diff --git a/src/check.cpp b/src/check.cpp
index 4efbe2a2..5bfb3b4b 100644
--- a/src/check.cpp
+++ b/src/check.cpp
@@ -761,8 +761,8 @@ void NamedAttr::check(TypeChecker& checker, const ast::Node* node) {
                 auto fn_type = fn_decl->type->isa<artic::FnType>();
                 if (!fn_type)
                     checker.error(fn_decl->loc, "polymorphic functions cannot be exported");
-                else if (fn_decl->type->order() > 1)
-                    checker.error(fn_decl->loc, "higher-order functions cannot be exported");
+                //else if (fn_decl->type->order() > 1)
+                //    checker.error(fn_decl->loc, "higher-order functions cannot be exported");
                 else if (!fn_decl->fn->body)
                     checker.error(fn_decl->loc, "exported functions must have a body");
                 else
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 57fcc34e..bf317d2d 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -83,6 +83,25 @@ add_test(NAME simple_compare     COMMAND artic --print-ast ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURC
 add_test(NAME simple_double_ptr  COMMAND artic --print-ast ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/simple/double_ptr.art)
 add_test(NAME simple_math        COMMAND artic --print-ast ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/simple/math.art)
 
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_no_op             COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_no_op.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_empty_env         COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_empty_env.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_thin_env          COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_thin_env.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_allocated_env     COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_allocated_env.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_capture1          COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_capture1.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_capture2          COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_capture2.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_capture_bb        COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_capture_bb.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_capture_top_level COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_capture_top_level.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_rec               COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_rec.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_closure_conv_rec2              COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/closure_conv_rec2.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_range_loop1                    COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/range_loop1.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_range_loop2                    COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/range_loop2.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_range_loop3                    COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-c ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/range_loop3.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_parallel_basic                 COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-llvm ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/parallel_basic.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_parallel_functions1            COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-llvm ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/parallel_functions1.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_parallel_functions2            COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-llvm ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/parallel_functions2.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_parallel_functions3            COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-llvm ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/parallel_functions3.art)
+add_test(NAME thorin_busted_scheduler               COMMAND artic --print-ast -g --emit-llvm ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/thorin/busted_scheduler.art)
+
 add_failure_test(NAME failure_annot          COMMAND artic ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/failure/annot.art)
 add_failure_test(NAME failure_comment        COMMAND artic ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/failure/comment.art)
 add_failure_test(NAME failure_utf8           COMMAND artic ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/failure/utf8.art)
diff --git a/test/codegen/helpers.c b/test/codegen/helpers.c
index 4c009870..091f089b 100644
--- a/test/codegen/helpers.c
+++ b/test/codegen/helpers.c
@@ -75,3 +75,7 @@ void save_img(int32_t w, int32_t h, const double* img) {
     }
     free(out_row);
 }
+
+void* anydsl_alloc(int32_t dont_care, int64_t size) {
+    return malloc(size);
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/CMakeLists.txt b/test/thorin/CMakeLists.txt
index cca78ece..533e8e62 100644
--- a/test/thorin/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/thorin/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ macro(assign_me_bool var)
     endif()
 endmacro()
 
-function(add_thorin_test)
+function(add_backend_test)
     cmake_parse_arguments(test "NO_C;NO_LLVM;NO_SPIRV" "NAME;SOURCE_FILE" "ARGS" ${ARGN})
     assign_me_bool(TEST_USE_C NOT ${test_NO_C})
     assign_me_bool(HAS_LLVM ${Thorin_HAS_LLVM_SUPPORT})
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ function(add_thorin_test)
     assign_me_bool(HAS_SPIRV ${Thorin_HAS_SPIRV_SUPPORT})
     assign_me_bool(TEST_USE_SPIRV ${HAS_SPIRV} AND NOT ${test_NO_SPIRV})
 
-    add_test(NAME thorin_${test_NAME} COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
+    add_test(NAME backend_${test_NAME} COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
             -DCOMPILER=$<TARGET_FILE:artic>
             -DC_COMPILER=${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}
             -DT=${test_NAME}
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ function(add_thorin_test)
     -P ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/thorin/oracle.cmake)
 endfunction()
 
-add_thorin_test(NAME hello_world SOURCE_FILE hello_world)
