diff --git a/src/api/api_quant.cpp b/src/api/api_quant.cpp
index 25d31229f3b..1e764301b75 100644
--- a/src/api/api_quant.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_quant.cpp
@@ -72,14 +72,11 @@ extern "C" {
         expr * const* ps = reinterpret_cast<expr * const*>(patterns);
         expr * const* no_ps = reinterpret_cast<expr * const*>(no_patterns);
         symbol qid = to_symbol(quantifier_id);
-        bool is_rec = mk_c(c)->m().rec_fun_qid() == qid;
-        if (!is_rec) {
-            pattern_validator v(mk_c(c)->m());
-            for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_patterns; i++) {
-                if (!v(num_decls, ps[i], 0, 0)) {
-                    SET_ERROR_CODE(Z3_INVALID_PATTERN, nullptr);
-                    return nullptr;
-                }
+        pattern_validator v(mk_c(c)->m());
+        for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_patterns; i++) {
+            if (!v(num_decls, ps[i], 0, 0)) {
+                SET_ERROR_CODE(Z3_INVALID_PATTERN, nullptr);
+                return nullptr;
             }
         }
         sort* const* ts = reinterpret_cast<sort * const*>(sorts);
diff --git a/src/ast/ast.cpp b/src/ast/ast.cpp
index 454f142613d..56b5d76a8f5 100644
--- a/src/ast/ast.cpp
+++ b/src/ast/ast.cpp
@@ -1379,7 +1379,6 @@ ast_manager::ast_manager(proof_gen_mode m, char const * trace_file, bool is_form
     m_proof_mode(m),
     m_trace_stream(nullptr),
     m_trace_stream_owner(false),
-    m_rec_fun(":rec-fun"),
     m_lambda_def(":lambda-def") {
 
     if (trace_file) {
@@ -1403,7 +1402,6 @@ ast_manager::ast_manager(proof_gen_mode m, std::fstream * trace_stream, bool is_
     m_proof_mode(m),
     m_trace_stream(trace_stream),
     m_trace_stream_owner(false),
-    m_rec_fun(":rec-fun"),
     m_lambda_def(":lambda-def") {
 
     if (!is_format_manager)
@@ -1421,7 +1419,6 @@ ast_manager::ast_manager(ast_manager const & src, bool disable_proofs):
     m_proof_mode(disable_proofs ? PGM_DISABLED : src.m_proof_mode),
     m_trace_stream(src.m_trace_stream),
     m_trace_stream_owner(false),
-    m_rec_fun(":rec-fun"),
     m_lambda_def(":lambda-def") {
     SASSERT(!src.is_format_manager());
     m_format_manager = alloc(ast_manager, PGM_DISABLED, m_trace_stream, true);
@@ -1756,13 +1753,6 @@ quantifier* ast_manager::is_lambda_def(func_decl* f) {
     return nullptr;
 }
 
-
-func_decl* ast_manager::get_rec_fun_decl(quantifier* q) const {
-    SASSERT(is_rec_fun_def(q)); 
-    return to_app(to_app(q->get_pattern(0))->get_arg(0))->get_decl(); 
-}
-
-
 void ast_manager::register_plugin(family_id id, decl_plugin * plugin) {
     SASSERT(m_plugins.get(id, 0) == 0);
     m_plugins.setx(id, plugin, 0);
diff --git a/src/ast/ast.h b/src/ast/ast.h
index ece6d0005c0..2b24d55584a 100644
--- a/src/ast/ast.h
+++ b/src/ast/ast.h
@@ -1553,7 +1553,6 @@ class ast_manager {
     bool slow_not_contains(ast const * n);
 #endif
     ast_manager *             m_format_manager; // hack for isolating format objects in a different manager.
-    symbol                    m_rec_fun;
     symbol                    m_lambda_def;
 
     void init();
@@ -1666,13 +1665,10 @@ class ast_manager {
 
     bool contains(ast * a) const { return m_ast_table.contains(a); }
     
-    bool is_rec_fun_def(quantifier* q) const { return q->get_qid() == m_rec_fun; }
     bool is_lambda_def(quantifier* q) const { return q->get_qid() == m_lambda_def; }
     void add_lambda_def(func_decl* f, quantifier* q);
     quantifier* is_lambda_def(func_decl* f);
-    func_decl* get_rec_fun_decl(quantifier* q) const;
     
