diff --git a/compiler/constrain/src/module.rs b/compiler/constrain/src/module.rs
index 5a85609cab..7af9047d1b 100644
--- a/compiler/constrain/src/module.rs
+++ b/compiler/constrain/src/module.rs
@@ -207,16 +207,7 @@ fn to_type(solved_type: &SolvedType, free_vars: &mut FreeVars, var_store: &mut V
                 Type::Variable(var)
             }
         }
-        Flex(var_id) => {
-            if let Some(var) = free_vars.unnamed_vars.get(&var_id) {
-                Type::Variable(*var)
-            } else {
-                let var = var_store.fresh();
-                free_vars.unnamed_vars.insert(*var_id, var);
-
-                Type::Variable(var)
-            }
-        }
+        Flex(var_id) => Type::Variable(var_id_to_flex_var(*var_id, free_vars, var_store)),
         Wildcard => {
             let var = var_store.fresh();
             free_vars.wildcards.push(var);
@@ -274,11 +265,11 @@ fn to_type(solved_type: &SolvedType, free_vars: &mut FreeVars, var_store: &mut V
         }
         Boolean(SolvedBool::SolvedShared) => Type::Boolean(Bool::Shared),
         Boolean(SolvedBool::SolvedContainer(solved_cvar, solved_mvars)) => {
-            let cvar = var_id_to_var(*solved_cvar, free_vars, var_store);
+            let cvar = var_id_to_flex_var(*solved_cvar, free_vars, var_store);
 
             let mvars = solved_mvars
                 .iter()
-                .map(|var_id| var_id_to_var(*var_id, free_vars, var_store));
+                .map(|var_id| var_id_to_flex_var(*var_id, free_vars, var_store));
 
             Type::Boolean(Bool::container(cvar, mvars))
         }
@@ -298,7 +289,11 @@ fn to_type(solved_type: &SolvedType, free_vars: &mut FreeVars, var_store: &mut V
     }
 }
 
-fn var_id_to_var(var_id: VarId, free_vars: &mut FreeVars, var_store: &mut VarStore) -> Variable {
+fn var_id_to_flex_var(
+    var_id: VarId,
+    free_vars: &mut FreeVars,
+    var_store: &mut VarStore,
+) -> Variable {
     if let Some(var) = free_vars.unnamed_vars.get(&var_id) {
         *var
     } else {
diff --git a/compiler/load/tests/test_uniq_load.rs b/compiler/load/tests/test_uniq_load.rs
index d641bdf3c8..5a62991a2f 100644
--- a/compiler/load/tests/test_uniq_load.rs
+++ b/compiler/load/tests/test_uniq_load.rs
@@ -286,7 +286,26 @@ mod test_uniq_load {
                     "w" => "Attr * (Dep1.Identity (Attr * {}))",
                     "succeed" => "Attr * (Attr b a -> Attr * (Dep1.Identity (Attr b a)))",
                     "yay" => "Attr * (Res.Res (Attr * {}) (Attr * err))",
-                    "withDefault" => "Attr * (Attr (* | * | *) (Res.Res (Attr * a) (Attr * *)), Attr * a -> Attr * a)",
+                    "withDefault" => "Attr * (Attr (* | a | b) (Res.Res (Attr a c) (Attr b *)), Attr a c -> Attr a c)",
+                },
+            );
+        });
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn load_custom_res() {
+        test_async(async {
+            let subs_by_module = MutMap::default();
+            let loaded_module = load_fixture("interface_with_deps", "Res", subs_by_module).await;
+
+            // the inferred signature for withDefault is wrong, part of the alias in alias issue.
+            // "withDefault" => "Attr * (Attr * (Res.Res (Attr a b) (Attr * *)), Attr a b -> Attr a b)",
+            expect_types(
+                loaded_module,
+                hashmap! {
+                    "withDefault" =>"Attr * (Attr (* | b | c) (Res (Attr b a) (Attr c err)), Attr b a -> Attr b a)",
+                    "map" => "Attr * (Attr (* | c | d) (Res (Attr d a) (Attr c err)), Attr * (Attr d a -> Attr e b) -> Attr * (Res (Attr e b) (Attr c err)))",
+                    "andThen" => "Attr * (Attr (* | c | d) (Res (Attr d a) (Attr c err)), Attr * (Attr d a -> Attr e (Res (Attr f b) (Attr c err))) -> Attr e (Res (Attr f b) (Attr c err)))"
                 },
             );
         });
diff --git a/compiler/types/src/solved_types.rs b/compiler/types/src/solved_types.rs
index 25805ddc1b..d22ad91d54 100644
--- a/compiler/types/src/solved_types.rs
+++ b/compiler/types/src/solved_types.rs
@@ -62,15 +62,18 @@ pub enum SolvedBool {
 }
 
