diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b3809263edc..0f48cf7c838 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -194,6 +194,15 @@ There are a few differences between Binaryen IR and the WebAssembly language:
      rare cases (we avoid this overhead in the common case where the `br_if`
      value is unused).
 
+ * Strings
+
+   * When the string builtins feature is enabled (`--enable-string-builtins`),
+     string operations are optimized. First, string imports are lifted into
+     stringref operations, before any default optimization passes. Those
+     stringref operations can then be optimized (e.g., a concat of constants
+     turns into a concatenated constant). When we are about to finish running
+     default optimizations, we lower stringref back into string builtins.
+
 As a result, you might notice that round-trip conversions (wasm => Binaryen IR
 => wasm) change code a little in some corner cases.
 
diff --git a/scripts/test/fuzzing.py b/scripts/test/fuzzing.py
index b074106b271..8f84ae3fc00 100644
--- a/scripts/test/fuzzing.py
+++ b/scripts/test/fuzzing.py
@@ -19,10 +19,13 @@
 unfuzzable = [
     # Float16 is still experimental.
     'f16.wast',
-    # TODO: fuzzer and interpreter support for strings
+    # TODO: fuzzer and interpreter support for strings, including limitations
+    #       like the fuzzer not handling (ref extern) imports (there is no way
+    #       to create a replacement value)
     'strings.wast',
     'simplify-locals-strings.wast',
     'string-lowering-instructions.wast',
+    'string-builtins.wast',
     # TODO: fuzzer and interpreter support for extern conversions
     'extern-conversions.wast',
     # ignore DWARF because it is incompatible with multivalue atm
diff --git a/src/pass.h b/src/pass.h
index 0ebd7e6d6bd..5b255e6a6ad 100644
--- a/src/pass.h
+++ b/src/pass.h
@@ -324,18 +324,30 @@ struct PassRunner {
   // warning.
   void addIfNoDWARFIssues(std::string passName);
 
-  // Adds the default set of optimization passes; this is
-  // what -O does.
-  void addDefaultOptimizationPasses();
+  // By default, we do not know if we are running first in the ordering of
+  // optimization passes, or last - we could be anywhere.
+  struct Ordering {
+    bool first;
+    bool last;
+  };
+  static constexpr Ordering UnknownOrdering = {false, false};
+
+  // Adds the default set of optimization passes; this is what -O does.
+  //
+  // The ordering indicates our position relative to other default
+  // optimizations, that is, if ordering.first then we are first.
+  void addDefaultOptimizationPasses(Ordering ordering = UnknownOrdering);
 
   // Adds the default optimization passes that work on
   // individual functions.
-  void addDefaultFunctionOptimizationPasses();
+  void
+  addDefaultFunctionOptimizationPasses(Ordering ordering = UnknownOrdering);
 
   // Adds the default optimization passes that work on
   // entire modules as a whole, and make sense to
   // run before function passes.
-  void addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPrePasses();
+  void
+  addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPrePasses(Ordering ordering = UnknownOrdering);
 
   // Adds the default optimization passes that work on
   // entire modules as a whole, and make sense to
@@ -343,7 +355,8 @@ struct PassRunner {
   // This is run at the very end of the optimization
   // process - you can assume no other opts will be run
   // afterwards.
-  void addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPostPasses();
+  void
+  addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPostPasses(Ordering ordering = UnknownOrdering);
 
   // Run the passes on the module
   void run();
diff --git a/src/passes/pass.cpp b/src/passes/pass.cpp
index 2042bc71d3a..4a8b87f6484 100644
--- a/src/passes/pass.cpp
+++ b/src/passes/pass.cpp
@@ -605,13 +605,13 @@ void PassRunner::addIfNoDWARFIssues(std::string passName) {
   }
 }
 
