diff --git a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/CompilerM.lean b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/CompilerM.lean
index 9acb4cca34..1737e91307 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/CompilerM.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/CompilerM.lean
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ it is a free variable, a type (or type former), or `lcErased`.
 
 `Check.lean` contains a substitution validator.
 -/
-abbrev FVarSubst := Std.HashMap FVarId Expr
+abbrev FVarSubst := Std.HashMap FVarId Arg
 
 /--
 Replace the free variables in `e` using the given substitution.
@@ -191,7 +191,9 @@ where
     if e.hasFVar then
       match e with
       | .fvar fvarId => match s[fvarId]? with
-        | some e => if translator then e else go e
+        | some (.fvar fvarId') => if translator then .fvar fvarId' else go (.fvar fvarId')
+        | some (.type e) => if translator then e else go e
+        | some .erased => erasedExpr
         | none => e
       | .lit .. | .const .. | .sort .. | .mvar .. | .bvar .. => e
       | .app f a => e.updateApp! (goApp f) (go a) |>.headBeta
@@ -230,11 +232,9 @@ private partial def normFVarImp (s : FVarSubst) (fvarId : FVarId) (translator :
       .fvar fvarId'
     else
       normFVarImp s fvarId' translator
-  | some e =>
-    if e.isErased then
-      .erased
-    else
-      panic! s!"invalid LCNF substitution of free variable with expression {e}"
+  -- Types and type formers are only preserved as hints and
+  -- are erased in computationally relevant contexts.
+  | some .erased | some (.type _) => .erased
   | none => .fvar fvarId
 
 /--
@@ -247,10 +247,9 @@ private partial def normArgImp (s : FVarSubst) (arg : Arg) (translator : Bool) :
   | .erased => arg
   | .fvar fvarId =>
     match s[fvarId]? with
-    | some (.fvar fvarId') =>
-      let arg' := .fvar fvarId'
+    | some (arg'@(.fvar _)) =>
       if translator then arg' else normArgImp s arg' translator
-    | some e => if e.isErased then .erased else .type e
+    | some (arg'@.erased) | some (arg'@(.type _)) => arg'
     | none => arg
   | .type e => arg.updateType! (normExprImp s e translator)
 
@@ -292,21 +291,20 @@ export MonadFVarSubstState (modifySubst)
 instance (m n) [MonadLift m n] [MonadFVarSubstState m] : MonadFVarSubstState n where
   modifySubst f := liftM (modifySubst f : m _)
 
+/--
+Add the substitution `fvarId ↦ e`, `e` must be a valid LCNF `Arg`.
+
+See `Check.lean` for the free variable substitution checker.
+-/
+@[inline] def addSubst [MonadFVarSubstState m] (fvarId : FVarId) (arg : Arg) : m Unit :=
+  modifySubst fun s => s.insert fvarId arg
+
 /--
 Add the entry `fvarId ↦ fvarId'` to the free variable substitution.
 -/
 @[inline] def addFVarSubst [MonadFVarSubstState m] (fvarId : FVarId) (fvarId' : FVarId) : m Unit :=
   modifySubst fun s => s.insert fvarId (.fvar fvarId')
 
-/--
-Add the substitution `fvarId ↦ e`, `e` must be a valid LCNF argument.
-That is, it must be a free variable, type (or type former), or `lcErased`.
-
-See `Check.lean` for the free variable substitution checker.
--/
-@[inline] def addSubst [MonadFVarSubstState m] (fvarId : FVarId) (e : Expr) : m Unit :=
-  modifySubst fun s => s.insert fvarId e
-
 @[inline, inherit_doc normFVarImp] def normFVar [MonadFVarSubst m t] [Monad m] (fvarId : FVarId) : m NormFVarResult :=
   return normFVarImp (← getSubst) fvarId t
 
