diff --git a/src/builtin/kernel.lean b/src/builtin/kernel.lean
index 4475f913cb..941989026c 100644
--- a/src/builtin/kernel.lean
+++ b/src/builtin/kernel.lean
@@ -298,6 +298,12 @@ theorem imp_falser (a : Bool) : (a → false) ↔ ¬ a
 theorem imp_falsel (a : Bool) : (false → a) ↔ true
 := case (λ x, (false → x) ↔ true) trivial trivial a
 
+theorem not_true : ¬ true ↔ false
+:= trivial
+
+theorem not_false : ¬ false ↔ true
+:= trivial
+
 theorem not_and (a b : Bool) : ¬ (a ∧ b) ↔ ¬ a ∨ ¬ b
 := case (λ x, ¬ (x ∧ b) ↔ ¬ x ∨ ¬ b)
         (case (λ y, ¬ (true ∧ y) ↔ ¬ true ∨ ¬ y)   trivial trivial b)
diff --git a/src/builtin/obj/kernel.olean b/src/builtin/obj/kernel.olean
index fd63229761..a3d87a9dec 100644
Binary files a/src/builtin/obj/kernel.olean and b/src/builtin/obj/kernel.olean differ
diff --git a/src/kernel/kernel_decls.cpp b/src/kernel/kernel_decls.cpp
index ada151b953..5d2e2efd57 100644
--- a/src/kernel/kernel_decls.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/kernel_decls.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ MK_CONSTANT(imp_truer_fn, name("imp_truer"));
 MK_CONSTANT(imp_truel_fn, name("imp_truel"));
 MK_CONSTANT(imp_falser_fn, name("imp_falser"));
 MK_CONSTANT(imp_falsel_fn, name("imp_falsel"));
+MK_CONSTANT(not_true, name("not_true"));
+MK_CONSTANT(not_false, name("not_false"));
 MK_CONSTANT(not_and_fn, name("not_and"));
 MK_CONSTANT(not_and_elim_fn, name("not_and_elim"));
 MK_CONSTANT(not_or_fn, name("not_or"));
diff --git a/src/kernel/kernel_decls.h b/src/kernel/kernel_decls.h
index c5b0fd50c1..c94c8c953c 100644
--- a/src/kernel/kernel_decls.h
+++ b/src/kernel/kernel_decls.h
@@ -249,6 +249,10 @@ inline expr mk_imp_falser_th(expr const & e1) { return mk_app({mk_imp_falser_fn(
 expr mk_imp_falsel_fn();
 bool is_imp_falsel_fn(expr const & e);
 inline expr mk_imp_falsel_th(expr const & e1) { return mk_app({mk_imp_falsel_fn(), e1}); }
+expr mk_not_true();
+bool is_not_true(expr const & e);
+expr mk_not_false();
+bool is_not_false(expr const & e);
 expr mk_not_and_fn();
 bool is_not_and_fn(expr const & e);
 inline expr mk_not_and_th(expr const & e1, expr const & e2) { return mk_app({mk_not_and_fn(), e1, e2}); }
diff --git a/src/library/simplifier/simplifier.cpp b/src/library/simplifier/simplifier.cpp
index a1df70473b..d61953466c 100644
--- a/src/library/simplifier/simplifier.cpp
+++ b/src/library/simplifier/simplifier.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ Author: Leonardo de Moura
 #include "kernel/type_checker.h"
 #include "kernel/free_vars.h"
 #include "kernel/instantiate.h"
+#include "kernel/normalizer.h"
 #include "kernel/kernel.h"
 #include "library/heq_decls.h"
 #include "library/kernel_bindings.h"
@@ -168,6 +169,11 @@ class simplifier_fn {
         return m_tc.ensure_pi(e, m_ctx);
     }
 
+    expr normalize(expr const & e) {
+        normalizer & proc = m_tc.get_normalizer();
+        return proc(e, m_ctx, true);
+    }
+
     expr mk_congr1_th(expr const & f_type, expr const & f, expr const & new_f, expr const & a, expr const & Heq_f) {
         expr const & A = abst_domain(f_type);
         expr B = lower_free_vars(abst_body(f_type), 1, 1);
@@ -392,6 +398,38 @@ class simplifier_fn {
         }
     }
 
