diff --git a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/hls-tactics-plugin.cabal b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/hls-tactics-plugin.cabal
index 393d1f8cd4..f6e6b8fd4e 100644
--- a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/hls-tactics-plugin.cabal
+++ b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/hls-tactics-plugin.cabal
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ library
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Auto
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen
+    Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen.Utils
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Context
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Debug
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.GHC
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ library
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Machinery
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Naming
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Range
+    Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Simplify
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Tactics
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Types
     Ide.Plugin.Tactic.TestTypes
diff --git a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic.hs b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic.hs
index 5182161f25..a261080aab 100644
--- a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic.hs
+++ b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic.hs
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ tacticCmd tac lf state (TacticParams uri range var_name)
                 $ ResponseError InvalidRequest (T.pack $ show err) Nothing
             Right rtr -> do
               traceMX "solns" $ rtr_other_solns rtr
+              traceMX "after simplification" $ rtr_extract rtr
               let g = graft (RealSrcSpan span) $ rtr_extract rtr
                   response = transform dflags (clientCapabilities lf) uri g pm
               pure $ case response of
diff --git a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/CodeGen.hs b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/CodeGen.hs
index 1cab232a7a..029eb971d3 100644
--- a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/CodeGen.hs
+++ b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/CodeGen.hs
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
-{-# LANGUAGE DataKinds #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE TypeApplications #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE DataKinds        #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TupleSections    #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE TypeApplications #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ViewPatterns     #-}
 
-module Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen where
+module Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen
+  ( module Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen
+  , module Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen.Utils
+  ) where
 
 import           Control.Lens ((+~), (%~), (<>~))
 import           Control.Monad.Except
@@ -18,7 +21,6 @@ import           Data.Traversable
 import           DataCon
 import           Development.IDE.GHC.Compat
 import           GHC.Exts
-import           GHC.SourceGen (RdrNameStr)
 import           GHC.SourceGen.Binds
 import           GHC.SourceGen.Expr
 import           GHC.SourceGen.Overloaded
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ import           Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Judgements
 import           Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Machinery
 import           Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Naming
 import           Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Types
-import           Name
+import           Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen.Utils
 import           Type hiding (Var)
 
 
@@ -202,57 +204,3 @@ buildDataCon jdg dc apps = do
     . (rose (show dc) $ pure tr,)
     $ mkCon dc sgs
 
