diff --git a/src/uniqueness/mod.rs b/src/uniqueness/mod.rs
index e6af814bef..e4be9ccd43 100644
--- a/src/uniqueness/mod.rs
+++ b/src/uniqueness/mod.rs
@@ -459,7 +459,9 @@ pub fn constrain_expr(
                 expected,
             )
         }
-        Closure(fn_var, _symbol, _recursion, args, boxed) => {
+        Closure(fn_var, _symbol, recursion, args, boxed) => {
+            use crate::can::expr::Recursive;
+
             let (loc_body_expr, ret_var) = &**boxed;
             let mut state = PatternState {
                 headers: SendMap::default(),
@@ -485,11 +487,18 @@ pub fn constrain_expr(
                 vars.push(*pattern_var);
             }
 
-            let fn_uniq_var = var_store.fresh();
-            vars.push(fn_uniq_var);
+            let fn_uniq_type;
+            if let Recursive::NotRecursive = recursion {
+                let fn_uniq_var = var_store.fresh();
+                vars.push(fn_uniq_var);
+                fn_uniq_type = Bool::Variable(fn_uniq_var);
+            } else {
+                // recursive definitions MUST be Shared
+                fn_uniq_type = Bool::Zero
+            }
 
             let fn_type = constrain::attr_type(
-                Bool::Variable(fn_uniq_var),
+                fn_uniq_type,
                 Type::Function(pattern_types, Box::new(ret_type.clone())),
             );
             let body_type = Expected::NoExpectation(ret_type);
diff --git a/tests/test_infer.rs b/tests/test_infer.rs
index e54348564f..a7d60c0a4b 100644
--- a/tests/test_infer.rs
+++ b/tests/test_infer.rs
@@ -1246,23 +1246,22 @@ mod test_infer {
         );
     }
 
+    // TODO add more realistic function when able
     #[test]
     fn integer_sum() {
-        with_larger_debug_stack(|| {
-            infer_eq_without_problem(
-                indoc!(
-                    r#"
-                f = \n -> 
+        infer_eq_without_problem(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                f = \n ->
                     when n is 
                         0 -> 0
                         _ -> f n
 
                 f
                    "#
-                ),
-                "Int -> Int",
-            );
-        });
+            ),
+            "Int -> Int",
+        );
     }
 
     // currently fails, the rank of Cons's ext_var is 3, where 2 is the highest pool
diff --git a/tests/test_uniqueness_infer.rs b/tests/test_uniqueness_infer.rs
index 249fae6496..bfc6f762b9 100644
--- a/tests/test_uniqueness_infer.rs
+++ b/tests/test_uniqueness_infer.rs
@@ -1231,4 +1231,41 @@ mod test_infer_uniq {
             "Attr.Attr * Int",
         );
     }
+
+    // TODO add more realistic recursive example when able
+    #[test]
+    fn factorial_is_shared() {
+        infer_eq_without_problem(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                    factorial = \n ->
+                        when n is
+                            0 -> 1
+                            1 -> 1
+                            m -> factorial m
+
+                    factorial
+                   "#
+            ),
+            "Attr.Attr Attr.Shared (Attr.Attr * Int -> Attr.Attr * Int)",
+        );
+    }
+
+    // TODO add more realistic recursive example when able
+    #[test]
+    fn factorial_without_recursive_case_can_be_unique() {
+        infer_eq_without_problem(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                    factorial = \n ->
+                        when n is
+                            0 -> 1
+                            _ -> 1
+
+                    factorial
+                   "#
+            ),
+            "Attr.Attr * (Attr.Attr * Int -> Attr.Attr * Int)",
+        );
+    }
 }