diff --git a/src/library/compiler/inliner.cpp b/src/library/compiler/inliner.cpp
index e387429a6b..acc98fcb50 100644
--- a/src/library/compiler/inliner.cpp
+++ b/src/library/compiler/inliner.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ class inline_simple_definitions_fn : public compiler_step_visitor {
         } else {
             major_idx       = *inductive::get_elim_major_idx(env(), rec_name);
         }
+        if (major_idx >= args.size())
+            return e;
         expr major = beta_reduce(args[major_idx]);
         if (is_constructor_app(env(), major)) {
             /* Major premise became a constructor. So, we should reduce. */
@@ -138,15 +140,9 @@ class inline_simple_definitions_fn : public compiler_step_visitor {
                 return visit(*r);
         }
 
-        /*
-          TODO(Leo): this is not safe here.
-          Reason: we may put recursors have have been eliminated in previous steps.
-          We need to move this code to a different place, or make sure
-          that we can recursors will be eliminated later
         if (auto r = ctx().reduce_projection(e)) {
             return visit(*r);
         }
-        */
 
         return default_visit_app(e);
     }
diff --git a/src/library/compiler/preprocess.cpp b/src/library/compiler/preprocess.cpp
index 145f2c0fa5..600e407b38 100644
--- a/src/library/compiler/preprocess.cpp
+++ b/src/library/compiler/preprocess.cpp
@@ -174,6 +174,9 @@ public:
         expr v = d.get_value();
         lean_trace(name({"compiler", "input"}), tout() << "\n" << v << "\n";);
         v = fix_tactic_eval_expr(v);
+        v = inline_simple_definitions(m_env, v);
+        lean_cond_assert("compiler", check(d, v));
+        lean_trace(name({"compiler", "inline"}), tout() << "\n" << v << "\n";);
         v = expand_aux(m_env, v);
         lean_cond_assert("compiler", check(d, v));
         lean_trace(name({"compiler", "expand_aux"}), tout() << "\n" << v << "\n";);
@@ -187,11 +190,6 @@ public:
         v = simp_pr1_rec(m_env, v);
         lean_cond_assert("compiler", check(d, v));
         lean_trace(name({"compiler", "simplify_pr1"}), tout() << "\n" << v << "\n";);
-        v = inline_simple_definitions(m_env, v);
-        lean_cond_assert("compiler", check(d, v));
-        lean_trace(name({"compiler", "inline"}), tout() << "\n" << v << "\n";);
-        v = mark_comp_irrelevant_subterms(m_env, v);
-        lean_cond_assert("compiler", check(d, v));
         v = elim_recursors(m_env, d.get_name(), v, procs);
         procs.emplace_back(d.get_name(), v);
         lean_cond_assert("compiler", check(d, procs.back().second));
diff --git a/tests/lean/run/inliner_bug.lean b/tests/lean/run/inliner_bug.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e939a2132b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/lean/run/inliner_bug.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+@[inline] def g (n : nat) : nat :=
+nat.rec_on n 0 (λ m r, r + 2)
+
+vm_eval g 10