diff --git a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/bitcode.rs b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/bitcode.rs
index 5c4d266194..12374acf8f 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/bitcode.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/bitcode.rs
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ pub fn build_rc_wrapper<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
             match rc_operation {
                 Mode::Inc => {
                     // we hardcode the 1 here
-                    let n = 1;
+                    let n = env.ptr_int().const_int(1, false);
                     increment_refcount_layout(env, function_value, layout_ids, n, value, layout);
                 }
                 Mode::Dec => {
diff --git a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build.rs b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build.rs
index 7dd9a2d1cb..90d47d06a9 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build.rs
@@ -2263,14 +2263,22 @@ pub fn build_exp_stmt<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
                     let layout = *layout;
 
                     if layout.contains_refcounted() {
-                        increment_refcount_layout(
-                            env,
-                            parent,
-                            layout_ids,
-                            *inc_amount,
-                            value,
-                            &layout,
-                        );
+                        let amount = env.ptr_int().const_int(*inc_amount, false);
+                        increment_refcount_layout(env, parent, layout_ids, amount, value, &layout);
+                    }
+
+                    build_exp_stmt(env, layout_ids, scope, parent, cont)
+                }
+                IncUnknown {
+                    to_increment,
+                    amount: amount_symbol,
+                } => {
+                    let (value, layout) = load_symbol_and_layout(scope, to_increment);
+                    let layout = *layout;
+
+                    if layout.contains_refcounted() {
+                        let amount = load_symbol(scope, amount_symbol).into_int_value();
+                        increment_refcount_layout(env, parent, layout_ids, amount, value, &layout);
                     }
 
                     build_exp_stmt(env, layout_ids, scope, parent, cont)
diff --git a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build_list.rs b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build_list.rs
index fd4eb110be..99ad333be8 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build_list.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build_list.rs
@@ -289,7 +289,8 @@ pub fn list_get_unsafe<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
 
             let result = builder.build_load(elem_ptr, "List.get");
 
-            increment_refcount_layout(env, parent, layout_ids, 1, result, elem_layout);
+            let n = env.ptr_int().const_int(1, false);
+            increment_refcount_layout(env, parent, layout_ids, n, result, elem_layout);
 
             result
         }
diff --git a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/refcounting.rs b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/refcounting.rs
index 7af7a0fe8f..a0bb3d0cd5 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/refcounting.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/refcounting.rs
@@ -423,16 +423,15 @@ pub fn increment_refcount_layout<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
     env: &Env<'a, 'ctx, 'env>,
     parent: FunctionValue<'ctx>,
     layout_ids: &mut LayoutIds<'a>,
-    inc_amount: u64,
+    inc_amount: IntValue<'ctx>,
     value: BasicValueEnum<'ctx>,
     layout: &Layout<'a>,
 ) {
-    let amount = env.ptr_int().const_int(inc_amount, false);
     modify_refcount_layout(
         env,
         parent,
         layout_ids,
-        CallMode::Inc(amount),
+        CallMode::Inc(inc_amount),
         value,
         layout,
     );
diff --git a/compiler/mono/src/expand_rc.rs b/compiler/mono/src/expand_rc.rs
index c329a503b5..557c41a312 100644
--- a/compiler/mono/src/expand_rc.rs
+++ b/compiler/mono/src/expand_rc.rs
@@ -575,6 +575,17 @@ fn expand_and_cancel<'a>(env: &mut Env<'a, '_>, stmt: &'a Stmt<'a>) -> &'a Stmt<
                 expand_and_cancel(env, cont)
             }
 
+            Refcounting(
+                ModifyRc::IncUnknown {
+                    to_increment: _,
+                    amount: _,
+                },
+                cont,
+            ) => {
+                // TODO
+                expand_and_cancel(env, cont)
+            }
+
             Refcounting(ModifyRc::Inc(symbol, inc_amount), cont) => {
                 let count = env.deferred.inc_dec_map.entry(*symbol).or_insert(0);
                 *count += *inc_amount as i64;
diff --git a/compiler/mono/src/inc_dec.rs b/compiler/mono/src/inc_dec.rs
index fe70d8e26b..c1df450e84 100644
--- a/compiler/mono/src/inc_dec.rs
+++ b/compiler/mono/src/inc_dec.rs
@@ -468,7 +468,16 @@ impl<'a> Context<'a> {
                                 arguments,
                             });
 
-                            &*self.arena.alloc(Stmt::Let(z, v, l, b))
+                            let mut b = Stmt::Let(z, v, l, b);
+
+                            if !ps[1].borrow {
+                                b = Stmt::Refcounting(
+                                    ModifyRc::Inc(arguments[2], 2),
+                                    self.arena.alloc(b),
+                                )
+                            }
+
+                            &*self.arena.alloc(b)
                         }
                         None => unreachable!(),
                     }
diff --git a/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs b/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
index 5cd3c6925a..7c8f62980a 100644
--- a/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
+++ b/compiler/mono/src/ir.rs
@@ -902,6 +902,10 @@ impl<'a> BranchInfo<'a> {
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum ModifyRc {
     Inc(Symbol, u64),
+    IncUnknown {
+        to_increment: Symbol,
+        amount: Symbol,
+    },
     Dec(Symbol),
     DecRef(Symbol),
 }
@@ -925,6 +929,15 @@ impl ModifyRc {
                 .append(alloc.text(format!("{}", n)))
                 .append(symbol_to_doc(alloc, *symbol))
                 .append(";"),
+            IncUnknown {
+                to_increment,
+                amount,
+            } => alloc
+                .text("inc ")
+                .append(symbol_to_doc(alloc, *to_increment))
+                .append(" by ")
+                .append(symbol_to_doc(alloc, *amount))
+                .append(";"),
             Dec(symbol) => alloc
                 .text("dec ")
                 .append(symbol_to_doc(alloc, *symbol))
@@ -941,6 +954,7 @@ impl ModifyRc {
 
         match self {
             Inc(symbol, _) => *symbol,
+            IncUnknown { to_increment, .. } => *to_increment,
             Dec(symbol) => *symbol,
             DecRef(symbol) => *symbol,
         }