-
-mkCon :: DataCon -> [LHsExpr GhcPs] -> LHsExpr GhcPs
-mkCon dcon (fmap unLoc -> args)
-  | isTupleDataCon dcon =
-      noLoc $ tuple args
-  | dataConIsInfix dcon
-  , (lhs : rhs : args') <- args =
-      noLoc $ foldl' (@@) (op lhs (coerceName dcon_name) rhs) args'
-  | otherwise =
-      noLoc $ foldl' (@@) (bvar' $ occName dcon_name) args
-  where
-    dcon_name = dataConName dcon
-
-
-
-coerceName :: HasOccName a => a -> RdrNameStr
-coerceName = fromString . occNameString . occName
-
-
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- | Like 'var', but works over standard GHC 'OccName's.
-var' :: Var a => OccName -> a
-var' = var . fromString . occNameString
-
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- | Like 'bvar', but works over standard GHC 'OccName's.
-bvar' :: BVar a => OccName -> a
-bvar' = bvar . fromString . occNameString
-
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- | Get an HsExpr corresponding to a function name.
-mkFunc :: String -> HsExpr GhcPs
-mkFunc = var' . mkVarOcc
-
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- | Get an HsExpr corresponding to a value name.
-mkVal :: String -> HsExpr GhcPs
-mkVal = var' . mkVarOcc
-
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- | Like 'op', but easier to call.
-infixCall :: String -> HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs
-infixCall s = flip op (fromString s)
-
-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- | Like '(@@)', but uses a dollar instead of parentheses.
-appDollar :: HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs
-appDollar = infixCall "$"
diff --git a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/CodeGen/Utils.hs b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/CodeGen/Utils.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e3551cc660
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/CodeGen/Utils.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE ViewPatterns #-}
+
+module Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen.Utils where
+
+import           Data.List
+import           DataCon
+import           Development.IDE.GHC.Compat
+import           GHC.Exts
+import           GHC.SourceGen (RdrNameStr)
+import           GHC.SourceGen.Overloaded
+import           Name
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Make a data constructor with the given arguments.
+mkCon :: DataCon -> [LHsExpr GhcPs] -> LHsExpr GhcPs
+mkCon dcon (fmap unLoc -> args)
+  | isTupleDataCon dcon =
+      noLoc $ tuple args
+  | dataConIsInfix dcon
+  , (lhs : rhs : args') <- args =
+      noLoc $ foldl' (@@) (op lhs (coerceName dcon_name) rhs) args'
+  | otherwise =
+      noLoc $ foldl' (@@) (bvar' $ occName dcon_name) args
+  where
+    dcon_name = dataConName dcon
+
+
+coerceName :: HasOccName a => a -> RdrNameStr
+coerceName = fromString . occNameString . occName
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Like 'var', but works over standard GHC 'OccName's.
+var' :: Var a => OccName -> a
+var' = var . fromString . occNameString
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Like 'bvar', but works over standard GHC 'OccName's.
+bvar' :: BVar a => OccName -> a
+bvar' = bvar . fromString . occNameString
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Get an HsExpr corresponding to a function name.
+mkFunc :: String -> HsExpr GhcPs
+mkFunc = var' . mkVarOcc
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Get an HsExpr corresponding to a value name.
+mkVal :: String -> HsExpr GhcPs
+mkVal = var' . mkVarOcc
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Like 'op', but easier to call.
+infixCall :: String -> HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs
+infixCall s = flip op (fromString s)
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Like '(@@)', but uses a dollar instead of parentheses.
+appDollar :: HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs
+appDollar = infixCall "$"
+
diff --git a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/GHC.hs b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/GHC.hs
index 5cba1d20b6..efe715d12c 100644
--- a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/GHC.hs
+++ b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/GHC.hs
@@ -112,13 +112,17 @@ lambdaCaseable (splitFunTy_maybe -> Just (arg, res))
   = Just $ isJust $ algebraicTyCon res
 lambdaCaseable _ = Nothing
 
-fromPatCompat :: PatCompat GhcTc -> Pat GhcTc
+-- It's hard to generalize over these since weird type families are involved.
+fromPatCompatTc :: PatCompat GhcTc -> Pat GhcTc
+fromPatCompatPs :: PatCompat GhcPs -> Pat GhcPs
 #if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ == 808
 type PatCompat pass = Pat pass
-fromPatCompat = id
+fromPatCompatTc = id
+fromPatCompatPs = id
 #else
 type PatCompat pass = LPat pass
-fromPatCompat = unLoc
+fromPatCompatTc = unLoc
+fromPatCompatPs = unLoc
 #endif
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -132,7 +136,7 @@ pattern TopLevelRHS name ps body <-
       [L _ (GRHS _ [] body)] _)
 
