diff --git a/compiler/mono/src/gen_refcount.rs b/compiler/mono/src/gen_refcount.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c1defd681c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/mono/src/gen_refcount.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,273 @@
+use bumpalo::Bump;
+use roc_builtins::bitcode::IntWidth;
+use roc_module::low_level::LowLevel;
+use roc_module::symbol::{IdentIds, ModuleId, Symbol};
+
+use crate::ir::{
+    BranchInfo, Call, CallType, Expr, HostExposedLayouts, Literal, Proc, ProcLayout, SelfRecursive,
+    Stmt, UpdateModeId,
+};
+use crate::layout::{Builtin, Layout};
+
+/*
+    Generate specialized refcounting procedures in IR format,
+    which can then be lowered by any of the backends
+*/
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
+pub enum RefcountOp {
+    Inc,
+    Dec,
+    DecRef,
+}
+
+const LAYOUT_BOOL: Layout = Layout::Builtin(Builtin::Bool);
+const LAYOUT_UNIT: Layout = Layout::Struct(&[]);
+
+struct Env<'a, 'i> {
+    pub arena: &'a Bump,
+    pub home: ModuleId,
+    pub ident_ids: &'i mut IdentIds,
+    pub intwidth_isize: IntWidth, // this is the only thing not on the ir.rs Env
+    pub update_mode_counter: u64,
+}
+
+impl<'a, 'i> Env<'a, 'i> {
+    fn layout_isize(&self) -> Layout<'a> {
+        Layout::Builtin(Builtin::Int(self.intwidth_isize))
+    }
+
+    fn layout_ptr(&self) -> Layout<'a> {
+        Layout::RecursivePointer
+    }
+
+    fn unique_symbol(&mut self) -> Symbol {
+        let ident_id = self.ident_ids.gen_unique();
+
+        Symbol::new(self.home, ident_id)
+    }
+
+    fn next_update_mode_id(&mut self) -> UpdateModeId {
+        let id = UpdateModeId {
+            id: self.update_mode_counter,
+        };
+
+        self.update_mode_counter += 1;
+
+        id
+    }
+}
+
+/// Helper to return Unit from a procedure
+fn return_unit<'a>(env: &mut Env<'a, '_>) -> Stmt<'a> {
+    let unit = env.unique_symbol();
+    let ret_stmt = env.arena.alloc(Stmt::Ret(unit));
+    Stmt::Let(unit, Expr::Struct(&[]), LAYOUT_UNIT, ret_stmt)
+}
+
+/// Helper to generate procedure arguments
+fn gen_args<'a>(
+    env: &mut Env<'a, '_>,
+    op: RefcountOp,
+    layout: Layout<'a>,
+) -> (&'a [Layout<'a>], &'a [(Layout<'a>, Symbol)]) {
+    let roc_value = (layout, Symbol::ARG_1);
+    match op {
+        RefcountOp::Inc => {
+            let layout_isize = env.layout_isize();
+            let inc_amount = (layout_isize, Symbol::ARG_2);
+            (
+                env.arena.alloc([roc_value.0, inc_amount.0]),
+                env.arena.alloc([roc_value, inc_amount]),
+            )
+        }
+        RefcountOp::Dec | RefcountOp::DecRef => {
+            (env.arena.alloc([roc_value.0]), env.arena.alloc([roc_value]))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Generate a procedure to modify the reference count of a Str
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+fn gen_modify_str<'a>(env: &mut Env<'a, '_>, op: RefcountOp) -> (Symbol, ProcLayout<'a>, Proc<'a>) {
+    let string = Symbol::ARG_1;
+    let layout_isize = env.layout_isize();
+    let layout_ptr = env.layout_ptr();
+
+    // Get the string length as a signed int
+    let len = env.unique_symbol();
+    let len_expr = Expr::StructAtIndex {
+        index: 1,
+        field_layouts: env.arena.alloc([layout_ptr, layout_isize]),
+        structure: string,
+    };
+    let len_stmt = |next| Stmt::Let(len, len_expr, layout_isize, next);
+
+    // Zero
+    let zero = env.unique_symbol();
+    let zero_expr = Expr::Literal(Literal::Int(0));
+    let zero_stmt = |next| Stmt::Let(zero, zero_expr, layout_isize, next);
+
+    // is_big_str = (len >= 0);
+    // Check the "sign bit" (small string flag) is zero
+    let is_big_str = env.unique_symbol();
+    let is_big_str_expr = Expr::Call(Call {
+        call_type: CallType::LowLevel {
+            op: LowLevel::NumGte,
+            update_mode: env.next_update_mode_id(),
+        },
+        arguments: env.arena.alloc([len, zero]),
+    });
+    let is_big_str_stmt = |next| Stmt::Let(is_big_str, is_big_str_expr, LAYOUT_BOOL, next);
+
+    // Get the pointer to the string elements
+    let elements = env.unique_symbol();
+    let elements_expr = Expr::StructAtIndex {
+        index: 0,
+        field_layouts: env.arena.alloc([layout_ptr, layout_isize]),
+        structure: string,
+    };
+    let elements_stmt = |next| Stmt::Let(elements, elements_expr, layout_ptr, next);
+
+    // Get a pointer to the refcount value, just below the elements pointer
+    let rc_ptr = env.unique_symbol();
+    let rc_ptr_expr = Expr::Call(Call {
+        call_type: CallType::LowLevel {
+            op: LowLevel::RefCountGetPtr,
+            update_mode: env.next_update_mode_id(),
