diff --git a/angrop/chain_builder/func_caller.py b/angrop/chain_builder/func_caller.py
index aec780c..b2096d3 100644
--- a/angrop/chain_builder/func_caller.py
+++ b/angrop/chain_builder/func_caller.py
@@ -187,10 +187,14 @@ def _func_call(self, func_gadget, cc, args, extra_regs=None, preserve_regs=None,
         # 2. handle function return address to maintain the control flow
         if stack_arguments:
             shift_bytes = (len(stack_arguments)+1)*arch_bytes
+            # TODO: currently, we only shift stack only for the minimal
+            # but if this shift fails, we should try larger shifts
             cleaner = self.chain_builder.shift(shift_bytes, next_pc_idx=-1, preserve_regs=preserve_regs)
             chain.add_gadget(cleaner._gadgets[0])
             for arg in stack_arguments:
                 chain.add_value(arg)
+            next_pc = claripy.BVS("next_pc", self.project.arch.bits)
+            chain.add_value(next_pc)
 
         # handle return address
         if not isinstance(cc.RETURN_ADDR, (SimStackArg, SimRegArg)):
diff --git a/angrop/chain_builder/shifter.py b/angrop/chain_builder/shifter.py
index d71d1ff..b5e809a 100644
--- a/angrop/chain_builder/shifter.py
+++ b/angrop/chain_builder/shifter.py
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ def _same_effect(self, g1, g2):
             return False
         if g1.transit_type != g2.transit_type:
             return False
+        if g1.pc_offset != g2.pc_offset:
+            return False
         return True
 
     def _better_than(self, g1, g2):
diff --git a/angrop/rop_chain.py b/angrop/rop_chain.py
index dc094d3..aec12ec 100644
--- a/angrop/rop_chain.py
+++ b/angrop/rop_chain.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import logging
 
+import claripy
+
 from . import rop_utils
 from .errors import RopException
 from .rop_gadget import RopGadget
@@ -46,11 +48,14 @@ def __add__(self, other):
         # add the other values and gadgets
         result._gadgets.extend(other._gadgets)
         idx = self.next_pc_idx()
-        assert idx is not None, "can't add to a chain that does not return!"
+        assert idx is not None or not self._values, "can't add to a chain that does not return!"
         result._payload_len = self._payload_len + other._payload_len
-        result._values[idx] = other._values[0]
-        result._values.extend(other._values[1:])
-        result._payload_len -= self._p.arch.bytes
+        if idx is not None:
+            result._values[idx] = other._values[0]
+            result._values.extend(other._values[1:])
+            result._payload_len -= self._p.arch.bytes
+        else:
+            result._values.extend(other._values)
         return result
 
     def set_timeout(self, timeout):