-add_thorin_test(NAME llvm_intrinsic SOURCE_FILE llvm_intrinsic NO_C NO_SPIRV)
-add_thorin_test(NAME spirv_builtin SOURCE_FILE spirv_builtin NO_C NO_LLVM)
-add_thorin_test(NAME control_flow SOURCE_FILE control_flow)
-add_thorin_test(NAME slot SOURCE_FILE slot)
+add_backend_test(NAME hello_world SOURCE_FILE hello_world)
+add_backend_test(NAME llvm_intrinsic SOURCE_FILE llvm_intrinsic NO_C NO_SPIRV)
+add_backend_test(NAME spirv_builtin SOURCE_FILE spirv_builtin NO_C NO_LLVM)
+add_backend_test(NAME control_flow SOURCE_FILE control_flow)
+add_backend_test(NAME slot SOURCE_FILE slot)
diff --git a/test/thorin/busted_scheduler.art b/test/thorin/busted_scheduler.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..713b6b5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/busted_scheduler.art
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn bar() -> i32;
+
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> i32) -> ();
+
+// this breaks the scheduler on 802e2eafbbe6cd79d4bca47c9553f315bc4568ea
+// (with the inlining pass disabled)
+// the old early() scheduler was not able to properly cope with recursive aggregates (the closures of f and g)
+// and would end up scheduling one of them before `y` is computed.
+#[export]
+fn foo(z: i32) {
+    let y = bar();
+
+    fn f(x: i32) -> i32 {
+        g(x + y)
+    }
+
+    fn g(x: i32) -> i32 {
+        f(x + z)
+    }
+
+    leak(f);
+    leak(g);
+    0
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_allocated_env.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_allocated_env.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5103ac14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_allocated_env.art
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> (i32, i32)) -> ();
+
+// this time the environment is too big to fit in a pointer and must be allocated/extracted from
+#[export]
+fn foo(x: i32, z: i32) -> i32 {
+  fn f(y: i32) { (x + y, z) }
+
+  leak(f);
+
+  return (0)
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture1.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture1.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e85006af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture1.art
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak2(i32, fn(i32) -> !) -> ();
+
+// we capture the return continuation of foo here
+#[export]
+fn foo() -> i32 {
+  leak2(5, return);
+  0
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture2.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture2.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..89549bad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture2.art
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak2(i32, fn() -> !) -> ();
+
+// similar to the last one but now we capture a 'break' continuation
+#[export]
+fn foo() -> i32 {
+  while true {
+    leak2(5, break);
+  }
+  // this basic block is unreachable from the CFG
+  // but should still be emitted as part of this foo's scope
+  0
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture3.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture3.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5affbdd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture3.art
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn out(i32) -> ();
+
+fn bar(a: i32, b: fn() -> ()) -> () {
+  out(a);
+  b()
+}
+
+// we capture the return continuation of foo here
+#[export]
+fn foo(x: i32, y: &i32) -> i32 {
+  while true {
+    //bar(5, continue);
+    bar(5, break);
+    bar(5, break);
+  }
+  x + *y
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture_bb.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture_bb.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..95fa28b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture_bb.art
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> !) -> ();
+
+#[export]
+fn foo(x: i32) -> i32 {
+  let r = return;
+
+  // 'f' is a basic block within 'foo'
+  fn f(y: i32) -> ! {
+    if (x + y > 0) {
+      r(0)
+    } else {
+      r(y)
+    }
+  }
+
+  leak(f);
+
+  return (0)
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture_top_level.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture_top_level.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f26709e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_capture_top_level.art
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> i32) -> ();
+
+#[export]
+fn foo(x: i32) -> i32 {
+  fn f(y: i32) { 0 }
+
+  leak(f);
+
+  return (0)
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_empty_env.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_empty_env.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3c446b5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_empty_env.art
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> i32) -> ();
+
+#[export]
+fn foo(x: i32) -> i32 {
+  fn f(y: i32) { x }
+
+  leak(f);
+
+  return (0)
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_no_op.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_no_op.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f847b3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_no_op.art
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+// no actual closure conversion takes place, but the type of 'f' should be affected
+#[export]
+fn foo(f: fn(i32) -> i32) -> i32 {
+  f(42)
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_rec.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_rec.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68e35703
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_rec.art
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> i32) -> ();
+
+// we have two nested closures that can call each other
+// this requires the closure for g to consume f's "self" parameter
+// otherwise closure conversion just diverges
+#[export]
+fn foo(i: i32) -> i32 {
+  fn f(x: i32) -> i32 {
+     fn g(y: i32) -> i32 {
+       f(x + y + i)
+     }
+
+     leak(g);
+     g(x)
+  }
+
+  leak(f);
+
+  0
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_rec2.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_rec2.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bd548f2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_rec2.art
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> i32) -> ();
+
+// we have two closures who can call each other, neither is nested in the other.