+    /** \brief Return true when \c e is a value from the point of view of the simplifier */
+    static bool is_value(expr const & e) {
+        // Currently only semantic attachments are treated as value.
+        // We may relax that in the future.
+        return ::lean::is_value(e);
+    }
+
+    /**
+       \brief Return true iff the simplifier should use the evaluator/normalizer to reduce application
+    */
+    bool evaluate_app(expr const & e) const {
+        lean_assert(is_app(e));
+        // only evaluate if it is enabled
+        if (!m_eval)
+            return false;
+        // if all arguments are values, we should evaluate
+        if (std::all_of(args(e).begin()+1, args(e).end(), [](expr const & a) { return is_value(a); }))
+            return true;
+        // The previous test fails for equality/disequality because the first arguments are types.
+        // Should we have something more general for cases like that?
+        // Some possibilities:
+        //   - We have a table mapping constants to argument positions. The positions tell the simplifier
+        //     which arguments must be value to trigger evaluation.
+        //   - We have an external predicate that is invoked by the simplifier to decide whether to normalize/evaluate an
+        //     expression.
+        unsigned num = num_args(e);
+        return
+            (is_eq(e) || is_neq(e) || is_heq(e)) &&
+            is_value(arg(e, num-2)) &&
+            is_value(arg(e, num-1));
+    }
+
     /**
        \brief Given (applications) lhs and rhs s.t. lhs = rhs.m_out
        with proof rhs.m_proof, this method applies rewrite rules, beta
@@ -404,16 +442,17 @@ class simplifier_fn {
     result rewrite_app(expr const & lhs, result const & rhs) {
         lean_assert(is_app(rhs.m_out));
         lean_assert(is_app(lhs));
-        expr f   = arg(rhs.m_out, 0);
-        if (m_eval && is_value(f)) {
-            optional<expr> new_rhs = to_value(f).normalize(num_args(rhs.m_out), &arg(rhs.m_out, 0));
-            if (new_rhs) {
+        if (evaluate_app(rhs.m_out)) {
+            // try to evaluate if all arguments are values.
+            expr new_rhs = normalize(rhs.m_out);
+            if (is_value(new_rhs)) {
                 // We don't need to create a new proof term since rhs.m_out and new_rhs are
                 // definitionally equal.
-                return rewrite(lhs, result(*new_rhs, rhs.m_proof, rhs.m_heq_proof));
+                return rewrite(lhs, result(new_rhs, rhs.m_proof, rhs.m_heq_proof));
             }
         }
 
+        expr f   = arg(rhs.m_out, 0);
         if (m_beta && is_lambda(f)) {
             expr new_rhs = head_beta_reduce(rhs.m_out);
             // rhs.m_out and new_rhs are also definitionally equal
@@ -492,7 +531,12 @@ class simplifier_fn {
                 }
             }
         }
-        return rhs;
+        if (!m_single_pass && lhs != rhs.m_out) {
+            result new_rhs = simplify(rhs.m_out);
+            return mk_trans_result(lhs, rhs, new_rhs);
+        } else {
+            return rhs;
+        }
     }
 