diff --git a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/JoinPoints.lean b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/JoinPoints.lean
index c6e3879430..8ecd79f24e 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/JoinPoints.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/JoinPoints.lean
@@ -546,13 +546,13 @@ where
         let mut newArgs := knownArgs
         for (param, arg) in decl.params.zip args do
           if let some knownVal := newArgs[param.fvarId]? then
-            if arg.toExpr != knownVal then
+            if arg != knownVal then
               newArgs := newArgs.erase param.fvarId
         modify fun s => { s with jpJmpArgs := s.jpJmpArgs.insert fn newArgs }
       else
         let folder := fun acc (param, arg) => do
           if (← allFVarM (isInJpScope fn) arg) then
-            return acc.insert param.fvarId arg.toExpr
+            return acc.insert param.fvarId arg
           else
             return acc
         let interestingArgs ← decl.params.zip args |>.foldlM (init := {}) folder
diff --git a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Simp/Main.lean b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Simp/Main.lean
index 649d6dbd1d..e956ec4906 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Simp/Main.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Simp/Main.lean
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ We use this function to inline/specialize a partial application of a local funct
 def specializePartialApp (info : InlineCandidateInfo) : SimpM FunDecl := do
   let mut subst := {}
   for param in info.params, arg in info.args do
-    subst := subst.insert param.fvarId arg.toExpr
+    subst := subst.insert param.fvarId arg
   let mut paramsNew := #[]
   for param in info.params[info.args.size:] do
     let type ← replaceExprFVars param.type subst (translator := true)
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ partial def simpCasesOnCtor? (cases : Cases) : SimpM (Option Code) := do
       | .ctor ctorVal ctorArgs =>
         let fields := ctorArgs[ctorVal.numParams:]
         for param in params, field in fields do
-          addSubst param.fvarId field.toExpr
+          addSubst param.fvarId field
         let k ← simp k
         eraseParams params
         return k
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ partial def simp (code : Code) : SimpM Code := withIncRecDepth do
     -- and `FVarId` rather than `Arg`, and the substitution will end up
     -- creating a new erased let decl in that case.
     if decl.type.isErased && decl.value != .erased then
-      modifySubst fun s => s.insert decl.fvarId (.const ``lcErased [])
+      addSubst decl.fvarId .erased
       eraseLetDecl decl
       simp k
     else if let some decls ← ConstantFold.foldConstants decl then
diff --git a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Simp/SimpM.lean b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Simp/SimpM.lean
index fbfbe770cb..d0cf683979 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Simp/SimpM.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Simp/SimpM.lean
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ See comment at `updateFunDeclInfo`.
 def betaReduce (params : Array Param) (code : Code) (args : Array Arg) (mustInline := false) : SimpM Code := do
   let mut subst := {}
   for param in params, arg in args do
-    subst := subst.insert param.fvarId arg.toExpr
+    subst := subst.insert param.fvarId arg
   let code ← code.internalize subst
   updateFunDeclInfo code mustInline
   return code
diff --git a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Specialize.lean b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Specialize.lean
index cc0072c662..8b77861b16 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Specialize.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Specialize.lean
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ where
     for param in decl.params, arg in argMask do
       if let some arg := arg then
         let arg ← normArg arg
-        modify fun s => s.insert param.fvarId arg.toExpr
+        modify fun s => s.insert param.fvarId arg
       else
         -- Keep the parameter
         let param := { param with type := param.type.instantiateLevelParamsNoCache decl.levelParams us }
diff --git a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/ToLCNF.lean b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/ToLCNF.lean
index eaa3de81ca..0d1b4937b4 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/ToLCNF.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/ToLCNF.lean
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ where
                     let type ← replaceExprFVars param.type subst (translator := true)
                     let paramNew ← mkAuxParam type
                     jpParams := jpParams.push paramNew
-                    subst := subst.insert param.fvarId (Expr.fvar paramNew.fvarId)
+                    subst := subst.insert param.fvarId (.fvar paramNew.fvarId)
                     jpArgs := jpArgs.push (Arg.fvar paramNew.fvarId)
                   let letDecl ← mkAuxLetDecl (.fvar f jpArgs)
                   let jpValue := .let letDecl (.jmp jpDecl.fvarId #[.fvar letDecl.fvarId])