_preferred_actions	-= b->non_preferred_actions;
-	a->non_preferred_pinnings	-= b->non_preferred_pinnings;
-	a->preference			-= b->preference;
-
+	a->score -= b->score;
 	ASSERT(a->unsatisfied <= orig.unsatisfied, "Unsatisfied underflow");
 	ASSERT(a->non_preferred_actions <= orig.non_preferred_actions, "Preferred action underflow");
 	ASSERT(a->non_preferred_pinnings <= orig.non_preferred_pinnings, "Preferred pinning overflow");
 	ASSERT(a->preference <= orig.preference, "Preference underflow");
 }
+#else
+static void addscore(struct apk_score *a, struct apk_score *b)
+{
+	a->score += b->score;
+}
+
+static void subscore(struct apk_score *a, struct apk_score *b)
+{
+	a->score -= b->score;
+}
+#endif
 
 static inline int cmpscore(struct apk_score *a, struct apk_score *b)
 {
-	if (a->unsatisfied != b->unsatisfied)
-		return a->unsatisfied < b->unsatisfied ? -1 : 1;
-	if (a->non_preferred_actions != b->non_preferred_actions)
-		return a->non_preferred_actions < b->non_preferred_actions ? -1 : 1;
-	if (a->non_preferred_pinnings != b->non_preferred_pinnings)
-		return a->non_preferred_pinnings < b->non_preferred_pinnings ? -1 : 1;
-	if (a->preference != b->preference)
-		return a->preference < b->preference ? -1 : 1;
+	if (a->score < b->score) return -1;
+	if (a->score > b->score) return 1;
 	return 0;
 }
 
 static inline int cmpscore2(struct apk_score *a1, struct apk_score *a2, struct apk_score *b)
 {
-	struct apk_score a = *a1;
-	addscore(&a, a2);
-	return cmpscore(&a, b);
+	struct apk_score a;
+	a.score = a1->score + a2->score;
+	if (a.score < b->score) return -1;
+	if (a.score > b->score) return 1;
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static struct apk_package_state *pkg_to_ps(struct apk_package *pkg)
@@ -1982,10 +1980,6 @@ void apk_solver_print_errors(struct apk_database *db,
 	char pkgtext[256];
 	int i, j;
 
-	/* negative for hard failure without partial solution */
-	if (unsatisfiable <= 0)
-		return;
-
 	apk_name_array_init(&names);
 	apk_error("%d unsatisfiable dependencies:", unsatisfiable);