 impl SolvedBool {
-    pub fn from_bool(boolean: &boolean_algebra::Bool) -> Self {
+    pub fn from_bool(boolean: &boolean_algebra::Bool, subs: &Subs) -> Self {
         use boolean_algebra::Bool;
 
         // NOTE we blindly trust that `cvar` is a root and has a FlexVar as content
         match boolean {
             Bool::Shared => SolvedBool::SolvedShared,
             Bool::Container(cvar, mvars) => SolvedBool::SolvedContainer(
-                VarId::from_var(*cvar),
-                mvars.iter().map(|mvar| VarId::from_var(*mvar)).collect(),
+                VarId::from_var(*cvar, subs),
+                mvars
+                    .iter()
+                    .map(|mvar| VarId::from_var(*mvar, subs))
+                    .collect(),
             ),
         }
     }
@@ -155,7 +158,7 @@ impl SolvedType {
                 }
 
                 SolvedType::RecursiveTagUnion(
-                    VarId::from_var(rec_var),
+                    VarId::from_var(rec_var, solved_subs.inner()),
                     solved_tags,
                     Box::new(solved_ext),
                 )
@@ -171,7 +174,7 @@ impl SolvedType {
 
                 SolvedType::Alias(symbol, solved_args, Box::new(solved_type))
             }
-            Boolean(val) => SolvedType::Boolean(SolvedBool::from_bool(&val)),
+            Boolean(val) => SolvedType::Boolean(SolvedBool::from_bool(&val, solved_subs.inner())),
             Variable(var) => Self::from_var(solved_subs.inner(), var),
         }
     }
@@ -180,7 +183,7 @@ impl SolvedType {
         use crate::subs::Content::*;
 
         match subs.get_without_compacting(var).content {
-            FlexVar(_) => SolvedType::Flex(VarId::from_var(var)),
+            FlexVar(_) => SolvedType::Flex(VarId::from_var(var, subs)),
             RigidVar(name) => SolvedType::Rigid(name),
             Structure(flat_type) => Self::from_flat_type(subs, flat_type),
             Alias(symbol, args, actual_var) => {
@@ -270,11 +273,15 @@ impl SolvedType {
 
                 let ext = Self::from_var(subs, ext_var);
 
-                SolvedType::RecursiveTagUnion(VarId::from_var(rec_var), new_tags, Box::new(ext))
+                SolvedType::RecursiveTagUnion(
+                    VarId::from_var(rec_var, subs),
+                    new_tags,
+                    Box::new(ext),
+                )
             }
             EmptyRecord => SolvedType::EmptyRecord,
             EmptyTagUnion => SolvedType::EmptyTagUnion,
-            Boolean(val) => SolvedType::Boolean(SolvedBool::from_bool(&val)),
+            Boolean(val) => SolvedType::Boolean(SolvedBool::from_bool(&val, subs)),
             Erroneous(problem) => SolvedType::Erroneous(problem),
         }
     }
diff --git a/compiler/types/src/subs.rs b/compiler/types/src/subs.rs
index 9c0af2ed4d..2be37f3d01 100644
--- a/compiler/types/src/subs.rs
+++ b/compiler/types/src/subs.rs
@@ -199,7 +199,8 @@ impl UnifyKey for Variable {
 pub struct VarId(u32);
 
 impl VarId {
-    pub fn from_var(var: Variable) -> Self {
+    pub fn from_var(var: Variable, subs: &Subs) -> Self {
+        let var = subs.get_root_key_without_compacting(var);
         let Variable(n) = var;
 
         VarId(n)