diff --git a/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/Borrow.lean b/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/Borrow.lean
index 957012928f..0797b58d94 100644
--- a/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/Borrow.lean
+++ b/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/Borrow.lean
@@ -308,7 +308,6 @@ end Borrow
 
 def inferBorrow (decls : Array Decl) : CompilerM (Array Decl) :=
 do env ← getEnv;
-   let decls    := decls.map Decl.normalizeIds;
    let paramMap := Borrow.infer env decls;
    pure (Borrow.applyParamMap decls paramMap)
 
diff --git a/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/EmitC.lean b/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/EmitC.lean
index 47459f83fb..d91c5f95d9 100644
--- a/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/EmitC.lean
+++ b/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/EmitC.lean
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ do env ← getEnv;
      | _ => pure ()
 
 def emitDecl (d : Decl) : M Unit :=
-let d := d.normalizeIds;
+let d := d.normalizeIds; -- ensure we don't have gaps in the variable indices
 catch
   (emitDeclAux d)
   (fun err => throw (err ++ "\ncompiling:\n" ++ toString d))
diff --git a/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/ExpandResetReuse.lean b/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/ExpandResetReuse.lean
index 557cc71d9d..c456c9270e 100644
--- a/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/ExpandResetReuse.lean
+++ b/library/Init/Lean/Compiler/IR/ExpandResetReuse.lean
@@ -275,7 +275,6 @@ partial def searchAndExpand : FnBody → Array FnBody → M FnBody
   else searchAndExpand b.body (push bs b)
 
 def main (d : Decl) : Decl :=
-let d := d.normalizeIds;
 match d with
 | (Decl.fdecl f xs t b) =>
   let m := mkProjMap d;