diff --git a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build.rs b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build.rs
index dc7a1ab487..074e2e2522 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/build.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::llvm::build_list::{
 };
 use crate::llvm::compare::{build_eq, build_neq};
 use crate::llvm::convert::{
-    basic_type_from_layout, collection, get_fn_type, get_ptr_type, ptr_int,
+    basic_type_from_layout, block_of_memory, collection, get_fn_type, get_ptr_type, ptr_int,
 };
 use bumpalo::collections::Vec;
 use bumpalo::Bump;
@@ -478,7 +478,6 @@ pub fn build_exp_expr<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
             debug_assert!(*union_size > 1);
             let ptr_size = env.ptr_bytes;
 
-            dbg!(&tag_layout);
             let mut filler = tag_layout.stack_size(ptr_size);
 
             let ctx = env.context;
@@ -513,7 +512,6 @@ pub fn build_exp_expr<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
                             ptr,
                             ctx.i64_type().ptr_type(AddressSpace::Generic).into(),
                         );
-                        dbg!(&ptr);
                         field_vals.push(ptr);
                     } else {
                         field_vals.push(val);
@@ -638,14 +636,15 @@ pub fn build_exp_expr<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
                 .expect("desired field did not decode");
 
             if let Some(Layout::RecursivePointer) = field_layouts.get(*index as usize) {
+                let struct_layout = Layout::Struct(field_layouts);
+                let desired_type = block_of_memory(env.context, &struct_layout, env.ptr_bytes);
+
                 // the value is a pointer to the actual value; load that value!
+                use inkwell::types::BasicType;
                 let ptr = cast_basic_basic(
                     builder,
                     result,
-                    struct_value
-                        .get_type()
-                        .ptr_type(AddressSpace::Generic)
-                        .into(),
+                    desired_type.ptr_type(AddressSpace::Generic).into(),
                 );
                 builder.build_load(ptr.into_pointer_value(), "load_recursive_field")
             } else {
@@ -819,7 +818,7 @@ pub fn build_exp_stmt<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
                     Expr::AccessAtIndex { field_layouts, .. } => {
                         let layout = Layout::Struct(field_layouts);
 
-                        basic_type_from_layout(env.arena, context, &layout, env.ptr_bytes)
+                        block_of_memory(env.context, &layout, env.ptr_bytes)
                     }
                     _ => unreachable!(
                         "a recursive pointer can only be loaded from a recursive tag union"
@@ -1115,7 +1114,9 @@ fn decrement_refcount_layout<'a, 'ctx, 'env>(
                 }
             }
         }
-        RecursiveUnion(_) => todo!("TODO implement decrement layout of recursive tag union"),
+        RecursiveUnion(_) => {
+            println!("TODO implement decrement layout of recursive tag union");
+        }
         RecursivePointer => todo!("TODO implement decrement layout of recursive tag union"),
         Union(tags) => {
             debug_assert!(!tags.is_empty());
diff --git a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/convert.rs b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/convert.rs
index ccd68b3964..d415fb0d41 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/src/llvm/convert.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/src/llvm/convert.rs
@@ -107,37 +107,7 @@ pub fn basic_type_from_layout<'ctx>(
                 .struct_type(field_types.into_bump_slice(), false)
                 .as_basic_type_enum()
         }
-        RecursiveUnion(_) | Union(_) => {
-            // TODO make this dynamic
-            let ptr_size = std::mem::size_of::<i64>();
-            let union_size = layout.stack_size(ptr_size as u32);
-
-            // The memory layout of Union is a bit tricky.
-            // We have tags with different memory layouts, that are part of the same type.
-            // For llvm, all tags must have the same memory layout.
-            //
-            // So, we convert all tags to a layout of bytes of some size.
-            // It turns out that encoding to i64 for as many elements as possible is
-            // a nice optimization, the remainder is encoded as bytes.
-
-            let num_i64 = union_size / 8;
-            let num_i8 = union_size % 8;
-
-            let i64_array_type = context.i64_type().array_type(num_i64).as_basic_type_enum();
-
-            if num_i8 == 0 {
-                // the object fits perfectly in some number of i64's
-                // (i.e. the size is a multiple of 8 bytes)
-                context.struct_type(&[i64_array_type], false).into()
-            } else {
-                // there are some trailing bytes at the end
-                let i8_array_type = context.i8_type().array_type(num_i8).as_basic_type_enum();
-
-                context
-                    .struct_type(&[i64_array_type, i8_array_type], false)
-                    .into()
-            }
-        }
+        RecursiveUnion(_) | Union(_) => block_of_memory(context, layout, ptr_bytes),
         RecursivePointer => {
             // TODO make this dynamic
             context
@@ -165,6 +135,41 @@ pub fn basic_type_from_layout<'ctx>(
     }
 }
 