+        },
+        arguments: env.arena.alloc([string]),
+    });
+    let rc_ptr_stmt = |next| Stmt::Let(rc_ptr, rc_ptr_expr, layout_ptr, next);
+
+    // Call the relevant Zig lowlevel to actually modify the refcount
+    let zig_call_result = env.unique_symbol();
+    let zig_call_expr = match op {
+        RefcountOp::Inc => Expr::Call(Call {
+            call_type: CallType::LowLevel {
+                op: LowLevel::RefCountInc,
+                update_mode: env.next_update_mode_id(),
+            },
+            arguments: env.arena.alloc([rc_ptr, Symbol::ARG_2]),
+        }),
+        RefcountOp::Dec | RefcountOp::DecRef => Expr::Call(Call {
+            call_type: CallType::LowLevel {
+                op: LowLevel::RefCountDec,
+                update_mode: env.next_update_mode_id(),
+            },
+            arguments: env.arena.alloc([rc_ptr]),
+        }),
+    };
+    let zig_call_stmt = |next| Stmt::Let(zig_call_result, zig_call_expr, LAYOUT_BOOL, next);
+
+    // Generate an `if` to skip small strings but modify big strings
+    let then_branch = elements_stmt(env.arena.alloc(
+        //
+        rc_ptr_stmt(env.arena.alloc(
+            //
+            zig_call_stmt(env.arena.alloc(
+                //
+                Stmt::Ret(zig_call_result),
+            )),
+        )),
+    ));
+    let if_stmt = Stmt::Switch {
+        cond_symbol: is_big_str,
+        cond_layout: LAYOUT_BOOL,
+        branches: env.arena.alloc([(1, BranchInfo::None, then_branch)]),
+        default_branch: (BranchInfo::None, env.arena.alloc(return_unit(env))),
+        ret_layout: LAYOUT_UNIT,
+    };
+
+    // Combine the statements in sequence
+    let body = len_stmt(env.arena.alloc(
+        //
+        zero_stmt(env.arena.alloc(
+            //
+            is_big_str_stmt(env.arena.alloc(
+                //
+                if_stmt,
+            )),
+        )),
+    ));
+
+    let name = env.unique_symbol();
+    let (arg_layouts, args) = gen_args(env, op, Layout::Builtin(Builtin::Str));
+    let proc_layout = ProcLayout {
+        arguments: arg_layouts,
+        result: LAYOUT_UNIT,
+    };
+
+    let proc = Proc {
+        name,
+        args,
+        body,
+        closure_data_layout: None,
+        ret_layout: LAYOUT_UNIT,
+        is_self_recursive: SelfRecursive::NotSelfRecursive,
+        must_own_arguments: false,
+        host_exposed_layouts: HostExposedLayouts::NotHostExposed,
+    };
+
+    (name, proc_layout, proc)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use roc_collections::all::MutMap;
+    use roc_module::ident::{IdentStr, ModuleName};
+    use roc_module::symbol::{PackageModuleIds, PackageQualified};
+
+    // TODO: Find a cleaner way to do the setup without nasty hacks!
+    // I made a load of private fields public, and Symbol constants are not set up, etc.
+    fn setup() -> (ModuleId, IdentIds) {
+        let home = ModuleId(0);
+        let home_ident = IdentStr::from("test");
+        let debug_name = PackageQualified::Unqualified(ModuleName(home_ident));
+        PackageModuleIds::insert_debug_name(home, &debug_name);
+        let mut ident_ids = IdentIds {
+            by_ident: MutMap::default(),
+            by_id: std::vec::Vec::default(),
+            next_generated_name: 0,
+        };
+
+        // Prevent clashing with Symbol constants that we use
+        let skip = Symbol::ARG_8.as_u64() >> 32;
+        for _ in 0..skip {
+            ident_ids.gen_unique();
+        }
+
+        (home, ident_ids)
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_str() {
+        let (home, mut ident_ids) = setup();
+        let arena = &Bump::new();
+
+        let testcases = [
+            (IntWidth::I32, RefcountOp::Inc),
+            (IntWidth::I32, RefcountOp::Dec),
+            (IntWidth::I64, RefcountOp::Inc),
+            (IntWidth::I64, RefcountOp::Dec),
+        ];
+
+        for (intwidth_isize, mode) in testcases {
+            let mut env = Env {
+                arena,
+                home,
+                ident_ids: &mut ident_ids,
+                intwidth_isize,
+                update_mode_counter: 0,
+            };
+            let (name, proc_layout, proc) = gen_modify_str(&mut env, mode);
+            println!(
+                "\n({:?}, {:?}):\n{}",
+                name,
+                proc_layout,
+                proc.to_pretty(200)
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/compiler/mono/src/lib.rs b/compiler/mono/src/lib.rs
index dfd693c55d..9dca478015 100644
--- a/compiler/mono/src/lib.rs
+++ b/compiler/mono/src/lib.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 pub mod alias_analysis;
 pub mod borrow;
+pub mod gen_refcount;
 pub mod inc_dec;
 pub mod ir;
 pub mod layout;