diff --git a/src/library/blast/congruence_closure.cpp b/src/library/blast/congruence_closure.cpp
index 4ca7158db..59ae8e962 100644
--- a/src/library/blast/congruence_closure.cpp
+++ b/src/library/blast/congruence_closure.cpp
@@ -810,6 +810,48 @@ static bool is_logical_app(expr const & n) {
          (const_name(fn) == get_ite_name() && is_prop(n)));
 }
 
+/* This method is invoked during internalization and eagerly apply basic equivalences for term \c e
+   Examples:
+   - If e := cast H e', then it merges the equivalence classes of (cast H e') and e'
+
+   In principle, we could mark theorems such as cast_eq as simplification rules, but this creates
+   problems with the builtin support for cast-introduction in the ematching module.
+
+   Eagerly merging the equivalence classes is also more efficient. */
+void congruence_closure::apply_simple_eqvs(expr const & e) {
+    if (g_heq_based) {
+        /* equivalences when == support is enabled */
+        if (is_app_of(e, get_cast_name(), 4)) {
+            /* cast H a == a
+
+               theorem cast_heq : ∀ {A B : Type.{l_1}} (H : A = B) (a : A), @cast.{l_1} A B H a == a
+            */
+            buffer<expr> args;
+            expr const & cast = get_app_args(e, args);
+            expr const & a    = args[3];
+            expr proof     = mk_app(mk_constant(get_cast_heq_name(), const_levels(cast)), args);
+            bool heq_proof = true;
+            push_todo(get_eq_name(), e, a, proof, heq_proof);
+        }
+
+        if (is_app_of(e, get_eq_rec_name(), 6)) {
+            /* eq.rec p H == p
+
+               theorem eq_rec_heq : ∀ {A : Type.{l_1}} {P : A → Type.{l_2}} {a a' : A} (H : a = a') (p : P a), @eq.rec.{l_2 l_1} A a P p a' H == p
+            */
+            buffer<expr> args;
+            expr const & eq_rec = get_app_args(e, args);
+            expr A = args[0]; expr a = args[1]; expr P = args[2]; expr p = args[3];
+            expr a_prime = args[4]; expr H = args[5];
+            level l_2  = head(const_levels(eq_rec));
+            level l_1  = head(tail(const_levels(eq_rec)));
+            expr proof = mk_app({mk_constant(get_eq_rec_heq_name(), {l_1, l_2}), A, P, a, a_prime, H, p});
+            bool heq_proof = true;
+            push_todo(get_eq_name(), e, p, proof, heq_proof);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void congruence_closure::internalize_core(name R, expr const & e, bool toplevel, bool to_propagate) {
     lean_assert(closed(e));
     if (g_heq_based && R == get_heq_name())
@@ -878,6 +920,7 @@ void congruence_closure::internalize_core(name R, expr const & e, bool toplevel,
             }
             add_congruence_table(*lemma, e);
         }
+        apply_simple_eqvs(e);
         break;
     }}
 }
diff --git a/src/library/blast/congruence_closure.h b/src/library/blast/congruence_closure.h
index ef6c681d1..06c513d93 100644
--- a/src/library/blast/congruence_closure.h
+++ b/src/library/blast/congruence_closure.h
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ class congruence_closure {
     unsigned    m_gmt{0};
     void update_non_eq_relations(name const & R);
 
+    void apply_simple_eqvs(expr const & e);
     void register_to_propagate(expr const & e);
     void internalize_core(name R, expr const & e, bool toplevel, bool to_propagate);
     void process_todo(optional<expr> const & added_prop);
diff --git a/src/library/constants.cpp b/src/library/constants.cpp
index e5c40541a..7a234e40c 100644
--- a/src/library/constants.cpp
+++ b/src/library/constants.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ name const * g_bool = nullptr;
 name const * g_bool_ff = nullptr;
 name const * g_bool_tt = nullptr;
 name const * g_cast = nullptr;
+name const * g_cast_eq = nullptr;
+name const * g_cast_heq = nullptr;
 name const * g_char = nullptr;
 name const * g_char_mk = nullptr;
 name const * g_classical = nullptr;
