diff --git a/src/library/compiler/emit_cpp.cpp b/src/library/compiler/emit_cpp.cpp
index 8d311a496e..a3bf77fb8b 100644
--- a/src/library/compiler/emit_cpp.cpp
+++ b/src/library/compiler/emit_cpp.cpp
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ struct emit_fn_fn {
         m_out << "goto "; emit_lbl(jp); m_out << ";\n";
     }
 
-    optional<expr> is_tail_call(expr const & val) {
+    optional<expr> is_self_call(expr const & val) {
         expr fn  = get_app_fn(val);
         if (is_constant(fn) && const_name(fn) == m_fn_name)
             return some_expr(val);
@@ -688,13 +688,6 @@ struct emit_fn_fn {
             return none_expr();
     }
 
-    optional<expr> is_tail_call_terminal(expr const & e) {
-        if (!is_fvar(e)) return none_expr();
-        optional<expr> val = m_lctx.get_local_decl(e).get_value();
-        if (!val) return none_expr();
-        return is_tail_call(*val);
-    }
-
     void emit_tail_call(expr const & e) {
         buffer<expr> args;
         expr fn = get_app_args(e, args);
@@ -708,13 +701,13 @@ struct emit_fn_fn {
         m_out << "goto _start;\n";
     }
 
-    void emit_terminal(expr const & e) {
+    void emit_terminal(expr const & e, bool tail_call) {
         if (is_cases_on_app(m_env, e)) {
             emit_cases(e);
         } else if (is_jmp(e)) {
             emit_jmp(e);
-        } else if (optional<expr> c = is_tail_call_terminal(e)) {
-            emit_tail_call(*c);
+        } else if (tail_call) {
+            emit_tail_call(*m_lctx.get_local_decl(e).get_value());
         } else if (is_fvar(e)) {
             m_out << "return "; emit_fvar(e); m_out << ";\n";
         } else {
@@ -728,6 +721,7 @@ struct emit_fn_fn {
         buffer<expr> locals;
         buffer<expr> instrs;
         bool declared_vars = false;
+        bool tail_call = false;
         while (is_let(e)) {
             expr v = instantiate_rev(let_value(e), locals.size(), locals.data());
             if (is_join_point_name(let_name(e))) {
@@ -748,8 +742,9 @@ struct emit_fn_fn {
             } else {
                 expr x = m_lctx.mk_local_decl(m_ngen, let_name(e), let_type(e), v);
                 locals.push_back(x);
-                if (is_bvar(let_body(e), 0) && is_tail_call(v)) {
+                if (is_bvar(let_body(e), 0) && is_self_call(v)) {
                     /* Ignore tail call, we will emit it at emit_terminal as a `goto`. */
+                    tail_call = true;
                 } else {
                     if (!is_llnf_void_type(let_type(e))) {
                         /* Declare local variable.
@@ -775,7 +770,7 @@ struct emit_fn_fn {
                 emit_instr(d);
             }
         }
-        emit_terminal(e);
+        emit_terminal(e, tail_call);
         for (expr const & jp : jps) {
             emit_lbl(jp); m_out << ":\n";
             emit(*m_lctx.get_local_decl(jp).get_value());