diff --git a/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined01.js b/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined01.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1a780ffd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined01.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// @inline Snapshot.RecursionInlined01.append always
+import * as $runtime from "../runtime.js";
+const $List = (tag, _1, _2) => ({tag, _1, _2});
+const Nil = /* #__PURE__ */ $List("Nil");
+const Cons = value0 => value1 => $List("Cons", value0, value1);
+const append = v => v1 => {
+  if (v.tag === "Nil") { return v1; }
+  if (v.tag === "Cons") { return $List("Cons", v._1, append(v._2)(v1)); }
+  $runtime.fail();
+};
+const test1 = /* #__PURE__ */ $List(
+  "Cons",
+  "a",
+  /* #__PURE__ */ $List(
+    "Cons",
+    "b",
+    /* #__PURE__ */ $List(
+      "Cons",
+      "c",
+      /* #__PURE__ */ $List("Cons", "d", /* #__PURE__ */ $List("Cons", "e", /* #__PURE__ */ $List("Cons", "f", /* #__PURE__ */ $List("Cons", "g", Nil))))
+    )
+  )
+);
+const test2 = z => $List(
+  "Cons",
+  "a",
+  $List(
+    "Cons",
+    "b",
+    $List(
+      "Cons",
+      "c",
+      (() => {
+        if (z.tag === "Nil") { return $List("Cons", "d", $List("Cons", "e", $List("Cons", "f", $List("Cons", "g", Nil)))); }
+        if (z.tag === "Cons") { return $List("Cons", z._1, append(z._2)($List("Cons", "d", $List("Cons", "e", $List("Cons", "f", $List("Cons", "g", Nil)))))); }
+        $runtime.fail();
+      })()
+    )
+  )
+);
+export {$List, Cons, Nil, append, test1, test2};
diff --git a/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined02.js b/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined02.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9c8a958e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined02.js
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// @inline Snapshot.RecursionInlined02.addStuff always
+const $List = (tag, _1, _2) => ({tag, _1, _2});
+const Nil = /* #__PURE__ */ $List("Nil");
+const Cons = value0 => value1 => $List("Cons", value0, value1);
+const addStuff = x => ys => {
+  if (x > 0) { return 1 + addStuff(x - 1 | 0)(ys) | 0; }
+  if (x < 0) { return -1 + addStuff(x + 1 | 0)(ys) | 0; }
+  return ys;
+};
+const test1 = 42;
+const test2 = z => 2 + addStuff(1)((() => {
+  if (z > 0) {
+    const $0 = z - 1 | 0;
+    if ($0 > 0) { return 2 + addStuff($0 - 1 | 0)(5) | 0; }
+    if ($0 < 0) { return 0 + addStuff($0 + 1 | 0)(5) | 0; }
+    return 6;
+  }
+  if (z < 0) {
+    const $0 = z + 1 | 0;
+    if ($0 > 0) { return 0 + addStuff($0 - 1 | 0)(5) | 0; }
+    if ($0 < 0) { return -2 + addStuff($0 + 1 | 0)(5) | 0; }
+    return 4;
+  }
+  return 5;
+})()) | 0;
+export {$List, Cons, Nil, addStuff, test1, test2};
diff --git a/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined03.js b/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined03.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..97adba14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlined03.js
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+// @inline Snapshot.RecursionInlined03.append always
+// This doesn't quite work yet, because the inlining of append depends
+// on the analysis of the local `b`, which we don't have (easy) access to.
+// If we can somehow grab its usage, we'd likely see that access + case == total
+import * as Partial from "../Partial/index.js";
+const List = x => x;
+const nil = {type: "nil", value: undefined};
+const cons = head => tail => ({type: "cons", value: {head, tail}});
+const append = v => b => {
+  if (v.type === "cons") { return {type: "cons", value: {head: v.value.head, tail: append(v.value.tail)(b)}}; }
+  if (v.type === "nil") { return b; }
+  return Partial._crashWith("Data.Variant: pattern match failure [" + v.type + "]");
+};
+const test1 = {
+  type: "cons",
+  value: {
+    head: "a",
+    tail: {
+      type: "cons",
+      value: {
+        head: "b",
+        tail: /* #__PURE__ */ append({type: "cons", value: {head: "c", tail: nil}})({
+          type: "cons",
+          value: {head: "d", tail: {type: "cons", value: {head: "e", tail: {type: "cons", value: {head: "f", tail: {type: "cons", value: {head: "g", tail: nil}}}}}}}
+        })
+      }
+    }
+  }
+};
+const test2 = z => (
+  {
+    type: "cons",
+    value: {
+      head: "a",
+      tail: {
+        type: "cons",
+        value: {
+          head: "b",
+          tail: append({type: "cons", value: {head: "c", tail: z}})({
+            type: "cons",
+            value: {head: "d", tail: {type: "cons", value: {head: "e", tail: {type: "cons", value: {head: "f", tail: {type: "cons", value: {head: "g", tail: nil}}}}}}}
+          })
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+);
+export {List, append, cons, nil, test1, test2};
diff --git a/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken.js b/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d3aabe35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-es/test/snapshots-out/Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// @inline Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken.addStuffBroken always