+pub fn block_of_memory<'ctx>(
+    context: &'ctx Context,
+    layout: &Layout<'_>,
+    ptr_bytes: u32,
+) -> BasicTypeEnum<'ctx> {
+    // TODO make this dynamic
+    let union_size = layout.stack_size(ptr_bytes as u32);
+
+    // The memory layout of Union is a bit tricky.
+    // We have tags with different memory layouts, that are part of the same type.
+    // For llvm, all tags must have the same memory layout.
+    //
+    // So, we convert all tags to a layout of bytes of some size.
+    // It turns out that encoding to i64 for as many elements as possible is
+    // a nice optimization, the remainder is encoded as bytes.
+
+    let num_i64 = union_size / 8;
+    let num_i8 = union_size % 8;
+
+    let i64_array_type = context.i64_type().array_type(num_i64).as_basic_type_enum();
+
+    if num_i8 == 0 {
+        // the object fits perfectly in some number of i64's
+        // (i.e. the size is a multiple of 8 bytes)
+        context.struct_type(&[i64_array_type], false).into()
+    } else {
+        // there are some trailing bytes at the end
+        let i8_array_type = context.i8_type().array_type(num_i8).as_basic_type_enum();
+
+        context
+            .struct_type(&[i64_array_type, i8_array_type], false)
+            .into()
+    }
+}
+
 /// Two usize values. Could be a wrapper for a List or a Str.
 ///
 /// It would be nicer if we could store this as a tuple containing one usize
diff --git a/compiler/gen/tests/gen_primitives.rs b/compiler/gen/tests/gen_primitives.rs
index f301c9626b..a69aefe045 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/tests/gen_primitives.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/tests/gen_primitives.rs
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ mod gen_primitives {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    fn peano() {
+    fn peano1() {
         assert_evals_to!(
             indoc!(
                 r#"
@@ -482,8 +482,8 @@ mod gen_primitives {
                 three = S (S (S Z))
 
