diff --git a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/MonadScope.lean b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/MonadScope.lean
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b157cdeb9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/MonadScope.lean
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/-
+Copyright (c) 2022 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
+Released under Apache 2.0 license as described in the file LICENSE.
+Authors: Leonardo de Moura
+-/
+import Lean.Compiler.LCNF.Basic
+
+namespace Lean.Compiler.LCNF
+
+abbrev Scope := FVarIdSet
+
+class MonadScope (m : Type → Type) where
+  getScope : m Scope
+  withScope : (Scope → Scope) → m α → m α
+
+export MonadScope (getScope withScope)
+
+abbrev ScopeT (m : Type → Type) := ReaderT Scope m
+
+instance [Monad m] : MonadScope (ScopeT m) where
+  getScope  := read
+  withScope := withReader
+
+instance (m n) [MonadLift m n] [MonadFunctor m n] [MonadScope m] : MonadScope n where
+  getScope    := liftM (getScope : m _)
+  withScope f := monadMap (m := m) (withScope f)
+
+def inScope [MonadScope m] [Monad m] (fvarId : FVarId) : m Bool :=
+  return (← getScope).contains fvarId
+
+@[inline] def withParams [MonadScope m] [Monad m] (ps : Array Param) (x : m α) : m α :=
+  withScope (fun s => ps.foldl (init := s) fun s p => s.insert p.fvarId) x
+
+@[inline] def withFVar [MonadScope m] [Monad m] (fvarId : FVarId) (x : m α) : m α :=
+  withScope (fun s => s.insert fvarId) x
+
+@[inline] def withNewScope [MonadScope m] [Monad m] (x : m α) : m α := do
+  withScope (fun _ => {}) x
+
+end Lean.Compiler.LCNF
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Specialize.lean b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Specialize.lean
index 0973ff9099..0d30d6221c 100644
--- a/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Specialize.lean
+++ b/src/Lean/Compiler/LCNF/Specialize.lean
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import Lean.Compiler.LCNF.PrettyPrinter
 import Lean.Compiler.LCNF.ToExpr
 import Lean.Compiler.LCNF.Level
 import Lean.Compiler.LCNF.PhaseExt
+import Lean.Compiler.LCNF.MonadScope
 
 namespace Lean.Compiler.LCNF
 namespace Specialize
@@ -46,11 +47,9 @@ structure State where
 
 abbrev SpecializeM := ReaderT Context $ StateRefT State CompilerM
 
-@[inline] def withParams (ps : Array Param) (x : SpecializeM α) : SpecializeM α :=
-  withReader (fun ctx => { ctx with scope := ps.foldl (init := ctx.scope) fun s p => s.insert p.fvarId }) x
-
-@[inline] def withFVar (fvarId : FVarId) (x : SpecializeM α) : SpecializeM α :=
-  withReader (fun ctx => { ctx with scope := ctx.scope.insert fvarId }) x
+instance : MonadScope SpecializeM where
+  getScope := return (← read).scope
+  withScope f := withReader (fun ctx => { ctx with scope := f ctx.scope })
 
 /--
 Return `true` if `e` is a ground term. That is,
@@ -190,7 +189,7 @@ mutual
   partial def collectFVar (fvarId : FVarId) : CollectorM Unit := do
     unless (← get).visited.contains fvarId do
       markVisited fvarId
-      if (← read).scope.contains fvarId then
+      if (← inScope fvarId) then
         /- We only collect the variables in the scope of the function application being specialized. -/
         if let some funDecl ← findFunDecl? fvarId then
           collectFunDecl funDecl