-void PassRunner::addDefaultOptimizationPasses() {
-  addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPrePasses();
-  addDefaultFunctionOptimizationPasses();
-  addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPostPasses();
+void PassRunner::addDefaultOptimizationPasses(Ordering ordering) {
+  addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPrePasses(ordering);
+  addDefaultFunctionOptimizationPasses(ordering);
+  addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPostPasses(ordering);
 }
 
-void PassRunner::addDefaultFunctionOptimizationPasses() {
+void PassRunner::addDefaultFunctionOptimizationPasses(Ordering ordering) {
   // All the additions here are optional if DWARF must be preserved. That is,
   // when DWARF is relevant we run fewer optimizations.
   // FIXME: support DWARF in all of them.
@@ -723,7 +723,17 @@ void PassRunner::addDefaultFunctionOptimizationPasses() {
   addIfNoDWARFIssues("vacuum"); // just to be safe
 }
 
-void PassRunner::addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPrePasses() {
+void PassRunner::addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPrePasses(Ordering ordering) {
+  // If we are optimizing string builtins then we lift at the very start of the
+  // optimization pipeline, not just at the beginning here, but only when we are
+  // ordered before other bundles of passes.
+  //
+  // We check for GC for symmetry with the lowering pass, see comment in
+  // addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPostPasses() below.
+  if (wasm->features.hasStringBuiltins() && wasm->features.hasGC() &&
+      options.optimizeLevel >= 2 && ordering.first) {
+    addIfNoDWARFIssues("string-lifting");
+  }
   // Removing duplicate functions is fast and saves work later.
   addIfNoDWARFIssues("duplicate-function-elimination");
   // Do a global cleanup before anything heavy, as it is fairly fast and can
@@ -772,7 +782,7 @@ void PassRunner::add(std::string passName, std::optional<std::string> passArg) {
   doAdd(std::move(pass));
 }
 
-void PassRunner::addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPostPasses() {
+void PassRunner::addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPostPasses(Ordering ordering) {
   if (options.optimizeLevel >= 2 || options.shrinkLevel >= 1) {
     addIfNoDWARFIssues("dae-optimizing");
   }
@@ -794,6 +804,20 @@ void PassRunner::addDefaultGlobalOptimizationPostPasses() {
   } else {
     addIfNoDWARFIssues("simplify-globals");
   }
+
+  // Lower away strings at the very very end. We do this before
+  // remove-unused-module-elements so we don't add unused imports, and also
+  // before reorder-globals, which will sort the new globals.
+  //
+  // Note we also test for GC here, as the pass adds imports that use GC arrays
+  // (and externref). Those imports may be unused, but they exist until
+  // remove-unused-module-elements cleans them up, which would cause an error in
+  // between.
+  if (wasm->features.hasStringBuiltins() && wasm->features.hasGC() &&
+      options.optimizeLevel >= 2 && ordering.last) {
+    addIfNoDWARFIssues("string-lowering-magic-imports");
+  }
+
   addIfNoDWARFIssues("remove-unused-module-elements");
   if (options.optimizeLevel >= 2 && wasm->features.hasStrings()) {
     // Gather strings to globals right before reorder-globals, which will then
diff --git a/src/tools/optimization-options.h b/src/tools/optimization-options.h
index 333380d0490..03ccc0fd53e 100644
--- a/src/tools/optimization-options.h
+++ b/src/tools/optimization-options.h
@@ -398,7 +398,19 @@ struct OptimizationOptions : public ToolOptions {
       passRunner.clear();
     };
 
-    for (auto& pass : passes) {
+    // Find the first and last default opt passes, so we can tell them they are
+    // first/last.
+    Index firstDefault = passes.size();
+    Index lastDefault = passes.size();
+    for (Index i = 0; i < passes.size(); i++) {
+      if (passes[i].name == DEFAULT_OPT_PASSES) {
+        firstDefault = std::min(firstDefault, i);
+        lastDefault = i;
+      }
+    }
+
+    for (Index i = 0; i < passes.size(); i++) {
+      auto& pass = passes[i];
       if (pass.name == DEFAULT_OPT_PASSES) {
         // This is something like -O3 or -Oz. We must run this now, in order to
         // set the proper opt and shrink levels. To do that, first reset the
@@ -416,8 +428,13 @@ struct OptimizationOptions : public ToolOptions {
         passRunner.options.optimizeLevel = *pass.optimizeLevel;
         passRunner.options.shrinkLevel = *pass.shrinkLevel;
 