 getPatName :: PatCompat GhcTc -> Maybe OccName
-getPatName (fromPatCompat -> p0) =
+getPatName (fromPatCompatTc -> p0) =
   case p0 of
     VarPat  _ x   -> Just $ occName $ unLoc x
     LazyPat _ p   -> getPatName p
diff --git a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Machinery.hs b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Machinery.hs
index dd307da2ca..787fb6bb7d 100644
--- a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Machinery.hs
+++ b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Machinery.hs
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import           Data.Set (Set)
 import qualified Data.Set as S
 import           Development.IDE.GHC.Compat
 import           Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Judgements
+import           Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Simplify (simplify)
 import           Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Types
 import           OccName (HasOccName(occName))
 import           Refinery.ProofState
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ runTactic ctx jdg t =
         case sorted of
           (((tr, ext), _) : _) ->
             Right
-              . RunTacticResults tr ext
+              . RunTacticResults tr (simplify ext)
               . reverse
               . fmap fst
               $ take 5 sorted
diff --git a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Simplify.hs b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Simplify.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c125d50876
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Simplify.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE LambdaCase          #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings   #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE PatternSynonyms     #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE ViewPatterns        #-}
+
+module Ide.Plugin.Tactic.Simplify
+  ( simplify
+  ) where
+
+import Data.Data (Data)
+import Data.Generics (everywhere, somewhere, something, listify, extT, mkT, GenericT, mkQ)
+import Data.List.Extra (unsnoc)
+import Data.Maybe (isJust)
+import Data.Monoid (Endo (..))
+import Development.IDE.GHC.Compat
+import GHC.Exts (fromString)
+import GHC.SourceGen (var, op)
+import GHC.SourceGen.Expr (lambda)
+import Ide.Plugin.Tactic.CodeGen.Utils
+import Ide.Plugin.Tactic.GHC (fromPatCompatPs)
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | A pattern over the otherwise (extremely) messy AST for lambdas.
+pattern Lambda :: [Pat GhcPs] -> HsExpr GhcPs -> HsExpr GhcPs
+pattern Lambda pats body <-
+  HsLam _
+    (MG {mg_alts = L _ [L _
+      (Match { m_pats = fmap fromPatCompatPs -> pats
+             , m_grhss = GRHSs {grhssGRHSs = [L _ (
+                 GRHS _ [] (L _ body))]}
+             })]})
+  where
+    -- If there are no patterns to bind, just stick in the body
+    Lambda [] body   = body
+    Lambda pats body = lambda pats body
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Simlify an expression.
+simplify :: LHsExpr GhcPs -> LHsExpr GhcPs
+simplify
+  = head
+  . drop 3   -- Do three passes; this should be good enough for the limited
+             -- amount of gas we give to auto
+  . iterate (everywhere $ foldEndo
+    [ simplifyEtaReduce
+    , simplifyRemoveParens
+    , simplifyCompose
+    ])
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Like 'foldMap' but for endomorphisms.
+foldEndo :: Foldable t => t (a -> a) -> a -> a
+foldEndo = appEndo . foldMap Endo
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Does this thing contain any references to 'HsVar's with the given
+-- 'RdrName'?
+containsHsVar :: Data a => RdrName -> a -> Bool
+containsHsVar name x = not $ null $ listify (
+  \case
+    ((HsVar _ (L _ a)) :: HsExpr GhcPs) | a == name -> True
+    _ -> False
+  ) x
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Perform an eta reduction. For example, transforms @\x -> (f g) x@ into
+-- @f g@.
+simplifyEtaReduce :: GenericT
+simplifyEtaReduce = mkT $ \case
+  Lambda
+      [VarPat _ (L _ pat)]
+      (HsVar _ (L _ a)) | pat == a ->
+    var "id"
+  Lambda
+      (unsnoc -> Just (pats, (VarPat _ (L _ pat))))
+      (HsApp _ (L _ f) (L _ (HsVar _ (L _ a))))
+      | pat == a
+        -- We can only perform this simplifiation if @pat@ is otherwise unused.
+      , not (containsHsVar pat f) ->
+    Lambda pats f
+  x -> x
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Perform an eta-reducing function composition. For example, transforms
+-- @\x -> f (g (h x))@ into @f . g . h@.
+simplifyCompose :: GenericT
+simplifyCompose = mkT $ \case
+  Lambda
+      (unsnoc -> Just (pats, (VarPat _ (L _ pat))))
+      (unroll -> (fs@(_:_), (HsVar _ (L _ a))))
+      | pat == a
+        -- We can only perform this simplifiation if @pat@ is otherwise unused.
+      , not (containsHsVar pat fs) ->
+    Lambda pats (foldr1 (infixCall ".") fs)
+  x -> x
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Removes unnecessary parentheses on any token that doesn't need them.
+simplifyRemoveParens :: GenericT
+simplifyRemoveParens = mkT $ \case
+  HsPar _ (L _ x) | isAtomicHsExpr x -> x
+  (x :: HsExpr GhcPs) -> x
+
+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- | Unrolls a right-associative function application of the form
+-- @HsApp f (HsApp g (HsApp h x))@ into @([f, g, h], x)@.
+unroll :: HsExpr GhcPs -> ([HsExpr GhcPs], HsExpr GhcPs)
+unroll (HsPar _ (L _ x)) = unroll x
+unroll (HsApp _ (L _ f) (L _ a)) =
+  let (fs, r) = unroll a
+   in (f : fs, r)
+unroll x = ([], x)
+
diff --git a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Types.hs b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Types.hs
index ac0ab3dff1..a60049de48 100644
--- a/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Types.hs
+++ b/plugins/hls-tactics-plugin/src/Ide/Plugin/Tactic/Types.hs
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ instance Show DataCon where
 instance Show Class where
   show  = unsafeRender
 
