Systems and methods according to the present invention provide techniques which modify programs having barrier statements. Dependence relations between statements, and enforcement associations between the barrier statements and the dependence relations, in the program are identified. The dependence relations are classified as being either enforceable by point-to-point synchronization or not enforceable by point-to-point synchronization. A subset of the barrier statements, which will enforce those dependence relations that are unenforceable by point-to-point synchronization, are determined. Other(s) of the barrier statements are replaced with a point-to-point synchronization routine.