diff --git a/src/Juvix/Analysis/TypeChecking/Inference.hs b/src/Juvix/Analysis/TypeChecking/Inference.hs
index 4c83170180..2198fecb60 100644
--- a/src/Juvix/Analysis/TypeChecking/Inference.hs
+++ b/src/Juvix/Analysis/TypeChecking/Inference.hs
@@ -326,20 +326,14 @@ addIdens idens = modify (HashMap.union idens)
 -- | Assumes the given function has been type checked
 -- | NOTE: Registers the function *only* if the result type is Type
 functionDefEval :: forall r'. Member (Reader FunctionsTable) r' => FunctionDef -> Sem r' (Maybe Expression)
-functionDefEval funDef = do
-  x <- runError (goTop funDef)
-  case x of
-    Left () -> return Nothing
-    Right r -> return (Just r)
+functionDefEval = runFail . goTop
   where
-    goTop :: forall r. (Members '[Error (), Reader FunctionsTable] r) => FunctionDef -> Sem r Expression
+    goTop :: forall r. (Members '[Fail, Reader FunctionsTable] r) => FunctionDef -> Sem r Expression
     goTop f =
       case f ^. funDefClauses of
         c :| [] -> goClause c
-        _ -> nothing
+        _ -> fail
       where
-        nothing :: Sem r a
-        nothing = throw ()
         goClause :: FunctionClause -> Sem r Expression
         goClause c = do
           let pats = c ^. clausePatterns
@@ -350,8 +344,8 @@ functionDefEval funDef = do
             splitNExplicitParams :: Int -> Expression -> Sem r ([Expression], Expression)
             splitNExplicitParams n fun = do
               let (params, r) = unfoldFunType fun
-              unlessM (isUniverse r) nothing
-              (nfirst, rest) <- note () (splitAtExactMay n params)
+              unlessM (isUniverse r) fail
+              (nfirst, rest) <- failMaybe (splitAtExactMay n params)
               sparams <- mapM simpleExplicitParam nfirst
               let r' = foldFunType rest r
               return (sparams, r')
@@ -364,16 +358,16 @@ functionDefEval funDef = do
             simpleExplicitParam :: FunctionParameter -> Sem r Expression
             simpleExplicitParam = \case
               FunctionParameter Nothing Explicit ty -> return ty
-              _ -> nothing
+              _ -> fail
             goPattern :: (Pattern, Expression) -> Expression -> Sem r Expression
             goPattern (p, ty) = case p of
               PatternVariable v -> return . ExpressionLambda . Lambda v ty
-              _ -> const nothing
+              _ -> const fail
             go :: [(PatternArg, Expression)] -> Sem r Expression
             go = \case
               [] -> return (c ^. clauseBody)
               ((p, ty) : ps)
-                | Implicit <- p ^. patternArgIsImplicit -> nothing
+                | Implicit <- p ^. patternArgIsImplicit -> fail
                 | otherwise -> go ps >>= goPattern (p ^. patternArgPattern, ty)
 
 registerFunctionDef :: Member (State FunctionsTable) r => FunctionDef -> Sem r ()
diff --git a/src/Juvix/Prelude.hs b/src/Juvix/Prelude.hs
index 827bba4e56..1adcbefb6f 100644
--- a/src/Juvix/Prelude.hs
+++ b/src/Juvix/Prelude.hs
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@ module Juvix.Prelude
     module Juvix.Prelude.Lens,
     module Juvix.Prelude.Loc,
     module Juvix.Prelude.Trace,
+    module Juvix.Prelude.Effect.Fail,
   )
 where
 
 import Juvix.Prelude.Base
+import Juvix.Prelude.Effect.Fail
 import Juvix.Prelude.Error
 import Juvix.Prelude.Files
 import Juvix.Prelude.Lens
diff --git a/src/Juvix/Prelude/Base.hs b/src/Juvix/Prelude/Base.hs
index 2b6a58180e..cfbb4f46c7 100644
--- a/src/Juvix/Prelude/Base.hs
+++ b/src/Juvix/Prelude/Base.hs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ module Juvix.Prelude.Base
 where
 
 import Control.Applicative
-import Control.Monad.Extra
+import Control.Monad.Extra hiding (fail)
 import Control.Monad.Fix
 import Data.Bifunctor hiding (first, second)
 import Data.Bitraversable
diff --git a/src/Juvix/Prelude/Effect/Fail.hs b/src/Juvix/Prelude/Effect/Fail.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7343b950bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Juvix/Prelude/Effect/Fail.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+-- | An effect similar to Polysemy Fail but wihout an error message
+module Juvix.Prelude.Effect.Fail where
+
+import Juvix.Prelude.Base
+
+data Fail m a = Fail
+
+makeSem ''Fail
+
+-- | Run a 'Fail' effect purely.
+runFail ::
+  Sem (Fail ': r) a ->
+  Sem r (Maybe a)
+runFail = fmap (^? _Right) . runError @() . reinterpret (\Fail -> throw ())
+{-# INLINE runFail #-}
+
+failMaybe :: Member Fail r => Maybe a -> Sem r a
+failMaybe = \case
+  Nothing -> fail
+  Just x -> return x
diff --git a/test/Base.hs b/test/Base.hs
index c70c10279c..639776fe91 100644
--- a/test/Base.hs
+++ b/test/Base.hs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ module Base
   )
 where
 
+import Control.Monad.Extra as Monad
 import Data.Algorithm.Diff
 import Data.Algorithm.DiffOutput
 import Juvix.Prelude
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ assertEqDiff msg a b
   | otherwise = do
       putStrLn (pack $ ppDiff (getGroupedDiff pa pb))
       putStrLn "End diff"
-      fail msg
+      Monad.fail msg
   where
     pa = lines $ ppShow a
     pb = lines $ ppShow b