diff --git a/compiler/load/src/file.rs b/compiler/load/src/file.rs
index 8ef51942f8..69886ed2e6 100644
--- a/compiler/load/src/file.rs
+++ b/compiler/load/src/file.rs
@@ -2048,8 +2048,6 @@ fn update<'a>(
                 && state.dependencies.solved_all()
                 && state.goal_phase == Phase::MakeSpecializations
             {
-                Proc::insert_refcount_operations(arena, &mut state.procedures);
-
                 // display the mono IR of the module, for debug purposes
                 if roc_mono::ir::PRETTY_PRINT_IR_SYMBOLS {
                     let procs_string = state
@@ -2062,6 +2060,7 @@ fn update<'a>(
 
                     println!("{}", result);
                 }
+                Proc::insert_refcount_operations(arena, &mut state.procedures);
 
                 Proc::optimize_refcount_operations(
                     arena,
diff --git a/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs b/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
index 2efef1f21d..5f00f5544a 100644
--- a/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
+++ b/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
@@ -6079,17 +6079,65 @@ fn call_by_name<'a>(
         }
         Ok(layout) if procs.module_thunks.contains(&proc_name) => {
             // here we turn a call to a module thunk into  forcing of that thunk
-            debug_assert!(loc_args.is_empty());
-            call_by_name_module_thunk(
-                env,
-                procs,
-                fn_var,
-                proc_name,
-                env.arena.alloc(layout),
-                layout_cache,
-                assigned,
-                hole,
-            )
+            if loc_args.is_empty() {
+                call_by_name_module_thunk(
+                    env,
+                    procs,
+                    fn_var,
+                    proc_name,
+                    env.arena.alloc(layout),
+                    layout_cache,
+                    assigned,
+                    hole,
+                )
+            } else if let Layout::Closure(arg_layouts, lambda_set, ret_layout) = layout {
+                // here we turn a call to a module thunk into forcing of that thunk
+                // the thunk represents the closure environment for the body, so we then match
+                // on the closure environment to perform the call that the body represents.
+                //
+                // Example:
+                //
+                // > main = parseA  "foo" "bar"
+                // > parseA = Str.concat
+
+                let closure_data_symbol = env.unique_symbol();
+
+                let arena = env.arena;
+                let arg_symbols = Vec::from_iter_in(
+                    loc_args
+                        .iter()
+                        .map(|(_, arg_expr)| possible_reuse_symbol(env, procs, &arg_expr.value)),
+                    arena,
+                )
+                .into_bump_slice();
+
+                let result = match_on_lambda_set(
+                    env,
+                    lambda_set,
+                    closure_data_symbol,
+                    arg_symbols,
+                    arg_layouts,
+                    *ret_layout,
+                    assigned,
+                    hole,
+                );
+
+                let result = call_by_name_module_thunk(
+                    env,
+                    procs,
+                    fn_var,
+                    proc_name,
+                    env.arena.alloc(layout),
+                    layout_cache,
+                    closure_data_symbol,
+                    env.arena.alloc(result),
+                );
+
+                let iter = loc_args.into_iter().rev().zip(arg_symbols.iter().rev());
+                assign_to_symbols(env, procs, layout_cache, iter, result)
+            } else {
+                unreachable!("calling a non-closure layout")
+            }
         }
         Ok(Layout::FunctionPointer(argument_layouts, ret_layout)) => call_by_name_help(
             env,
diff --git a/compiler/test_gen/src/gen_primitives.rs b/compiler/test_gen/src/gen_primitives.rs
index 68ad04ba93..24d17fe0be 100644
--- a/compiler/test_gen/src/gen_primitives.rs
+++ b/compiler/test_gen/src/gen_primitives.rs
@@ -2426,3 +2426,19 @@ fn increment_or_double_closure() {
         i64
     );
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn module_thunk_is_function() {
+    assert_evals_to!(
+        indoc!(
+            r#"
+                app "test" provides [ main ] to "./platform"
+
+                main = helper "foo" "bar"
+                helper = Str.concat
+            "#
+        ),
+        RocStr::from_slice(b"foobar"),
+        RocStr
+    );
+}