diff --git a/src/boot/me/trans.ml b/src/boot/me/trans.ml
index b43ffb82c4b..3d23a94569a 100644
--- a/src/boot/me/trans.ml
+++ b/src/boot/me/trans.ml
@@ -4525,10 +4525,12 @@ let trans_visitor
                              [| Asm.WORD (word_ty_mach, Asm.IMM 0L) |]))
   in
 
-  let trans_required_fn (fnid:node_id) (blockid:node_id) : unit =
+  let trans_real_required_fn
+      (fnid:node_id)
+      (blockid:node_id) : unit =
+    let (ilib, conv) = Hashtbl.find cx.ctxt_required_items fnid in
     trans_frame_entry fnid;
     emit (Il.Enter (Hashtbl.find cx.ctxt_block_fixups blockid));
-    let (ilib, conv) = Hashtbl.find cx.ctxt_required_items fnid in
     let lib_num =
       htab_search_or_add cx.ctxt_required_lib_num ilib
         (fun _ -> Hashtbl.length cx.ctxt_required_lib_num)
@@ -4655,6 +4657,12 @@ let trans_visitor
             "Trans.required_rust_fn on unexpected form of require library"
   in
 
+  let trans_required_fn (fnid:node_id) (blockid:node_id) : unit =
+    if fn_is_intrinsic cx fnid
+    then ()
+    else trans_real_required_fn fnid blockid
+  in
+
   let trans_tag
       (n:Ast.ident)
       (tagid:node_id)
diff --git a/src/boot/me/transutil.ml b/src/boot/me/transutil.ml
index c430e034ca9..7a6f9b8e85a 100644
--- a/src/boot/me/transutil.ml
+++ b/src/boot/me/transutil.ml
@@ -225,6 +225,28 @@ let iter_rec_slots
     (Array.map snd entries) f curr_iso
 ;;
 
+let intrinsic_name (cx:ctxt) (fnid:node_id) : string =
+  match Hashtbl.find cx.ctxt_all_item_names fnid with
+      Ast.NAME_base (Ast.BASE_ident id) -> id
+    | Ast.NAME_base (Ast.BASE_app (id, _)) -> id
+    | Ast.NAME_ext (_, Ast.COMP_ident id) -> id
+    | Ast.NAME_ext (_, Ast.COMP_app (id, _)) -> id
+    | _ -> err (Some fnid) "unexpected name for intrinsic fn"
+;;
+
+let fn_is_intrinsic (cx:ctxt) (fnid:node_id) : bool =
+  let (_, conv) = Hashtbl.find cx.ctxt_required_items fnid in
+    conv = CONV_intrinsic
+;;
+
+let lval_is_intrinsic (cx:ctxt) (lval:Ast.lval) : bool =
+  let item = lval_item cx lval in
+    match item.node.Ast.decl_item with
+        Ast.MOD_ITEM_fn _
+          when Hashtbl.mem cx.ctxt_required_items item.id ->
+            fn_is_intrinsic cx item.id
+      | _ -> false
+;;
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/boot/util/common.ml b/src/boot/util/common.ml
index f33a6ea1649..ad784877398 100644
--- a/src/boot/util/common.ml
+++ b/src/boot/util/common.ml
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ type ty_param_idx = int
 type nabi_conv =
     CONV_rust
   | CONV_cdecl
+  | CONV_intrinsic
 ;;
 
 type nabi = { nabi_indirect: bool;
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ let string_to_conv (a:string) : nabi_conv option =
   match a with
       "cdecl" -> Some CONV_cdecl
     | "rust" -> Some CONV_rust
+    | "intrinsic" -> Some CONV_intrinsic
     | _ -> None
 
 (* FIXME: remove this when native items go away. *)