+// this results in two mutually recursive closures: their environments include the other.
+// this is unequivocally painful to deal with.
+#[export]
+fn foo(i: i32) -> i32 {
+  fn f(x: i32) -> i32 {
+    g(x * i)
+  }
+
+  fn g(y: i32) -> i32 {
+    f(y + i)
+  }
+
+  leak(f);
+  leak(g);
+
+  0
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/closure_conv_thin_env.art b/test/thorin/closure_conv_thin_env.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..979594a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/closure_conv_thin_env.art
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> i32) -> ();
+
+#[export]
+fn foo(x: i32) -> i32 {
+  fn f(y: i32) { x + y }
+
+  leak(f);
+
+  return (0)
+}
diff --git a/test/thorin/parallel_basic.art b/test/thorin/parallel_basic.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9a340d21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/parallel_basic.art
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#[import(cc = "thorin", name = "parallel")] fn thorin_parallel(_num_threads: i32, _lower: i32, _upper: i32, _body: fn(i32) -> ()) -> ();
+fn @parallel(body: fn(i32) -> ()) = @|num_threads: i32, lower: i32, upper: i32| thorin_parallel(num_threads, lower, upper, body);
+
+#[export]
+fn parallel_test(n: i32, a: &[i32], b: &[i32], c: &mut[i32]) -> i32 {
+    for i in parallel(4, 0, n) {
+        c(i) = a(i) + b(i);
+    }
+    0
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/parallel_functions1.art b/test/thorin/parallel_functions1.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c573728
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/parallel_functions1.art
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#[import(cc = "thorin", name = "parallel")] fn thorin_parallel(_num_threads: i32, _lower: i32, _upper: i32, _body: fn(i32) -> ()) -> ();
+fn @parallel(body: fn(i32) -> ()) = @|num_threads: i32, lower: i32, upper: i32| thorin_parallel(num_threads, lower, upper, body);
+
+fn mul(x: i32, y: i32) = x * y;
+
+#[export]
+fn parallel_test(n: i32, a: &[i32], b: &[i32], c: &mut[i32]) -> i32 {
+    for i in parallel(4, 0, n) {
+        c(i) = mul(a(i), a(i)) + mul(b(i), b(i));
+    }
+    0
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/parallel_functions2.art b/test/thorin/parallel_functions2.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bd72cc1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/parallel_functions2.art
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#[import(cc = "thorin", name = "parallel")] fn thorin_parallel(_num_threads: i32, _lower: i32, _upper: i32, _body: fn(i32) -> ()) -> ();
+fn @parallel(body: fn(i32) -> ()) = @|num_threads: i32, lower: i32, upper: i32| thorin_parallel(num_threads, lower, upper, body);
+
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn leak(fn(i32) -> i32) -> ();
+
+#[export]
+fn parallel_test(n: i32, a: &[i32], b: &[i32], c: &mut[i32]) -> i32 {
+    fn f(x: i32) = x * n;
+
+    for i in parallel(4, 0, n) {
+        // this requires lifting the local continuation 'f'
+        leak(f);
+        c(i) = f(a(i)) + f(b(i));
+    }
+    0
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/parallel_functions3.art b/test/thorin/parallel_functions3.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..56dbc522
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/parallel_functions3.art
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#[import(cc = "thorin", name = "parallel")] fn thorin_parallel(_num_threads: i32, _lower: i32, _upper: i32, _body: fn(i32) -> ()) -> ();
+fn @parallel(body: fn(i32) -> ()) = @|num_threads: i32, lower: i32, upper: i32| thorin_parallel(num_threads, lower, upper, body);
+
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn magic() -> fn(i32) -> i32;
+
+#[export]
+fn parallel_test(n: i32, a: &[i32], b: &[i32], c: &mut[i32]) -> i32 {
+    // this produces a function pointer, it should be spillable without CC
