diff --git a/src/library/type_context.cpp b/src/library/type_context.cpp
index bf129ad90d..18fd9fbc38 100644
--- a/src/library/type_context.cpp
+++ b/src/library/type_context.cpp
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ void type_context::init_core(transparency_mode m) {
         /* default type class resolution mode */
         m_cache->m_local_instances_initialized = false;
     }
+    m_unfold_pred                 = nullptr;
 }
 
 type_context::type_context(metavar_context & mctx, local_context const & lctx, type_context_cache & cache,
@@ -398,7 +399,7 @@ optional<expr> type_context::unfold_definition(expr const & e) {
         if (auto f  = unfold_definition_core(f0)) {
             buffer<expr> args;
             get_app_rev_args(e, args);
-            return some_expr(mk_rev_app(*f, args));
+            return some_expr(apply_beta(*f, args.size(), args.data()));
         } else {
             return none_expr();
         }
@@ -407,6 +408,12 @@ optional<expr> type_context::unfold_definition(expr const & e) {
     }
 }
 
+optional<expr> type_context::try_unfold_definition(expr const & e) {
+    if (m_unfold_pred && !(*m_unfold_pred)(e))
+        return none_expr();
+    return unfold_definition(e);
+}
+
 optional<expr> type_context::reduce_projection(expr const & e) {
     expr const & f = get_app_fn(e);
     if (!is_constant(f))
@@ -439,7 +446,7 @@ optional<expr> type_context::reduce_aux_recursor(expr const & e) {
     if (!is_constant(f))
         return none_expr();
     if (is_aux_recursor(env(), const_name(f)))
-        return unfold_definition(e);
+        return try_unfold_definition(e);
     else
         return none_expr();
 }
@@ -530,7 +537,7 @@ expr type_context::whnf_core(expr const & e) {
             return whnf_core(mk_rev_app(::lean::instantiate(binding_body(f), m, args.data() + (num_args - m)),
                                         num_args - m, args.data()));
         } else if (f == f0) {
-            if (auto r = env().norm_ext()(e, *this)) {
+            if (auto r = norm_ext(e)) {
                 /* mainly iota-reduction, it also applies HIT and quotient reduction rules */
                 return whnf_core(*r);
             } else if (auto r = reduce_projection(e)) {
@@ -547,13 +554,10 @@ expr type_context::whnf_core(expr const & e) {
     lean_unreachable();
 }
 
-template<typename F>
-expr type_context::whnf_loop(expr const & e, F const & pred) {
+expr type_context::whnf(expr const & e) {
     expr t = e;
     while (true) {
         expr t1 = whnf_core(t);
-        if (!pred(t1))
-            return t1;
         if (auto next_t = unfold_definition(t1)) {
             t = *next_t;
         } else {
@@ -562,12 +566,17 @@ expr type_context::whnf_loop(expr const & e, F const & pred) {
     }
 }
 
-expr type_context::whnf(expr const & e) {
-    return whnf_loop(e, [](expr const &) { return true; });
-}
-
 expr type_context::whnf_pred(expr const & e, std::function<bool(expr const &)> const & pred) {
-    return whnf_loop(e, pred);
+    flet<std::function<bool(expr const &)> const *>set_unfold_pred(m_unfold_pred, &pred);
+    expr t = e;
+    while (true) {
+        expr t1 = whnf_core(t);
+        if (auto next_t = try_unfold_definition(t1)) {
+            t = *next_t;
+        } else {
+            return t1;
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 expr type_context::relaxed_whnf(expr const & e) {
diff --git a/src/library/type_context.h b/src/library/type_context.h
index df176d0133..8cd9a58307 100644
--- a/src/library/type_context.h
+++ b/src/library/type_context.h
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ class type_context : public abstract_type_context {
             m_mctx(mctx), m_tmp_uassignment_sz(usz), m_tmp_eassignment_sz(esz), m_tmp_trail_sz(tsz) {}
     };
     typedef buffer<scope_data> scopes;
-    template<typename F> expr whnf_loop(expr const & e, F const & pred);
 
     metavar_context &  m_mctx;
     local_context      m_lctx;
@@ -166,6 +165,8 @@ class type_context : public abstract_type_context {
     /* Stack of backtracking point (aka scope) */
     scopes             m_scopes;
 
+    std::function<bool(expr const & e)> const * m_unfold_pred;
+
 public:
     type_context(metavar_context & mctx, local_context const & lctx, type_context_cache & cache,
                  transparency_mode m = transparency_mode::Reducible);
@@ -198,7 +199,9 @@ public:
         If pred(e') is false, then the method will not unfold definition in the head of e', and will return e'.
         This method is useful when we want to normalize the expression until we get a particular symbol as the head symbol. */
     expr whnf_pred(expr const & e, std::function<bool(expr const &)> const & pred);
+    optional<expr> reduce_aux_recursor(expr const & e);
     optional<expr> reduce_projection(expr const & e);
+    optional<expr> norm_ext(expr const & e) { return env().norm_ext()(e, *this); }
 
     /** Given a metavariable \c mvar, and local constants in \c locals, return (mvar' C) where
         C is a superset of \c locals and includes all local constants that depend on \c locals.
@@ -253,7 +256,7 @@ private:
     void init_core(transparency_mode m);
     optional<expr> unfold_definition_core(expr const & e);
     optional<expr> unfold_definition(expr const & e);
-    optional<expr> reduce_aux_recursor(expr const & e);
+    optional<expr> try_unfold_definition(expr const & e);
     bool should_unfold_macro(expr const & e);
     optional<expr> expand_macro(expr const & e);
     expr whnf_core(expr const & e);