                 when three is
+                    Z -> 2
                     S _ -> 1
-                    Z -> 0
                 "#
             ),
             1,
@@ -511,4 +511,110 @@ mod gen_primitives {
             i64
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn linked_list_len_0() {
+        assert_evals_to!(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                LinkedList a : [ Nil, Cons a (LinkedList a) ]
+
+                nil : LinkedList Int
+                nil = Nil 
+
+                length : LinkedList a -> Int
+                length = \list ->
+                    when list is
+                        Nil -> 0
+                        Cons _ rest -> 1 + length rest
+
+
+                length nil
+                "#
+            ),
+            0,
+            i64
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn linked_list_len_3() {
+        assert_evals_to!(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                LinkedList a : [ Nil, Cons a (LinkedList a) ]
+
+                three : LinkedList Int
+                three = Cons 3 (Cons 2 (Cons 1 Nil)) 
+
+                length : LinkedList a -> Int
+                length = \list ->
+                    when list is
+                        Nil -> 0
+                        Cons _ rest -> 1 + length rest
+
+
+                length three
+                "#
+            ),
+            3,
+            i64
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn linked_list_sum() {
+        assert_evals_to!(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                LinkedList a : [ Nil, Cons a (LinkedList a) ]
+
+                three : LinkedList Int
+                three = Cons 3 (Cons 2 (Cons 1 Nil)) 
+
+                sum : LinkedList a -> Int
+                sum = \list ->
+                    when list is
+                        Nil -> 0
+                        Cons x rest -> x + sum rest
+
+                sum three
+                "#
+            ),
+            3 + 2 + 1,
+            i64
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[ignore]
+    fn linked_list_map() {
+        // `f` is not actually a function, so the call to it fails currently
+        assert_evals_to!(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                LinkedList a : [ Nil, Cons a (LinkedList a) ]
+
+                three : LinkedList Int
+                three = Cons 3 (Cons 2 (Cons 1 Nil)) 
+
+                sum : LinkedList a -> Int
+                sum = \list ->
+                    when list is
+                        Nil -> 0
+                        Cons x rest -> x + sum rest
+
+                map : (a -> b), LinkedList a -> LinkedList b
+                map = \f, list ->
+                    when list is
+                        Nil -> Nil
+                        Cons x rest -> Cons (f x) (map f rest)
+
+                sum (map (\_ -> 1) three)
+                "#
+            ),
+            3,
+            i64
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/gen/tests/helpers/eval.rs b/compiler/gen/tests/helpers/eval.rs
index ad8743c7a8..42834c10f9 100644
--- a/compiler/gen/tests/helpers/eval.rs
+++ b/compiler/gen/tests/helpers/eval.rs
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ pub fn helper_without_uniqueness<'a>(
     );
 
     // Uncomment this to see the module's un-optimized LLVM instruction output:
-    env.module.print_to_stderr();
+    // env.module.print_to_stderr();
 
     if main_fn.verify(true) {
         function_pass.run_on(&main_fn);
diff --git a/compiler/mono/src/layout.rs b/compiler/mono/src/layout.rs
index 42a23d5e36..44f0027d36 100644
--- a/compiler/mono/src/layout.rs
+++ b/compiler/mono/src/layout.rs
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ impl<'a> Layout<'a> {
             Ok(Layout::RecursivePointer)
         } else {
             let content = env.subs.get_without_compacting(var).content;
-            println!("{:?} {:?}", var, &content);
+            // println!("{:?} {:?}", var, &content);
             Self::new_help(env, content)
         }
     }
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ fn layout_from_flat_type<'a>(
                     // Num.Num should only ever have 1 argument, e.g. Num.Num Int.Integer
                     debug_assert_eq!(args.len(), 1);
 
-                    let var = args.iter().next().unwrap();
+                    let var = args.get(0).unwrap();
                     let content = subs.get_without_compacting(*var).content;
 
                     layout_from_num_content(content)
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ fn layout_from_flat_type<'a>(
                 let mut tag_layout = Vec::with_capacity_in(variables.len() + 1, arena);
 
                 // store the discriminant
-                tag_layout.push(Layout::Builtin(Builtin::Int8));
+                tag_layout.push(Layout::Builtin(Builtin::Int64));
 