-    symbol const& rec_fun_qid() const { return m_rec_fun; }
 
     symbol const& lambda_def_qid() const { return m_lambda_def; }
 
diff --git a/src/ast/recfun_decl_plugin.h b/src/ast/recfun_decl_plugin.h
index 2b8b427444c..4536f5f99e8 100644
--- a/src/ast/recfun_decl_plugin.h
+++ b/src/ast/recfun_decl_plugin.h
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ namespace recfun {
         ~util();
 
         ast_manager & m() { return m_manager; }
+        family_id get_family_id() const { return m_fid; }
         decl::plugin& get_plugin() { return *m_plugin; }
 
         bool is_case_pred(expr * e) const { return is_app_of(e, m_fid, OP_FUN_CASE_PRED); }
diff --git a/src/ast/rewriter/CMakeLists.txt b/src/ast/rewriter/CMakeLists.txt
index ba57f757d43..cb51085a16d 100644
--- a/src/ast/rewriter/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/ast/rewriter/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ z3_add_component(rewriter
     pb2bv_rewriter.cpp
     push_app_ite.cpp
     quant_hoist.cpp
+    recfun_rewriter.cpp
     rewriter.cpp
     seq_rewriter.cpp
     th_rewriter.cpp
diff --git a/src/ast/rewriter/recfun_rewriter.cpp b/src/ast/rewriter/recfun_rewriter.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..24318dc2cd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ast/rewriter/recfun_rewriter.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*++
+Copyright (c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation
+
+Module Name:
+
+    recfun_rewriter.cpp
+
+Abstract:
+
+    Rewriter recursive function applications to values
+
+Author:
+
+    Nikolaj Bjorner (nbjorner) 2020-04-26
+
+
+--*/
+
+
+#include "ast/rewriter/recfun_rewriter.h"
+#include "ast/rewriter/var_subst.h"
+    
+br_status recfun_rewriter::mk_app_core(func_decl * f, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args, expr_ref & result) {
+    if (m_rec.is_defined(f)) {
+        for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_args; ++i) {
+            if (!m.is_value(args[i]))
+                return BR_FAILED;
+        }
+        recfun::def const& d = m_rec.get_def(f);
+        var_subst sub(m);
+        result = sub(d.get_rhs(), num_args, args);
+        return BR_REWRITE_FULL;
+    }
+    else {
+        return BR_FAILED;
+    }
+}
+
+
diff --git a/src/ast/rewriter/recfun_rewriter.h b/src/ast/rewriter/recfun_rewriter.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a08a75783b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ast/rewriter/recfun_rewriter.h
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/*++
+Copyright (c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation
+
+Module Name:
+
+    recfun_rewriter.h
+
+Abstract:
+
+    Rewriter recursive function applications to values
+
+Author:
+
+    Nikolaj Bjorner (nbjorner) 2020-04-26
+
+
+--*/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "ast/recfun_decl_plugin.h"
+#include "ast/rewriter/rewriter.h"
+
+class recfun_rewriter {
+    ast_manager& m;
+    recfun::util  m_rec;
+public:
+    recfun_rewriter(ast_manager& m): m(m), m_rec(m) {}
+    ~recfun_rewriter() {}
+    
+    br_status mk_app_core(func_decl * f, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args, expr_ref & result);
+
+    family_id get_fid() const { return m_rec.get_family_id(); }
+
+};
+
diff --git a/src/ast/rewriter/th_rewriter.cpp b/src/ast/rewriter/th_rewriter.cpp
index a19c3abf84d..94b661e46be 100644
--- a/src/ast/rewriter/th_rewriter.cpp
+++ b/src/ast/rewriter/th_rewriter.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Module Name:
 #include "ast/rewriter/fpa_rewriter.h"
 #include "ast/rewriter/dl_rewriter.h"
 #include "ast/rewriter/pb_rewriter.h"
+#include "ast/rewriter/recfun_rewriter.h"
 #include "ast/rewriter/seq_rewriter.h"
 #include "ast/rewriter/rewriter_def.h"
 #include "ast/rewriter/var_subst.h"
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ struct th_rewriter_cfg : public default_rewriter_cfg {
     dl_rewriter         m_dl_rw;
     pb_rewriter         m_pb_rw;
     seq_rewriter        m_seq_rw;
+    recfun_rewriter     m_rec_rw;
     arith_util          m_a_util;
     bv_util             m_bv_util;
     unsigned long long  m_max_memory; // in bytes
@@ -219,6 +221,8 @@ struct th_rewriter_cfg : public default_rewriter_cfg {
             return m_pb_rw.mk_app_core(f, num, args, result);
         if (fid == m_seq_rw.get_fid())
             return m_seq_rw.mk_app_core(f, num, args, result);
+        if (fid == m_rec_rw.get_fid())
+            return m_rec_rw.mk_app_core(f, num, args, result);
         return BR_FAILED;
     }
 