+        // Note the ordering of these default passes.
+        PassRunner::Ordering ordering;
+        ordering.first = (i == firstDefault);
+        ordering.last = (i == lastDefault);
+
         // Run our optimizations now with the custom levels.
-        passRunner.addDefaultOptimizationPasses();
+        passRunner.addDefaultOptimizationPasses(ordering);
         flush();
 
         // Restore the default optimize/shrinkLevels.
diff --git a/src/tools/tool-options.h b/src/tools/tool-options.h
index 3c42b6b1f13..eec2dd30a50 100644
--- a/src/tools/tool-options.h
+++ b/src/tools/tool-options.h
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ struct ToolOptions : public Options {
       .addFeature(FeatureSet::FP16, "float 16 operations")
       .addFeature(FeatureSet::CustomDescriptors,
                   "custom descriptors (RTTs) and exact references")
+      .addFeature(FeatureSet::StringBuiltins,
+                  "string builtins (imported JS strings)")
       .add("--enable-typed-function-references",
            "",
            "Deprecated compatibility flag",
diff --git a/src/wasm-binary.h b/src/wasm-binary.h
index 5ee7452060a..c21590bd278 100644
--- a/src/wasm-binary.h
+++ b/src/wasm-binary.h
@@ -454,6 +454,7 @@ extern const char* FP16Feature;
 extern const char* BulkMemoryOptFeature;
 extern const char* CallIndirectOverlongFeature;
 extern const char* CustomDescriptorsFeature;
+extern const char* StringBuiltinsFeature;
 
 enum Subsection {
   NameModule = 0,
diff --git a/src/wasm-features.h b/src/wasm-features.h
index a7c3ce0c4f5..f928f78445e 100644
--- a/src/wasm-features.h
+++ b/src/wasm-features.h
@@ -55,11 +55,12 @@ struct FeatureSet {
     // it does nothing. Binaryen always accepts LEB call-indirect encodings.
     CallIndirectOverlong = 1 << 20,
     CustomDescriptors = 1 << 21,
+    StringBuiltins = 1 << 22,
     MVP = None,
     // Keep in sync with llvm default features:
     // https://github.com/llvm/llvm-project/blob/c7576cb89d6c95f03968076e902d3adfd1996577/clang/lib/Basic/Targets/WebAssembly.cpp#L150-L153
     Default = SignExt | MutableGlobals,
-    All = (1 << 22) - 1,
+    All = (1 << 23) - 1,
   };
 
   static std::string toString(Feature f) {
@@ -108,6 +109,8 @@ struct FeatureSet {
         return "call-indirect-overlong";
       case CustomDescriptors:
         return "custom-descriptors";
+      case StringBuiltins:
+        return "string-builtins";
       case MVP:
       case Default:
       case All:
@@ -168,6 +171,7 @@ struct FeatureSet {
   bool hasCustomDescriptors() const {
     return (features & CustomDescriptors) != 0;
   }
+  bool hasStringBuiltins() const { return (features & StringBuiltins) != 0; }
   bool hasAll() const { return (features & All) != 0; }
 
   void set(FeatureSet f, bool v = true) {
@@ -194,6 +198,7 @@ struct FeatureSet {
   void setFP16(bool v = true) { set(FP16, v); }
   void setBulkMemoryOpt(bool v = true) { set(BulkMemoryOpt, v); }
   void setCustomDescriptors(bool v = true) { set(CustomDescriptors, v); }
+  void setStringBuiltins(bool v = true) { set(StringBuiltins, v); }
   void setMVP() { features = MVP; }
   void setAll() { features = All; }
 
