diff --git a/compiler/gen/tests/gen_primitives.rs b/compiler/gen/tests/gen_primitives.rs
index 4c2ace6a05..56c39caef0 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/tests/gen_primitives.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/tests/gen_primitives.rs
@@ -1732,4 +1732,20 @@ mod gen_primitives {
             |_| 0
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn hof_conditional() {
+        // exposed issue with the if condition being just a symbol
+        assert_evals_to!(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                    passTrue = \f -> f True
+
+                    passTrue (\trueVal -> if trueVal then False else True)
+                "#
+            ),
+            0,
+            u8
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs b/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
index 882574fc6e..14e92e8653 100644
--- a/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
+++ b/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
@@ -3678,7 +3678,7 @@ pub fn from_can<'a>(
             let mut stmt = from_can(env, branch_var, final_else.value, procs, layout_cache);
 
             for (loc_cond, loc_then) in branches.into_iter().rev() {
-                let branching_symbol = env.unique_symbol();
+                let branching_symbol = possible_reuse_symbol(env, procs, &loc_cond.value);
                 let then = from_can(env, branch_var, loc_then.value, procs, layout_cache);
 
                 stmt = Stmt::Cond {
@@ -3691,15 +3691,14 @@ pub fn from_can<'a>(
                     ret_layout: ret_layout.clone(),
                 };
 
-                // add condition
-                stmt = with_hole(
+                stmt = assign_to_symbol(
                     env,
-                    loc_cond.value,
-                    cond_var,
                     procs,
                     layout_cache,
+                    cond_var,
+                    loc_cond,
                     branching_symbol,
-                    env.arena.alloc(stmt),
+                    stmt,
                 );
             }