@@ -747,6 +751,7 @@ struct th_rewriter_cfg : public default_rewriter_cfg {
         m_dl_rw(m),
         m_pb_rw(m),
         m_seq_rw(m),
+        m_rec_rw(m),
         m_a_util(m),
         m_bv_util(m),
         m_used_dependencies(m),
diff --git a/src/smt/smt_context.cpp b/src/smt/smt_context.cpp
index 9a1900355df..9d8a81a8442 100644
--- a/src/smt/smt_context.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/smt_context.cpp
@@ -4507,32 +4507,6 @@ namespace smt {
 
     void context::add_rec_funs_to_model() {
         if (!m_model) return;
-        for (unsigned i = 0; !get_cancel_flag() && i < m_asserted_formulas.get_num_formulas(); ++i) {
-            expr* e = m_asserted_formulas.get_formula(i);
-            if (is_quantifier(e)) {
-                quantifier* q = to_quantifier(e);
-                if (!m.is_rec_fun_def(q)) continue;
-                TRACE("context", tout << mk_pp(e, m) << "\n";);
-                SASSERT(q->get_num_patterns() == 2);
-                expr* fn = to_app(q->get_pattern(0))->get_arg(0);
-                expr* body = to_app(q->get_pattern(1))->get_arg(0);
-                SASSERT(is_app(fn));
-                // reverse argument order so that variable 0 starts at the beginning.
-                expr_ref_vector subst(m);
-                unsigned idx = 0;
-                for (expr* arg : *to_app(fn)) {
-                    subst.push_back(m.mk_var(idx++, m.get_sort(arg)));
-                }
-                expr_ref bodyr(m);
-                var_subst sub(m, true);
-                TRACE("context", tout << expr_ref(q, m) << " " << subst << "\n";);
-                bodyr = sub(body, subst.size(), subst.c_ptr());
-                func_decl* f = to_app(fn)->get_decl();
-                func_interp* fi = alloc(func_interp, m, f->get_arity());
-                fi->set_else(bodyr);
-                m_model->register_decl(f, fi);
-            }
-        }
         recfun::util u(m);
         func_decl_ref_vector recfuns = u.get_rec_funs();
         for (func_decl* f : recfuns) {
diff --git a/src/smt/smt_context_inv.cpp b/src/smt/smt_context_inv.cpp
index 1caf0fbb326..3938ead08cc 100644
--- a/src/smt/smt_context_inv.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/smt_context_inv.cpp
@@ -367,9 +367,6 @@ namespace smt {
             if (!is_ground(n)) {
                 continue;
             }
-            if (is_quantifier(n) && m.is_rec_fun_def(to_quantifier(n))) {
-                continue;
-            }
             switch (get_assignment(lit)) {
             case l_undef:
                 break;
diff --git a/src/smt/smt_model_checker.cpp b/src/smt/smt_model_checker.cpp
index d1030efdbb0..efaea40e3ee 100644
--- a/src/smt/smt_model_checker.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/smt_model_checker.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ namespace smt {
         m_model_finder(mf),
         m_max_cexs(1),
         m_iteration_idx(0),
-        m_has_rec_fun(false),
         m_curr_model(nullptr),
         m_fresh_exprs(m),
         m_pinned_exprs(m) {
@@ -380,36 +379,6 @@ namespace smt {
         return false;
     }
 