diff --git a/src/wasm/wasm-binary.cpp b/src/wasm/wasm-binary.cpp
index 4421a4f471c..7f76231ccb9 100644
--- a/src/wasm/wasm-binary.cpp
+++ b/src/wasm/wasm-binary.cpp
@@ -1395,6 +1395,8 @@ void WasmBinaryWriter::writeFeaturesSection() {
         return BinaryConsts::CustomSections::CallIndirectOverlongFeature;
       case FeatureSet::CustomDescriptors:
         return BinaryConsts::CustomSections::CustomDescriptorsFeature;
+      case FeatureSet::StringBuiltins:
+        return BinaryConsts::CustomSections::StringBuiltinsFeature;
       case FeatureSet::None:
       case FeatureSet::Default:
       case FeatureSet::All:
diff --git a/src/wasm/wasm.cpp b/src/wasm/wasm.cpp
index 655a3156382..6a96db33850 100644
--- a/src/wasm/wasm.cpp
+++ b/src/wasm/wasm.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ const char* FP16Feature = "fp16";
 const char* BulkMemoryOptFeature = "bulk-memory-opt";
 const char* CallIndirectOverlongFeature = "call-indirect-overlong";
 const char* CustomDescriptorsFeature = "custom-descriptors";
+const char* StringBuiltinsFeature = "string-builtins";
 