+// This will recurse out of control and stop when it hits the recursion limit
+const $List = (tag, _1, _2) => ({tag, _1, _2});
+const Nil = /* #__PURE__ */ $List("Nil");
+const Cons = value0 => value1 => $List("Cons", value0, value1);
+const addStuffBroken = v => v1 => {
+  if (v === 0) { return v1; }
+  return 1 + addStuffBroken(v - 1 | 0)(v1) | 0;
+};
+const test1 = v => 2 + addStuffBroken(-5)(4) | 0;
+const test2 = z => 2 + addStuffBroken(-5)((() => {
+  if (z === 0) { return 5; }
+  const $0 = z - 1 | 0;
+  if ($0 === 0) { return 6; }
+  return 2 + addStuffBroken($0 - 1 | 0)(5) | 0;
+})()) | 0;
+export {$List, Cons, Nil, addStuffBroken, test1, test2};
diff --git a/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined01.purs b/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined01.purs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..38657386
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined01.purs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+-- @inline Snapshot.RecursionInlined01.append always
+module Snapshot.RecursionInlined01 where
+
+data List a = Nil | Cons a (List a)
+infixr 5 Cons as :
+
+append :: forall a. List a -> List a -> List a
+append Nil ys = ys
+append (Cons x xs) ys = Cons x (append xs ys)
+
+infixr 4 append as <>
+
+test1 :: List String
+test1 = ("a" : "b" : "c" : Nil) <> ("d" : "e" : "f" : "g" : Nil)
+test2 :: List String -> List String
+test2 z = ("a" : "b" : "c" : z) <> ("d" : "e" : "f" : "g" : Nil)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined02.purs b/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined02.purs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cb3425b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined02.purs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+-- @inline Snapshot.RecursionInlined02.addStuff always
+module Snapshot.RecursionInlined02 where
+
+import Prelude
+
+data List a = Nil | Cons a (List a)
+infixr 5 Cons as :
+
+addStuff :: Int -> Int -> Int
+addStuff x ys
+  | x > 0 = 1 + addStuff (x - 1) ys
+  | x < 0 = (-1) + addStuff (x + 1) ys
+  | otherwise = ys
+
+infixr 4 addStuff as ++
+
+test1 :: Int
+test1 = 38 ++ 4
+test2 :: Int -> Int
+test2 z = 3 ++ z ++ 5
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined03.purs b/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined03.purs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aefd068a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlined03.purs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+-- @inline Snapshot.RecursionInlined03.append always
+-- This doesn't quite work yet, because the inlining of append depends
+-- on the analysis of the local `b`, which we don't have (easy) access to.
+-- If we can somehow grab its usage, we'd likely see that access + case == total
+module Snapshot.RecursionInlined03 where
+
+import Prelude
+
+import Data.Variant (Variant, inj, case_, on)
+import Type.Proxy (Proxy(..))
+
+newtype List a = List (Variant (nil :: Unit, cons :: { head :: a, tail :: List a }))
+
+cons :: forall a. a -> List a -> List a
+cons head tail = List $ inj (Proxy :: _ "cons") {head, tail}
+nil :: forall a. List a
+nil = List $ inj (Proxy :: _ "nil") unit
+infixr 5 cons as :
+
+append :: forall a. List a -> List a -> List a
+append (List a) b = (case_
+  # on (Proxy :: _ "nil") (\_ -> b)
+  # on (Proxy :: _ "cons") (\{head, tail} -> cons head (append tail b))) a
+
+infixr 4 append as <>
+
+test1 :: List String
+test1 = ("a" : "b" : "c" : nil) <> ("d" : "e" : "f" : "g" : nil)
+
+test2 :: List String -> List String
+test2 z = ("a" : "b" : "c" : z) <> ("d" : "e" : "f" : "g" : nil)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken.purs b/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken.purs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9628c151
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend-es/test/snapshots/Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken.purs
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+-- @inline Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken.addStuffBroken always
+-- This will recurse out of control and stop when it hits the recursion limit
+module Snapshot.RecursionInlinedBroken where
+
+import Prelude
+
+data List a = Nil | Cons a (List a)
+infixr 5 Cons as :
+
+addStuffBroken :: Int -> Int -> Int
+addStuffBroken 0 ys = ys
+addStuffBroken x ys = 1 + addStuffBroken (x - 1) ys
+
+infixr 4 addStuffBroken as ++
+
+-- we make this Unit -> Int so that the module can be loaded with an
+-- import statement. otherwise, it will execute the broken (-3) ++ 4 and the
+-- tests will fail
+test1 :: Unit -> Int
+test1 _ = (-3) ++ 4
+test2 :: Int -> Int
+test2 z = (-3) ++ z ++ 5
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/PureScript/Backend/Optimizer/Convert.purs b/src/PureScript/Backend/Optimizer/Convert.purs
index 04f68146..b21c56a5 100644
--- a/src/PureScript/Backend/Optimizer/Convert.purs
+++ b/src/PureScript/Backend/Optimizer/Convert.purs
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ toBackendTopLevelBindingGroup env = case _ of
 