-    bool model_checker::check_rec_fun(quantifier* q, bool strict_rec_fun) {
-        TRACE("model_checker", tout << mk_pp(q, m) << "\n";);
-        SASSERT(q->get_num_patterns() == 2); // first pattern is the function, second is the body.
-        func_decl* f = m.get_rec_fun_decl(q);
-
-        expr_ref_vector args(m);
-        unsigned num_decls = q->get_num_decls();
-        args.resize(num_decls, nullptr);
-        var_subst sub(m);
-        expr_ref tmp(m), result(m);
-        for (enode* n : m_context->enodes_of(f)) {
-            if (m_context->is_relevant(n)) {
-                app* e = n->get_owner();
-                SASSERT(e->get_num_args() == num_decls);
-                for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_decls; ++i) {
-                    args[i] = e->get_arg(i);
-                }
-                tmp = sub(q->get_expr(), num_decls, args.c_ptr());
-                TRACE("model_checker", tout << "curr_model:\n"; model_pp(tout, *m_curr_model););
-                m_curr_model->eval(tmp, result, true);
-                if (strict_rec_fun ? !m.is_true(result) : m.is_false(result)) {
-                    add_instance(q, args, 0, nullptr);
-                    return false;
-                }
-                TRACE("model_checker", tout << tmp << "\nevaluates to:\n" << result << "\n";);
-            }
-        }
-        return true;
-    }
-
     void model_checker::init_aux_context() {
         if (!m_fparams) {
             m_fparams = alloc(smt_params, m_context->get_fparams());
@@ -458,7 +427,7 @@ namespace smt {
         bool found_relevant = false;
         unsigned num_failures = 0;
 
-        check_quantifiers(false, found_relevant, num_failures);
+        check_quantifiers(found_relevant, num_failures);
 
         if (found_relevant)
             m_iteration_idx++;
@@ -467,11 +436,11 @@ namespace smt {
         TRACE("model_checker", tout << "model checker result: " << (num_failures == 0) << "\n";);
         m_max_cexs += m_params.m_mbqi_max_cexs;
 
-        if (num_failures == 0 && (!m_context->validate_model() || has_rec_under_quantifiers())) {
+        if (num_failures == 0 && (!m_context->validate_model())) {
             num_failures = 1;
             // this time force expanding recursive function definitions
             // that are not forced true in the current model.
-            check_quantifiers(true, found_relevant, num_failures);
+            check_quantifiers(found_relevant, num_failures);
         }
         if (num_failures == 0)
             m_curr_model->cleanup();
@@ -484,43 +453,6 @@ namespace smt {
         return num_failures == 0;
     }
 
-    struct has_rec_fun_proc {
-        obj_hashtable<func_decl>& m_rec_funs;
-        bool m_has_rec_fun;
-
-        bool has_rec_fun() const { return m_has_rec_fun; }
-
-        has_rec_fun_proc(obj_hashtable<func_decl>& rec_funs):
-            m_rec_funs(rec_funs),
-            m_has_rec_fun(false) {}
-
-        void operator()(app* fn) {
-            m_has_rec_fun |= m_rec_funs.contains(fn->get_decl());
-        }
-        void operator()(expr*) {}
-    };
-
-    bool model_checker::has_rec_under_quantifiers() {
-        if (!m_has_rec_fun) {
-            return false;
-        }
-        obj_hashtable<func_decl> rec_funs;
-        for (quantifier * q : *m_qm) {
-            if (m.is_rec_fun_def(q)) {
-                rec_funs.insert(m.get_rec_fun_decl(q));
-            }
-        }
-        expr_fast_mark1 visited;
-        has_rec_fun_proc proc(rec_funs);
-        for (quantifier * q : *m_qm) {
-            if (!m.is_rec_fun_def(q)) {
-                quick_for_each_expr(proc, visited, q);
-                if (proc.has_rec_fun()) return true;
-            }
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
     //
     // (repeated from defined_names.cpp)
     // NB. The pattern for lambdas is incomplete.
@@ -532,7 +464,7 @@ namespace smt {
     // using multi-patterns.
     //
 