                 for var in variables {
                     // TODO does this cause problems with mutually recursive unions?
@@ -584,6 +584,9 @@ pub fn union_sorted_tags<'a>(arena: &'a Bump, var: Variable, subs: &Subs) -> Uni
 fn get_recursion_var(subs: &Subs, var: Variable) -> Option<Variable> {
     match subs.get_without_compacting(var).content {
         Content::Structure(FlatType::RecursiveTagUnion(rec_var, _, _)) => Some(rec_var),
+        Content::Structure(FlatType::Apply(Symbol::ATTR_ATTR, args)) => {
+            get_recursion_var(subs, args[1])
+        }
         Content::Alias(_, _, actual) => get_recursion_var(subs, actual),
         _ => None,
     }
diff --git a/compiler/mono/tests/test_mono.rs b/compiler/mono/tests/test_mono.rs
index ff966d66e2..43b88cf220 100644
--- a/compiler/mono/tests/test_mono.rs
+++ b/compiler/mono/tests/test_mono.rs
@@ -1559,6 +1559,47 @@ mod test_mono {
         )
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn peano1() {
+        compiles_to_ir(
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                Peano : [ S Peano, Z ]
+
+                three : Peano
+                three = S (S (S Z))
+
+                when three is
+                    Z -> 0
+                    S _ -> 1
+                "#
+            ),
+            indoc!(
+                r#"
+                let Test.9 = 0i64;
+                let Test.11 = 0i64;
+                let Test.13 = 0i64;
+                let Test.15 = 1i64;
+                let Test.14 = Z Test.15;
+                let Test.12 = S Test.13 Test.14;
+                let Test.10 = S Test.11 Test.12;
+                let Test.1 = S Test.9 Test.10;
+                let Test.5 = true;
+                let Test.7 = Index 0 Test.1;
+                let Test.6 = 1i64;
+                let Test.8 = lowlevel Eq Test.6 Test.7;
+                let Test.4 = lowlevel And Test.8 Test.5;
+                if Test.4 then
+                    let Test.2 = 0i64;
+                    ret Test.2;
+                else
+                    let Test.3 = 1i64;
+                    ret Test.3;
+                "#
+            ),
+        )
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn peano2() {
         compiles_to_ir(
diff --git a/compiler/reporting/tests/test_reporting.rs b/compiler/reporting/tests/test_reporting.rs
index 986494edc6..0e6390165f 100644
--- a/compiler/reporting/tests/test_reporting.rs
+++ b/compiler/reporting/tests/test_reporting.rs
@@ -3052,6 +3052,9 @@ mod test_reporting {
 
     #[test]
     fn two_different_cons() {
+        // TODO investigate what is happening here;
+        // while it makes some kind of sense to print the recursion var as infinite,
+        // it's not very helpful in practice.
         report_problem_as(
             indoc!(
                 r#"
@@ -3075,11 +3078,11 @@ mod test_reporting {
 
                 This `Cons` global tag application has the type:
 
-                    [ Cons {} [ Cons Str [ Cons {} a, Nil ] as a, Nil ], Nil ]
+                    [ Cons {} [ Cons Str [ Cons {} ∞, Nil ] as ∞, Nil ], Nil ]
 
                 But the type annotation on `x` says it should be:
 
-                    [ Cons {} a, Nil ] as a
+                    [ Cons {} ∞, Nil ] as ∞
                 "#
             ),
         )
diff --git a/compiler/unify/src/unify.rs b/compiler/unify/src/unify.rs
index f917bdc998..f62deead83 100644
--- a/compiler/unify/src/unify.rs
+++ b/compiler/unify/src/unify.rs
@@ -565,43 +565,84 @@ fn unify_shared_tags(
             // and so on until the whole non-recursive tag union can be unified with it.
             let mut problems = Vec::new();
 
+            let attr_wrapped = match (subs.get(expected).content, subs.get(actual).content) {
+                (
+                    Content::Structure(FlatType::Apply(Symbol::ATTR_ATTR, expected_args)),
+                    Content::Structure(FlatType::Apply(Symbol::ATTR_ATTR, actual_args)),
+                ) => Some((
+                    expected_args[0],
+                    expected_args[1],
+                    actual_args[0],
+                    actual_args[1],
+                )),
+                _ => None,
+            };
+
             if let Some(rvar) = recursion_var {
-                if expected == rvar {
-                    problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, ctx.second));
-                    println!("A");
-                } else if is_structure(actual, subs) {
-                    // the recursion variable is hidden behind some structure (commonly an Attr
-                    // with uniqueness inference). Thus we must expand the recursive tag union to
-                    // unify if with the non-recursive one. Thus:
+                match attr_wrapped {
+                    None => {
+                        if expected == rvar {
+                            if actual == rvar {
+                                problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, expected, actual));
+                            } else {
+                                problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, ctx.second));
 