+instance Show (HsExpr GhcPs) where
+  show  = unsafeRender
+
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 data TacticState = TacticState
diff --git a/test/functional/Tactic.hs b/test/functional/Tactic.hs
index 6e33a96a90..d46dc8ff29 100644
--- a/test/functional/Tactic.hs
+++ b/test/functional/Tactic.hs
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ tests = testGroup
   , expectFail "GoldenFish.hs"              5 18 Auto ""
   , goldenTest "GoldenArbitrary.hs"         25 13 Auto ""
   , goldenTest "FmapBoth.hs"                2 12 Auto ""
+  , goldenTest "FmapJoin.hs"                2 14 Auto ""
+  , goldenTest "Fgmap.hs"                   2 9  Auto ""
+  , goldenTest "FmapJoinInLet.hs"           4 19 Auto ""
   ]
 
 
diff --git a/test/testdata/tactic/Fgmap.hs b/test/testdata/tactic/Fgmap.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..de1968474e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testdata/tactic/Fgmap.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+fgmap :: (Functor f, Functor g) => (a -> b) -> (f (g a) -> f (g b))
+fgmap = _
diff --git a/test/testdata/tactic/Fgmap.hs.expected b/test/testdata/tactic/Fgmap.hs.expected
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8c0b9a2f4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testdata/tactic/Fgmap.hs.expected
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+fgmap :: (Functor f, Functor g) => (a -> b) -> (f (g a) -> f (g b))
+fgmap = (fmap . fmap)
diff --git a/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoin.hs b/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoin.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..98a40133ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoin.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+fJoin :: (Monad m, Monad f) => f (m (m a)) -> f (m a)
+fJoin = fmap _
diff --git a/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoin.hs.expected b/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoin.hs.expected
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8064301c89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoin.hs.expected
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+fJoin :: (Monad m, Monad f) => f (m (m a)) -> f (m a)
+fJoin = fmap (\ mma -> (>>=) mma id)
diff --git a/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoinInLet.hs b/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoinInLet.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e6fe6cbd0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoinInLet.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
+
+fJoin :: forall f m a. (Monad m, Monad f) => f (m (m a)) -> f (m a)
+fJoin =  let f = (_ :: m (m a) -> m a) in fmap f
diff --git a/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoinInLet.hs.expected b/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoinInLet.hs.expected
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a9a9f04f9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testdata/tactic/FmapJoinInLet.hs.expected
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
+
+fJoin :: forall f m a. (Monad m, Monad f) => f (m (m a)) -> f (m a)
+fJoin =  let f = ( (\ mma -> (>>=) mma id) :: m (m a) -> m a) in fmap f
diff --git a/test/testdata/tactic/GoldenIdTypeFam.hs.expected b/test/testdata/tactic/GoldenIdTypeFam.hs.expected
index ad5697334e..7b3d1beda0 100644
--- a/test/testdata/tactic/GoldenIdTypeFam.hs.expected
+++ b/test/testdata/tactic/GoldenIdTypeFam.hs.expected
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ type family TyFam
 type instance TyFam = Int
 
 tyblah' :: TyFam -> Int
-tyblah' = (\ i -> i)
+tyblah' = id
diff --git a/test/testdata/tactic/GoldenShowCompose.hs.expected b/test/testdata/tactic/GoldenShowCompose.hs.expected
index 373ea6af91..e672cc6a02 100644
--- a/test/testdata/tactic/GoldenShowCompose.hs.expected
+++ b/test/testdata/tactic/GoldenShowCompose.hs.expected
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 showCompose :: Show a => (b -> a) -> b -> String
-showCompose = (\ fba b -> show (fba b))
+showCompose = (\ fba -> show . fba)