-    void model_checker::check_quantifiers(bool strict_rec_fun, bool& found_relevant, unsigned& num_failures) {
+    void model_checker::check_quantifiers(bool& found_relevant, unsigned& num_failures) {
         for (quantifier * q : *m_qm) {
             if (!(m_qm->mbqi_enabled(q) &&
                   m_context->is_relevant(q) &&
@@ -549,14 +481,7 @@ namespace smt {
                 verbose_stream() << "(smt.mbqi :checking " << q->get_qid() << ")\n";
             }
             found_relevant = true;
-            if (m.is_rec_fun_def(q)) {
-                m_has_rec_fun = true;
-                if (!check_rec_fun(q, strict_rec_fun)) {
-                    TRACE("model_checker", tout << "checking recursive function failed\n";);
-                    num_failures++;
-                }
-            }
-            else if (!check(q)) {
+            if (!check(q)) {
                 if (m_params.m_mbqi_trace || get_verbosity_level() >= 5) {
                     IF_VERBOSE(0, verbose_stream() << "(smt.mbqi :failed " << q->get_qid() << ")\n");
                 }
diff --git a/src/smt/smt_model_checker.h b/src/smt/smt_model_checker.h
index e8676cbaffb..b437115351a 100644
--- a/src/smt/smt_model_checker.h
+++ b/src/smt/smt_model_checker.h
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ namespace smt {
         scoped_ptr<context>                         m_aux_context; // Auxiliary context used for model checking quantifiers.
         unsigned                                    m_max_cexs;
         unsigned                                    m_iteration_idx;
-        bool                                        m_has_rec_fun;
         proto_model *                               m_curr_model;
         obj_map<expr, expr *>                       m_value2expr;
         expr_ref_vector                             m_fresh_exprs;
@@ -67,9 +66,7 @@ namespace smt {
         void assert_neg_q_m(quantifier * q, expr_ref_vector & sks);
         bool add_blocking_clause(model * cex, expr_ref_vector & sks);
         bool check(quantifier * q);
-        bool check_rec_fun(quantifier* q, bool strict_rec_fun);
-        bool has_rec_under_quantifiers();
-        void check_quantifiers(bool strict_rec_fun, bool& found_relevant, unsigned& num_failures);
+        void check_quantifiers(bool& found_relevant, unsigned& num_failures);
 
         struct instance {
             quantifier * m_q;
diff --git a/src/smt/smt_quantifier.cpp b/src/smt/smt_quantifier.cpp
index 14792bf761f..97482850146 100644
--- a/src/smt/smt_quantifier.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/smt_quantifier.cpp
@@ -625,9 +625,6 @@ namespace smt {
             if (!m_fparams->m_ematching) {
                 return;
             }
-            if (false && m.is_rec_fun_def(q) && mbqi_enabled(q)) {
-                return;
-            }
             bool has_unary_pattern = false;
             unsigned num_patterns = q->get_num_patterns();
             for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_patterns; i++) {
@@ -644,11 +641,7 @@ namespace smt {
                 app * mp = to_app(q->get_pattern(i));
                 SASSERT(m.is_pattern(mp));
                 bool unary = (mp->get_num_args() == 1);
-                if (m.is_rec_fun_def(q) && i > 0) {
-                    // add only the first pattern
-                    TRACE("quantifier", tout << "skip recursive function body " << mk_ismt2_pp(mp, m) << "\n";);
-                }
-                else if (!unary && j >= num_eager_multi_patterns) {
+                if (!unary && j >= num_eager_multi_patterns) {
                     TRACE("quantifier", tout << "delaying (too many multipatterns):\n" << mk_ismt2_pp(mp, m) << "\n"
                           << "j: " << j << " unary: " << unary << " m_params.m_qi_max_eager_multipatterns: " << m_fparams->m_qi_max_eager_multipatterns
                           << " num_eager_multi_patterns: " << num_eager_multi_patterns << "\n";);