 toTopLevelBackendBinding :: Array (Qualified Ident) -> ConvertEnv -> Binding Ann -> Accum ConvertEnv (Tuple Ident (WithDeps NeutralExpr))
 toTopLevelBackendBinding group env (Binding _ ident cfn) = do
-  let evalEnv = Env { currentModule: env.currentModule, evalExtern: makeExternEval env, locals: [], directives: env.directives }
+  let evalEnv = Env { currentModule: env.currentModule, evalExtern: makeExternEval env, locals: [], punt: Set.empty, directives: env.directives, blockNextRecursion: false }
   let backendExpr = toBackendExpr cfn env
   let Tuple impl expr' = toExternImpl env group (optimize (getCtx env) evalEnv (Qualified (Just env.currentModule) ident) env.rewriteLimit backendExpr)
   { accum: env
diff --git a/src/PureScript/Backend/Optimizer/Semantics.purs b/src/PureScript/Backend/Optimizer/Semantics.purs
index 24f9d360..eb07f81a 100644
--- a/src/PureScript/Backend/Optimizer/Semantics.purs
+++ b/src/PureScript/Backend/Optimizer/Semantics.purs
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ data BackendSemantics
   | NeutLocal (Maybe Ident) Level
   | NeutVar (Qualified Ident)
   | NeutStop (Qualified Ident)
+  | RecurseWithRecklessAbandon (Qualified Ident)
   | NeutData (Qualified Ident) ConstructorType ProperName Ident (Array (Tuple String BackendSemantics))
   | NeutCtorDef (Qualified Ident) ConstructorType ProperName Ident (Array String)
   | NeutApp BackendSemantics (Spine BackendSemantics)
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ data BackendRewrite
   | RewriteLetAssoc (Array (LetBindingAssoc BackendExpr)) BackendExpr
   | RewriteEffectBindAssoc (Array (EffectBindingAssoc BackendExpr)) BackendExpr
   | RewriteStop (Qualified Ident)
+  | RewriteRecurse (Qualified Ident)
   | RewriteUnpackOp (Maybe Ident) Level UnpackOp BackendExpr
   | RewriteDistBranchesLet (Maybe Ident) Level (NonEmptyArray (Pair BackendExpr)) BackendExpr BackendExpr
   | RewriteDistBranchesOp (NonEmptyArray (Pair BackendExpr)) BackendExpr DistOp
@@ -164,6 +166,8 @@ newtype Env = Env
   , evalExtern :: Env -> Qualified Ident -> Array ExternSpine -> Maybe BackendSemantics
   , locals :: Array (LocalBinding BackendSemantics)
   , directives :: InlineDirectiveMap
+  , punt :: Set.Set (Qualified Ident)
+  , blockNextRecursion :: Boolean
   }
 