     result simplify_var(expr const & e) {
@@ -604,6 +648,7 @@ class simplifier_fn {
 
     result simplify_pi(expr const & e) {
         lean_assert(is_pi(e));
+        // TODO(Leo): handle implication, i.e., e is_proposition and is_arrow
         if (m_has_heq) {
             // TODO(Leo)
             return result(e);
diff --git a/tests/lean/simp3.lean b/tests/lean/simp3.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..089071fe95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/simp3.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+definition double x := x + x
+
+(*
+function show(x) print(x) end
+local t1 = parse_lean("0 ≠ 1")
+show(simplify(t1))
+local t2 = parse_lean("3 ≥ 2")
+show(simplify(t2))
+local t3 = parse_lean("double (double 2) + 1")
+show(simplify(t3))
+local t4 = parse_lean("0 = 1")
+show(simplify(t4))
+*)
+
+(*
+local opt = options({"simplifier", "unfold"}, true, {"simplifier", "eval"}, false)
+local t1  = parse_lean("double (double 2) + 1 ≥ 3")
+show(simplify(t1, 'default', get_environment(), context(), opt))
+*)
+
+set_opaque  Nat::ge false
+add_rewrite Nat::add_assoc
+add_rewrite Nat::distributer
+add_rewrite Nat::distributel
+
+(*
+local opt = options({"simplifier", "unfold"}, true, {"simplifier", "eval"}, false)
+local t1  = parse_lean("2 * double (double 2) + 1 ≥ 3")
+show(simplify(t1, 'default', get_environment(), context(), opt))
+*)
+
+variables a b c d : Nat
+
+import if_then_else
+add_rewrite if_true
+add_rewrite if_false
+add_rewrite if_a_a
+add_rewrite Nat::add_zeror
+add_rewrite Nat::add_zerol
+add_rewrite eq_id
+
+(*
+local t1  = parse_lean("(a + b) * (c + d)")
+local r, pr = simplify(t1)
+print(r)
+print(pr)
+*)
+
+theorem congr2_congr1 {A B C : TypeU} {f g : A → B} (h : B → C) (Hfg : f = g) (a : A) :
+        congr2 h (congr1 a Hfg) = congr2 (λ x, h (x a)) Hfg
+:= proof_irrel (congr2 h (congr1 a Hfg)) (congr2 (λ x, h (x a)) Hfg)
+
+theorem congr2_congr2 {A B C : TypeU} {a b : A} (f : A → B) (h : B → C) (Hab : a = b) :
+        congr2 h (congr2 f Hab) = congr2 (λ x, h (f x)) Hab
+:= proof_irrel (congr2 h (congr2 f Hab)) (congr2 (λ x, h (f x)) Hab)
+
+theorem congr1_congr2 {A B C : TypeU} {a b : A} (f : A → B → C) (Hab : a = b) (c : B):
+        congr1 c (congr2 f Hab) = congr2 (λ x, f x c) Hab
+:= proof_irrel (congr1 c (congr2 f Hab)) (congr2 (λ x, f x c) Hab)
+
+rewrite_set proofsimp
+add_rewrite congr2_congr1 congr2_congr2 congr1_congr2 : proofsimp
+
+(*
+local t2 = parse_lean("(if a > 0 then b else b + 0) + 10 = (if a > 0 then b else b) + 10")
+local r, pr = simplify(t2)
+print(r)
+print(pr)
+show(simplify(pr, 'proofsimp'))
+*)
+
+
+(*
+local t1  = parse_lean("(a + b) * (a + b)")
+local t2 = simplify(t1)
+print(t2)
+*)
+
+-- add_rewrite imp_truer imp_truel imp_falsel imp_falser not_true not_false
+-- print rewrite_set
+
+(*
+local t1  = parse_lean("true → false")
+print(simplify(t1))
+*)
+
+(*
+local t1  = parse_lean("true → true")
+print(simplify(t1))
+*)
+
+(*
+local t1  = parse_lean("false → false")
+print(simplify(t1))
+*)
+
+(*
+local t1 = parse_lean("true ↔ false")
+print(simplify(t1))
+*)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/lean/simp3.lean.expected.out b/tests/lean/simp3.lean.expected.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..24877ac4e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/simp3.lean.expected.out
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+  Set: pp::colors
+  Set: pp::unicode
+  Defined: double
+⊤
+⊤
+9
+⊥
+2 + 2 + (2 + 2) + 1 ≥ 3
+3 ≤ 2 * 2 + 2 * 2 + 2 * 2 + 2 * 2 + 1
+  Assumed: a
+  Assumed: b
+  Assumed: c
+  Assumed: d
+  Imported 'if_then_else'
+a * c + a * d + b * c + b * d
+trans (Nat::distributel a b (c + d))
+      (trans (congr (congr2 Nat::add (Nat::distributer a c d)) (Nat::distributer b c d))
+             (Nat::add_assoc (a * c + a * d) (b * c) (b * d)))
+  Proved: congr2_congr1
+  Proved: congr2_congr2
+  Proved: congr1_congr2
+⊤
+trans (congr (congr2 eq
+                     (congr1 10
+                             (congr2 Nat::add (trans (congr2 (ite (a > 0) b) (Nat::add_zeror b)) (if_a_a (a > 0) b)))))
+             (congr1 10 (congr2 Nat::add (if_a_a (a > 0) b))))
+      (eq_id (b + 10))
+let κ::1 := congr2 (λ x : ℕ → ℕ, eq (x 10))
+                    (congr2 Nat::add (trans (congr2 (ite (a > 0) b) (Nat::add_zeror b)) (if_a_a (a > 0) b)))
+in trans (congr κ::1 (congr1 10 (congr2 Nat::add (if_a_a (a > 0) b)))) (eq_id (b + 10))
+a * a + a * b + b * a + b * b
+⊤ → ⊥	refl (⊤ → ⊥)
+⊤ → ⊤	refl (⊤ → ⊤)
+⊥ → ⊥	refl (⊥ → ⊥)
+⊥	refl ⊥