diff --git a/crates/compiler/gen_wasm/src/backend.rs b/crates/compiler/gen_wasm/src/backend.rs
index 2a9d17c6df..d191dda315 100644
--- a/crates/compiler/gen_wasm/src/backend.rs
+++ b/crates/compiler/gen_wasm/src/backend.rs
@@ -2102,6 +2102,17 @@ impl<'a, 'r> WasmBackend<'a, 'r> {
             self.register_helper_proc(spec_sym, spec_layout, ProcSource::Helper);
         }
 
+        self.get_existing_refcount_fn_index(proc_symbol, layout, op)
+    }
+
+    /// return a pointer (table index) to a refcount helper procedure.
+    /// This allows it to be indirectly called from Zig code
+    pub fn get_existing_refcount_fn_index(
+        &mut self,
+        proc_symbol: Symbol,
+        layout: InLayout<'a>,
+        op: HelperOp,
+    ) -> u32 {
         let layout_repr = if op.is_indirect() {
             LayoutRepr::Ptr(layout)
         } else {
diff --git a/crates/compiler/gen_wasm/src/low_level.rs b/crates/compiler/gen_wasm/src/low_level.rs
index db5a47b10f..f55d8e76e6 100644
--- a/crates/compiler/gen_wasm/src/low_level.rs
+++ b/crates/compiler/gen_wasm/src/low_level.rs
@@ -341,6 +341,8 @@ impl<'a> LowLevelCall<'a> {
 
             ListDecref => {
                 let input_list: Symbol = self.arguments[0];
+                let dec_fn_sym = self.arguments[1];
+
                 let list_layout = backend
                     .layout_interner
                     .get_repr(backend.storage.symbol_layouts[&input_list]);
@@ -350,8 +352,12 @@ impl<'a> LowLevelCall<'a> {
                     elem_layout.stack_size_and_alignment(backend.layout_interner);
 
                 let elem_refcounted = backend.layout_interner.contains_refcounted(elem_in_layout);
-                let dec_fn_ptr =
-                    build_refcount_element_fn(backend, elem_in_layout, HelperOp::IndirectDec);
+                let dec_fn = backend.get_existing_refcount_fn_index(
+                    dec_fn_sym,
+                    elem_in_layout,
+                    HelperOp::IndirectDec,
+                );
+                let dec_fn_ptr = backend.get_fn_ptr(dec_fn);
 
                 // Zig arguments              Wasm types
                 //  input_list: &RocList       i32
@@ -2998,11 +3004,6 @@ fn build_refcount_element_fn<'a>(
     elem_layout: InLayout<'a>,
     rc_op: HelperOp,
 ) -> i32 {
-    // The refcount function receives a pointer to an element in the list
-    // This is the same as a Struct containing the element
-    let in_memory_layout = backend
-        .layout_interner
-        .insert_direct_no_semantic(LayoutRepr::Struct(backend.env.arena.alloc([elem_layout])));
-    let rc_fn = backend.get_refcount_fn_index(in_memory_layout, rc_op);
+    let rc_fn = backend.get_refcount_fn_index(elem_layout, rc_op);
     backend.get_fn_ptr(rc_fn)
 }
diff --git a/crates/compiler/mono/src/code_gen_help/refcount.rs b/crates/compiler/mono/src/code_gen_help/refcount.rs
index 420bb95ac4..2f49af553d 100644
--- a/crates/compiler/mono/src/code_gen_help/refcount.rs
+++ b/crates/compiler/mono/src/code_gen_help/refcount.rs
@@ -196,7 +196,14 @@ pub fn refcount_generic<'a>(
             rc_return_stmt(root, ident_ids, ctx)
         }
         LayoutRepr::Builtin(Builtin::Str) => refcount_str(root, ident_ids, ctx),
-        LayoutRepr::Builtin(Builtin::List(_)) => refcount_list(root, ident_ids, ctx, structure),
+        LayoutRepr::Builtin(Builtin::List(element_layout)) => refcount_list(
+            root,
+            ident_ids,
+            ctx,
+            layout_interner,
+            element_layout,
+            structure,
+        ),
         LayoutRepr::Struct(field_layouts) => refcount_struct(
             root,
             ident_ids,
@@ -945,6 +952,8 @@ fn refcount_list<'a>(
     root: &mut CodeGenHelp<'a>,
     ident_ids: &mut IdentIds,
     ctx: &mut Context<'a>,
+    layout_interner: &mut STLayoutInterner<'a>,
+    element_layout: InLayout<'a>,
     _structure: Symbol,
 ) -> Stmt<'a> {
     let arena = root.arena;
@@ -964,13 +973,19 @@ fn refcount_list<'a>(
             })
         }
         HelperOp::DecRef(_) | HelperOp::Dec => {
-            let rc_list_args = refcount_args(root, ctx, list);
+            let (rc_sym, linker_data) = root.gen_refcount_proc(
+                ident_ids,
+                layout_interner,
+                element_layout,
+                HelperOp::IndirectDec,
+            );
+            ctx.new_linker_data.extend_from_slice(&linker_data);
             Expr::Call(Call {
                 call_type: CallType::LowLevel {
                     op: LowLevel::ListDecref,
                     update_mode: UpdateModeId::BACKEND_DUMMY,
                 },
-                arguments: rc_list_args,
+                arguments: root.arena.alloc([list, rc_sym]),
             })
         }
         _ => unreachable!(),