diff --git a/compiler/types/src/subs.rs b/compiler/types/src/subs.rs
index ca71ab56cd..726aab1e38 100644
--- a/compiler/types/src/subs.rs
+++ b/compiler/types/src/subs.rs
@@ -4817,3 +4817,90 @@ fn copy_import_to_help(env: &mut CopyImportEnv<'_>, max_rank: Rank, var: Variabl
         }
     }
 }
+
+pub trait ContentVisitor<'a> {
+    fn subs(&self) -> &'a Subs;
+
+    fn insert_recursion_var(&mut self, var: Variable);
+    fn seen_recursion_var(&self, var: Variable) -> bool;
+
+    /// Visits the `content` for `var` and returns whether or not descend into `content` further.
+    /// Don't call this directly; `visit` will call this.
+    fn handle_content(&mut self, var: Variable, content: &Content) -> bool;
+
+    /// Entry point to the visitor; descends the content of a variable until its end, or a cycle.
+    /// Attach handlers for different content using `handle_content`. You likely don't want to call
+    /// `visit` directly, as it uses an iterative rather than recursive visitor.
+    fn visit(&mut self, var: Variable) {
+        let mut stack = vec![var];
+
+        let subs = self.subs();
+
+        macro_rules! push_var_slice {
+            ($slice:expr) => {
+                stack.extend(subs.get_subs_slice($slice))
+            };
+        }
+
+        while let Some(var) = stack.pop() {
+            if self.seen_recursion_var(var) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            let content = subs.get_content_without_compacting(var);
+
+            if !self.handle_content(var, content) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            use Content::*;
+            use FlatType::*;
+            match content {
+                FlexVar(_) | RigidVar(_) | FlexAbleVar(_, _) | RigidAbleVar(_, _) => {}
+                RecursionVar {
+                    structure,
+                    opt_name: _,
+                } => {
+                    self.insert_recursion_var(var);
+                    stack.push(*structure);
+                }
+                Structure(flat_type) => match flat_type {
+                    Apply(_, vars) => push_var_slice!(*vars),
+                    Func(args, clos, ret) => {
+                        push_var_slice!(*args);
+                        stack.push(*clos);
+                        stack.push(*ret);
+                    }
+                    Record(fields, var) => {
+                        push_var_slice!(fields.variables());
+                        stack.push(*var);
+                    }
+                    TagUnion(tags, ext_var) => {
+                        for i in tags.variables() {
+                            push_var_slice!(subs[i]);
+                        }
+                        stack.push(*ext_var);
+                    }
+                    FunctionOrTagUnion(_, _, var) => stack.push(*var),
+                    RecursiveTagUnion(rec_var, tags, ext_var) => {
+                        self.insert_recursion_var(*rec_var);
+                        for i in tags.variables() {
+                            push_var_slice!(subs[i]);
+                        }
+                        stack.push(*ext_var);
+                    }
+                    Erroneous(_) | EmptyRecord | EmptyTagUnion => {}
+                },
+                Alias(_, arguments, real_type_var, _) => {
+                    push_var_slice!(arguments.all_variables());
+                    stack.push(*real_type_var);
+                }
+                RangedNumber(typ, vars) => {
+                    stack.push(*typ);
+                    push_var_slice!(*vars);
+                }
+                Error => {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}