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ name const * g_eq_subst = nullptr;
 name const * g_eq_symm = nullptr;
 name const * g_eq_trans = nullptr;
 name const * g_eq_of_heq = nullptr;
+name const * g_eq_rec_heq = nullptr;
 name const * g_exists_elim = nullptr;
 name const * g_false = nullptr;
 name const * g_false_of_true_iff_false = nullptr;
@@ -284,6 +287,8 @@ void initialize_constants() {
     g_bool_ff = new name{"bool", "ff"};
     g_bool_tt = new name{"bool", "tt"};
     g_cast = new name{"cast"};
+    g_cast_eq = new name{"cast_eq"};
+    g_cast_heq = new name{"cast_heq"};
     g_char = new name{"char"};
     g_char_mk = new name{"char", "mk"};
     g_classical = new name{"classical"};
@@ -311,6 +316,7 @@ void initialize_constants() {
     g_eq_symm = new name{"eq", "symm"};
     g_eq_trans = new name{"eq", "trans"};
     g_eq_of_heq = new name{"eq_of_heq"};
+    g_eq_rec_heq = new name{"eq_rec_heq"};
     g_exists_elim = new name{"exists", "elim"};
     g_false = new name{"false"};
     g_false_of_true_iff_false = new name{"false_of_true_iff_false"};
@@ -550,6 +556,8 @@ void finalize_constants() {
     delete g_bool_ff;
     delete g_bool_tt;
     delete g_cast;
+    delete g_cast_eq;
+    delete g_cast_heq;
     delete g_char;
     delete g_char_mk;
     delete g_classical;
@@ -577,6 +585,7 @@ void finalize_constants() {
     delete g_eq_symm;
     delete g_eq_trans;
     delete g_eq_of_heq;
+    delete g_eq_rec_heq;
     delete g_exists_elim;
     delete g_false;
     delete g_false_of_true_iff_false;
@@ -815,6 +824,8 @@ name const & get_bool_name() { return *g_bool; }
 name const & get_bool_ff_name() { return *g_bool_ff; }
 name const & get_bool_tt_name() { return *g_bool_tt; }
 name const & get_cast_name() { return *g_cast; }
+name const & get_cast_eq_name() { return *g_cast_eq; }
+name const & get_cast_heq_name() { return *g_cast_heq; }
 name const & get_char_name() { return *g_char; }
 name const & get_char_mk_name() { return *g_char_mk; }
 name const & get_classical_name() { return *g_classical; }
@@ -842,6 +853,7 @@ name const & get_eq_subst_name() { return *g_eq_subst; }
 name const & get_eq_symm_name() { return *g_eq_symm; }
 name const & get_eq_trans_name() { return *g_eq_trans; }
 name const & get_eq_of_heq_name() { return *g_eq_of_heq; }
+name const & get_eq_rec_heq_name() { return *g_eq_rec_heq; }
 name const & get_exists_elim_name() { return *g_exists_elim; }
 name const & get_false_name() { return *g_false; }
 name const & get_false_of_true_iff_false_name() { return *g_false_of_true_iff_false; }
diff --git a/src/library/constants.h b/src/library/constants.h
index 8a231b673..0872a185e 100644
--- a/src/library/constants.h
+++ b/src/library/constants.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ name const & get_bool_name();
 name const & get_bool_ff_name();
 name const & get_bool_tt_name();
 name const & get_cast_name();
+name const & get_cast_eq_name();
+name const & get_cast_heq_name();
 name const & get_char_name();
 name const & get_char_mk_name();
 name const & get_classical_name();
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ name const & get_eq_subst_name();
 name const & get_eq_symm_name();
 name const & get_eq_trans_name();
 name const & get_eq_of_heq_name();
+name const & get_eq_rec_heq_name();
 name const & get_exists_elim_name();
 name const & get_false_name();
 name const & get_false_of_true_iff_false_name();
diff --git a/src/library/constants.txt b/src/library/constants.txt
index 53dae95b8..d71ac62ec 100644
--- a/src/library/constants.txt
+++ b/src/library/constants.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ bool
 bool.ff
 bool.tt
 cast
+cast_eq
+cast_heq
 char
 char.mk
 classical
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ eq.subst
 eq.symm
 eq.trans
 eq_of_heq
+eq_rec_heq
 exists.elim
 false
 false_of_true_iff_false