 } // namespace BinaryConsts::CustomSections
 
diff --git a/test/binaryen.js/kitchen-sink.js.txt b/test/binaryen.js/kitchen-sink.js.txt
index 45c7417dcda..b9fdf381739 100644
--- a/test/binaryen.js/kitchen-sink.js.txt
+++ b/test/binaryen.js/kitchen-sink.js.txt
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Features.RelaxedSIMD: 4096
 Features.ExtendedConst: 8192
 Features.Strings: 16384
 Features.MultiMemory: 32768
-Features.All: 4194303
+Features.All: 8388607
 InvalidId: 0
 BlockId: 1
 IfId: 2
diff --git a/test/example/c-api-kitchen-sink.txt b/test/example/c-api-kitchen-sink.txt
index 1b798654d1a..1839597deca 100644
--- a/test/example/c-api-kitchen-sink.txt
+++ b/test/example/c-api-kitchen-sink.txt
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ BinaryenFeatureMemory64: 2048
 BinaryenFeatureRelaxedSIMD: 4096
 BinaryenFeatureExtendedConst: 8192
 BinaryenFeatureStrings: 16384
-BinaryenFeatureAll: 4194303
+BinaryenFeatureAll: 8388607
 (f32.neg
  (f32.const -33.61199951171875)
 )
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-as.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-as.test
index 77ae850e4df..f5d57fc46bb 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-as.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-as.test
@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors         Disable custom descriptors (RTTs) and
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins             Enable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins            Disable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references   Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references  Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-ctor-eval.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-ctor-eval.test
index 9a5fbdcda26..60b1c175598 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-ctor-eval.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-ctor-eval.test
@@ -141,6 +141,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors         Disable custom descriptors (RTTs) and
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins             Enable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins            Disable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references   Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references  Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-dis.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-dis.test
index a10b41a4f3c..b2ca9cfbc15 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-dis.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-dis.test
@@ -127,6 +127,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors         Disable custom descriptors (RTTs) and
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins             Enable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins            Disable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references   Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references  Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-emscripten-finalize.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-emscripten-finalize.test
index 4cb9ef940a0..06f5bc556b2 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-emscripten-finalize.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-emscripten-finalize.test
@@ -169,6 +169,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors         Disable custom descriptors (RTTs) and
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins             Enable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins            Disable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references   Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references  Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-merge.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-merge.test
index a8b95194950..25dbc0723ba 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-merge.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-merge.test
@@ -157,6 +157,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors         Disable custom descriptors (RTTs) and
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins             Enable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins            Disable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references   Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references  Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-metadce.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-metadce.test
index 5870b5c9d45..c4ba77e67a6 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-metadce.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-metadce.test
@@ -787,6 +787,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors                  Disable custom descriptors
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 (RTTs) and exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins                      Enable string builtins (imported
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 JS strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins                     Disable string builtins
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 (imported JS strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references            Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references           Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-opt.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-opt.test
index ac98198d2dd..cdc91c15333 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-opt.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-opt.test
@@ -799,6 +799,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors                  Disable custom descriptors
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 (RTTs) and exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins                      Enable string builtins (imported
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 JS strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins                     Disable string builtins
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 (imported JS strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references            Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references           Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-reduce.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-reduce.test
index 2739394e3ed..739388333c8 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-reduce.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-reduce.test
@@ -217,6 +217,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors         Disable custom descriptors (RTTs) and
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins             Enable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins            Disable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references   Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references  Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm-split.test b/test/lit/help/wasm-split.test
index 095c66047ac..abcc9607482 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm-split.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm-split.test