-                    // replace the rvar with ctx.second (the whole recursive tag union) in expected
-                    subs.explicit_substitute(rvar, ctx.second, expected);
+                                // this unification is required for layout generation,
+                                // but causes worse error messages
+                                problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, expected, actual));
+                            }
+                        } else if is_structure(actual, subs) {
+                            // the recursion variable is hidden behind some structure (commonly an Attr
+                            // with uniqueness inference). Thus we must expand the recursive tag union to
+                            // unify if with the non-recursive one. Thus:
 
-                    // but, by the `is_structure` condition above, only if we're unifying with a structure!
-                    // when `actual` is just a flex/rigid variable, the substitution would expand a
-                    // recursive tag union infinitely!
+                            // replace the rvar with ctx.second (the whole recursive tag union) in expected
+                            subs.explicit_substitute(rvar, ctx.second, expected);
 
-                    problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, expected));
-                    println!("B");
-                } else {
-                    // unification with a non-structure is trivial
-                    problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, expected));
-                    println!("C");
+                            // but, by the `is_structure` condition above, only if we're unifying with a structure!
+                            // when `actual` is just a flex/rigid variable, the substitution would expand a
+                            // recursive tag union infinitely!
+
+                            problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, expected));
+                        } else {
+                            // unification with a non-structure is trivial
+                            problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, expected));
+                        }
+                    }
+                    Some((_expected_uvar, inner_expected, _actual_uvar, inner_actual)) => {
+                        if inner_expected == rvar {
+                            if inner_actual == rvar {
+                                problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, expected));
+                            } else {
+                                problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, inner_actual, ctx.second));
+                                problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, expected, actual));
+                            }
+                        } else if is_structure(inner_actual, subs) {
+                            // the recursion variable is hidden behind some structure (commonly an Attr
+                            // with uniqueness inference). Thus we must expand the recursive tag union to
+                            // unify if with the non-recursive one. Thus:
+
+                            // replace the rvar with ctx.second (the whole recursive tag union) in expected
+                            subs.explicit_substitute(rvar, ctx.second, inner_expected);
+
+                            // but, by the `is_structure` condition above, only if we're unifying with a structure!
+                            // when `actual` is just a flex/rigid variable, the substitution would expand a
+                            // recursive tag union infinitely!
+
+                            problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, expected));
+                        } else {
+                            // unification with a non-structure is trivial
+                            problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, expected));
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
             } else {
                 // we always unify NonRecursive with Recursive, so this should never happen
                 debug_assert_ne!(Some(actual), recursion_var);
 
                 problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, actual, expected));
-                println!("D");
             };
 
-            // TODO this changes some error messages
-            // but is important for the inference of recursive types
-            if problems.is_empty() {
-                problems.extend(unify_pool(subs, pool, expected, actual));
-            }
-
             if problems.is_empty() {
                 // debug_assert_eq!(subs.get_root_key(actual), subs.get_root_key(expected));
                 matching_vars.push(actual);
@@ -695,8 +736,19 @@ fn unify_flat_type(
             unify_tag_union(subs, pool, ctx, union1, union2, (None, None))
         }
 
-        (RecursiveTagUnion(_, _, _), TagUnion(_, _)) => {
-            unreachable!("unify of recursive with non-recursive tag union should not occur");
+        (RecursiveTagUnion(recursion_var, tags1, ext1), TagUnion(tags2, ext2)) => {
+            // unreachable!("unify of recursive with non-recursive tag union should not occur");
+            let union1 = gather_tags(subs, tags1.clone(), *ext1);
+            let union2 = gather_tags(subs, tags2.clone(), *ext2);
+
+            unify_tag_union(
+                subs,
+                pool,
+                ctx,
+                union1,
+                union2,
+                (None, Some(*recursion_var)),
+            )
         }
 
         (TagUnion(tags1, ext1), RecursiveTagUnion(recursion_var, tags2, ext2)) => {