diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index edce6c01..824d2108 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ and this project does not currently adhere to a particular versioning scheme.
 - Improve error messages for redefinition of types and objects. ([#485][gh-485])
 - Don't allow tabs to be used for indentation or spacing. ([#463][gh-463])
 - Rename builtin function `sleep` to `IO/nanosleep`. ([#581][gh-581])
+- Equational number pattern compilation to use the predecessor variable when possible. ([#470][gh-470])
 
 ### Fixed
 
@@ -333,6 +334,7 @@ and this project does not currently adhere to a particular versioning scheme.
 [gh-465]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/465
 [gh-466]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/466
 [gh-467]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/467
+[gh-470]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/470
 [gh-475]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/475
 [gh-478]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/478
 [gh-479]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/479
diff --git a/src/fun/transform/desugar_match_defs.rs b/src/fun/transform/desugar_match_defs.rs
index 26d5db1f..4b79144c 100644
--- a/src/fun/transform/desugar_match_defs.rs
+++ b/src/fun/transform/desugar_match_defs.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use crate::{
   diagnostics::{Diagnostics, WarningType},
   fun::{builtins, Adts, Constructors, Ctx, Definition, FanKind, Name, Num, Pattern, Rule, Tag, Term},
+  maybe_grow,
 };
 use std::collections::{BTreeSet, HashSet};
 
@@ -301,8 +302,10 @@ fn num_rule(
       let mut body = rule.body.clone();
       if let Some(var) = var {
         let last_num = *nums.last().unwrap();
-        let var_recovered = Term::add_num(Term::Var { nam: pred_var.clone() }, Num::U24(1 + last_num));
+        let curr_num = 1 + last_num;
+        let var_recovered = Term::add_num(Term::Var { nam: pred_var.clone() }, Num::U24(curr_num));
         body = Term::Use { nam: Some(var.clone()), val: Box::new(var_recovered), nxt: Box::new(body) };
+        fast_pred_access(&mut body, curr_num, var, &pred_var);
       }
       let rule = Rule { pats: rule.pats[1..].to_vec(), body };
       new_rules.push(rule);
@@ -340,6 +343,25 @@ fn num_rule(
   Ok(term)
 }
 
+/// Replaces `body` to `pred_var` if the term is a operation that subtracts the given var by the current
+/// switch number.
+fn fast_pred_access(body: &mut Term, curr_num: u32, var: &Name, pred_var: &Name) {
+  maybe_grow(|| {
+    if let Term::Oper { opr: crate::fun::Op::SUB, fst, snd } = body {
+      if let Term::Num { val: crate::fun::Num::U24(val) } = &**snd {
+        if let Term::Var { nam } = &**fst {
+          if nam == var && *val == curr_num {
+            *body = Term::Var { nam: pred_var.clone() };
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    for child in body.children_mut() {
+      fast_pred_access(child, curr_num, var, pred_var)
+    }
+  })
+}
+
 /// When the first column has constructors, create a branch on the constructors
 /// of the first arg.
 ///
diff --git a/tests/snapshots/encode_pattern_match__match_num_pred.bend.snap b/tests/snapshots/encode_pattern_match__match_num_pred.bend.snap
index 93d32c98..a3125d79 100644
--- a/tests/snapshots/encode_pattern_match__match_num_pred.bend.snap
+++ b/tests/snapshots/encode_pattern_match__match_num_pred.bend.snap
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Scott
 
 (pred2) = λa switch a { 0: 0; _: λb switch b { 0: 0; _: λc c; }; }
 
-(pred3) = λa switch a { 0: 0; _: λb switch b { 0: 0; _: λc switch c { 0: 0; _: λd (- (+ d 3) 3); }; }; }
+(pred3) = λa switch a { 0: 0; _: λb switch b { 0: 0; _: λc switch c { 0: 0; _: λd d; }; }; }
 
 (zero) = λa switch a { 0: 1; _: λb switch b { 0: 0; _: λ* 0; }; }
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ NumScott
 
 (pred2) = λa switch a { 0: 0; _: λb switch b { 0: 0; _: λc c; }; }
 
-(pred3) = λa switch a { 0: 0; _: λb switch b { 0: 0; _: λc switch c { 0: 0; _: λd (- (+ d 3) 3); }; }; }
+(pred3) = λa switch a { 0: 0; _: λb switch b { 0: 0; _: λc switch c { 0: 0; _: λd d; }; }; }
 
 (zero) = λa switch a { 0: 1; _: λb switch b { 0: 0; _: λ* 0; }; }