@@ -266,6 +266,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors         Disable custom descriptors (RTTs) and
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins             Enable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins            Disable string builtins (imported JS
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                        strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references   Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references  Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/help/wasm2js.test b/test/lit/help/wasm2js.test
index ac68667554b..ec69865fa22 100644
--- a/test/lit/help/wasm2js.test
+++ b/test/lit/help/wasm2js.test
@@ -751,6 +751,12 @@
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-custom-descriptors                  Disable custom descriptors
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 (RTTs) and exact references
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-string-builtins                      Enable string builtins (imported
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 JS strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
+;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-string-builtins                     Disable string builtins
+;; CHECK-NEXT:                                                 (imported JS strings)
+;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --enable-typed-function-references            Deprecated compatibility flag
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:
 ;; CHECK-NEXT:   --disable-typed-function-references           Deprecated compatibility flag
diff --git a/test/lit/string-builtins.wast b/test/lit/string-builtins.wast
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..68a82f48d08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/lit/string-builtins.wast
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+;; NOTE: Assertions have been generated by update_lit_checks.py --all-items and should not be edited.
+
+;; Run normal -O2, which should lift, optimize, and lower strings, if the
+;; string builtins feature is enabled. We optimize in the last two here.
+
+;; RUN: foreach %s %t wasm-opt -O2 --enable-reference-types -S -o - | filecheck %s --check-prefix=MVP
+;; RUN: foreach %s %t wasm-opt -O2 -all -S -o - | filecheck %s --check-prefix=ALL
+;; RUN: foreach %s %t wasm-opt -O2 --enable-reference-types --enable-string-builtins -S -o - | filecheck %s --check-prefix=ESB
+
+(module
+  (type $array16 (array (mut i16)))
+
+  ;; MVP:      (type $0 (func (param externref externref) (result (ref extern))))
+
+  ;; MVP:      (type $1 (func (result (ref extern))))
+
+  ;; MVP:      (import "\'" "foo" (global $foo (ref extern)))
+  (import "\'" "foo" (global $foo (ref extern)))
+
+  ;; MVP:      (import "\'" "bar" (global $bar (ref extern)))
+  (import "\'" "bar" (global $bar (ref extern)))
+
+  ;; MVP:      (import "wasm:js-string" "concat" (func $concat (param externref externref) (result (ref extern))))
+  (import "wasm:js-string" "concat" (func $concat (param externref externref) (result (ref extern))))
+
+  ;; MVP:      (export "string.concat" (func $string.concat))
+
+  ;; MVP:      (func $string.concat (result (ref extern))
+  ;; MVP-NEXT:  (call $concat
+  ;; MVP-NEXT:   (global.get $foo)
+  ;; MVP-NEXT:   (global.get $bar)
+  ;; MVP-NEXT:  )
+  ;; MVP-NEXT: )
+  ;; ALL:      (type $0 (func (result (ref extern))))
+
+  ;; ALL:      (import "\'" "foobar" (global $"string.const_\"foobar\"" (ref extern)))
+
+  ;; ALL:      (export "string.concat" (func $string.concat))
+
+  ;; ALL:      (func $string.concat (type $0) (result (ref extern))
+  ;; ALL-NEXT:  (global.get $"string.const_\"foobar\"")
+  ;; ALL-NEXT: )
+  ;; ESB:      (type $0 (func (result (ref extern))))
+
+  ;; ESB:      (import "\'" "foobar" (global $"string.const_\"foobar\"" (ref extern)))
+
+  ;; ESB:      (export "string.concat" (func $string.concat))
+
+  ;; ESB:      (func $string.concat (result (ref extern))
+  ;; ESB-NEXT:  (global.get $"string.const_\"foobar\"")
+  ;; ESB-NEXT: )
+  (func $string.concat (export "string.concat") (result (ref extern))
+    ;; When we optimize, we concatenate "foo" and "bar" here to "foobar". A new
+    ;; imported global will appear for that, and we will get it here.
+    (call $concat
+      (global.get $foo)
+      (global.get $bar)
+    )
+  )
+)
diff --git a/test/passes/strip-target-features_roundtrip_print-features_all-features.txt b/test/passes/strip-target-features_roundtrip_print-features_all-features.txt
index 34976434e9d..2f012471e1e 100644
--- a/test/passes/strip-target-features_roundtrip_print-features_all-features.txt
+++ b/test/passes/strip-target-features_roundtrip_print-features_all-features.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 --enable-bulk-memory-opt
 --enable-call-indirect-overlong
 --enable-custom-descriptors
+--enable-string-builtins
 (module
  (type $0 (func (result v128 externref)))
  (func $foo (type $0) (result v128 externref)
diff --git a/test/reduce/gc.wast.txt b/test/reduce/gc.wast.txt
index 3af5287ce99..e19d3da34ac 100644
--- a/test/reduce/gc.wast.txt
+++ b/test/reduce/gc.wast.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 (module
  (type $0 (struct (field (mut i32)) (field funcref)))
  (type $1 (func (result i32)))
- (global $global$0 (ref null $0) (struct.new_default $0))
+ (global $global$0 (ref (exact $0)) (struct.new_default $0))
  (export "use-global" (func $0))
  (func $0 (result i32)
   (struct.set $0 0
diff --git a/test/unit/test_features.py b/test/unit/test_features.py
index 2647ff84717..aede708dc67 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_features.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_features.py
@@ -453,4 +453,5 @@ def test_emit_all_features(self):
             '--enable-bulk-memory-opt',
             '--enable-call-indirect-overlong',
             '--enable-custom-descriptors',
+            '--enable-string-builtins',
         ], p2.stdout.splitlines())
diff --git a/test/unit/test_passes.py b/test/unit/test_passes.py
index 838f1d2f73f..446ed377ab7 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_passes.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_passes.py
@@ -61,3 +61,18 @@ def test_O3_O1(self):
 
         self.assertNotIn(PASS_IN_O3_ONLY, self.get_passes_run(['-O1']))
         self.assertNotIn(PASS_IN_O3_ONLY, self.get_passes_run(['-O1', '-O1']))
+
+    def test_string_builtins(self):
+        # When we enable string builtins, we lift early and lower late, and
+        # only do each once even if there are multiple -O2 operations.
+        passes = self.get_passes_run(['-O2', '-O2', '-all'])
+        self.assertEqual(passes.count('string-lifting'), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(passes.count('string-lowering'), 1)
+
+        # Other passes appear twice, when -O2 is repeated
+        self.assertEqual(passes.count('directize'), 2)
+
+        # Without the feature, we do not lift or lower.
+        passes = self.get_passes_run(['-O2', '-O2', '-all', '--disable-string-builtins'])
+        self.assertEqual(passes.count('string-lifting'), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(passes.count('string-lowering'), 0)