 derive instance Newtype Env _
@@ -183,6 +187,16 @@ insertDirective ref acc dir = Map.alter
       Just $ Map.singleton acc dir
   ref
 
+recursable :: Array BackendSemantics -> Boolean
+recursable = go
+  where
+  go arr
+    | Just { head, tail } <- Array.uncons arr = case head of
+        NeutData _ _ _ _ _ -> go tail
+        NeutLit _ -> go tail
+        _ -> false
+    | otherwise = true
+
 addStop :: Env -> EvalRef -> InlineAccessor -> Env
 addStop (Env env) ref acc = Env env
   { directives = Map.alter
@@ -195,13 +209,19 @@ addStop (Env env) ref acc = Env env
       env.directives
   }
 
+puntMe :: Env -> Array (Qualified Ident) -> Env
+puntMe (Env env) quals = Env env
+  { punt = Set.union env.punt (Set.fromFoldable quals)
+  }
+
 class Eval f where
   eval :: Env -> f -> BackendSemantics
 
 instance Eval f => Eval (BackendSyntax f) where
-  eval env = case _ of
-    Var qual ->
-      evalExtern env qual []
+  eval env@(Env envx@{ punt }) = case _ of
+    Var qual
+      | qual `Set.member` punt -> RecurseWithRecklessAbandon qual
+      | otherwise -> evalExtern env qual []
     Local ident lvl ->
       case lookupLocal env lvl of
         Just (One sem) -> sem
@@ -209,8 +229,11 @@ instance Eval f => Eval (BackendSyntax f) where
           force sem
         _ ->
           unsafeCrashWith $ "Unbound local at level " <> show (unwrap lvl)
-    App hd tl ->
-      evalApp env (eval env hd) (NonEmptyArray.toArray (eval env <$> tl))
+    App hd tl -> do
+      let tailEvaled = NonEmptyArray.toArray (eval env <$> tl)
+      let canRecurse = recursable tailEvaled
+      let headEvaled = eval (Env envx { blockNextRecursion = not canRecurse }) hd
+      evalApp env headEvaled tailEvaled
     UncurriedApp hd tl ->
       evalUncurriedApp env (eval env hd) (eval env <$> tl)
     UncurriedAbs idents body -> do
@@ -274,11 +297,12 @@ instance Eval f => Eval (BackendSyntax f) where
       guardFailOver snd (map (eval env) <$> fields) $ NeutData qual ct ty tag
 
 instance Eval BackendExpr where
-  eval = go
+  eval (Env e@{ blockNextRecursion }) = go (Env e { blockNextRecursion = false })
     where
     go env = case _ of
       ExprRewrite _ rewrite ->
         case rewrite of
+          RewriteRecurse ident -> if blockNextRecursion then mkSemExtern ident [] else eval env (Var ident :: BackendSyntax BackendExpr)
           RewriteInline _ _ binding body ->
             go (bindLocal env (One (eval env binding))) body
           RewriteUncurry ident _ args binding body ->
@@ -826,9 +850,12 @@ primOpOrdNot = case _ of
   OpGt -> OpLte
   OpGte -> OpLt
 
+mkSemExtern :: Qualified Ident -> Array ExternSpine -> BackendSemantics
+mkSemExtern qual spine = SemExtern qual spine (defer \_ -> neutralSpine (NeutVar qual) spine)
+
 evalExtern :: Env -> Qualified Ident -> Array ExternSpine -> BackendSemantics
 evalExtern env@(Env e) qual spine = case e.evalExtern env qual spine of
-  Nothing -> SemExtern qual spine (defer \_ -> neutralSpine (NeutVar qual) spine)
+  Nothing -> mkSemExtern qual spine
   Just sem -> sem
 
 envForGroup :: Env -> EvalRef -> InlineAccessor -> Array (Qualified Ident) -> Env
@@ -846,15 +873,15 @@ evalExternFromImpl env@(Env e) qual (Tuple analysis impl) spine = case spine of
           Just InlineNever ->
             Just $ NeutStop qual
           Just InlineAlways ->
-            Just $ eval (envForGroup env ref InlineRef group) expr
+            Just $ eval (puntMe env group) expr
           Just (InlineArity _) ->
             Nothing
           _ ->
             case expr of
               NeutralExpr (Lit lit) | shouldInlineExternLiteral lit ->
-                Just $ eval (envForGroup env ref InlineRef group) expr
+                Just $ eval (puntMe env group) expr
               _ | shouldInlineExternReference qual analysis expr ->
-                Just $ eval (envForGroup env ref InlineRef group) expr
+                Just $ eval (puntMe env group) expr
               _ ->
                 Nothing
       ExternCtor _ ct ty tag [] ->
@@ -1056,6 +1083,7 @@ quote = go
       foldr (buildBranchCond ctx) (quote ctx <<< force $ def) branches'
 
     -- Non-block constructors
+    RecurseWithRecklessAbandon ident -> ExprRewrite (withRewrite (analyzeDefault ctx (Var ident))) $ RewriteRecurse ident
     SemExtern _ _ sem ->
       go ctx (force sem)
     SemLam ident k -> do
@@ -1529,6 +1557,8 @@ freeze init = Tuple (analysisOf init) (go init)
           NeutralExpr $ Let ident level (NeutralExpr (Abs args (go binding))) (go body)
         RewriteStop qual ->
           NeutralExpr $ Var qual
+        RewriteRecurse qual ->
+          NeutralExpr $ Var qual
         RewriteLetAssoc bindings body ->
           case NonEmptyArray.fromArray bindings of
             Just bindings' -> do