+    let f = magic();
+
+    for i in parallel(4, 0, n) {
+        c(i) = f(a(i)) + f(b(i));
+    }
+    0
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/parallel_test.c b/test/thorin/parallel_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..64eee651
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/parallel_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <assert.h>
+
+void parallel_test(int, int*, int*, int*);
+
+int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+    int n = 4096 * 1024; // 4M elements
+    int* a = malloc(sizeof(int) * n);
+    int* b = malloc(sizeof(int) * n);
+    int* c = malloc(sizeof(int) * n);
+    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+        a[i] = i % 100;
+        b[i] = 100 - i % 100;
+    }
+    parallel_test(n, a, b, c);
+    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+        assert(c[i] == 100);
+    }
+    printf("It werks.\n");
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/range_loop1.art b/test/thorin/range_loop1.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dc1608c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/range_loop1.art
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+fn @range(body: fn (i32) -> ()) {
+    fn loop(a: i32, b: i32) -> () {
+        if a < b {
+            body(a);
+            loop(a + 1, b)
+        }
+    }
+    loop
+}
+
+#[export]
+fn foo(count: i32, buf: &mut[i32]) -> i32 {
+    let mut acc = 0;
+    fn inner(i: i32) {
+        acc += buf(i);
+    }
+    range(inner)(0, count);
+    acc
+}
+
diff --git a/test/thorin/range_loop2.art b/test/thorin/range_loop2.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..abd0d277
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/range_loop2.art
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+fn @range(body: fn (i32) -> ()) {
+    fn loop(a: i32, b: i32) -> () {
+        if a < b {
+            body(a);
+            loop(a + 1, b)
+        }
+    }
+    loop
+}
+
+#[export]
+fn foo(count: i32, buf: &mut[i32]) -> i32 {
+    let mut acc = 0;
+    fn inner(i: i32) {
+        acc += buf(i);
+    }
+    range(inner)(0, count);
+    range(inner)(0, count); // we now use 'inner' in two places so it cannot be inlined!
+    acc
+}
+
diff --git a/test/thorin/range_loop3.art b/test/thorin/range_loop3.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f14299cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/range_loop3.art
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+fn @range(body: fn (i32) -> ()) {
+    fn loop(a: i32, b: i32) -> () {
+        if a < b {
+            body(a);
+            loop(a + 1, b)
+        }
+    }
+    loop
+}
+
+#[export]
+fn foo(count: i32, buf: &mut[i32]) -> i32 {
+    let mut acc = 0;
+    fn @inner(i: i32) { // we have marked 'inner' for PE, and after inlining 'range', we are left with first-order calls to inner, which get PE'd
+        acc += buf(i);
+    }
+    range(inner)(0, count);
+    range(inner)(0, count);
+    acc
+}
+
diff --git a/test/thorin/tail_rec_elimination.art b/test/thorin/tail_rec_elimination.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a27f14cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/tail_rec_elimination.art
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#[export]
+fn pow(x: i32, y: i32) -> i32 {
+    return (pow_tailrec(x, y, 1))
+}
+
+#[export]
+fn pow_tailrec(x: i32, n: i32, acc: i32) -> i32 {
+    if n > 1 {
+        pow_tailrec(x, n - 1, acc * x)
+    } else {
+        acc
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/thorin/test.art b/test/thorin/test.art
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8dd77dac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/thorin/test.art
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn puts(&[u8]) -> i32;
+
+#[import(cc="C", name="printf")]
+fn printfd(&[u8], i32) -> ();
+
+#[export]
+fn leak(f: fn(i32) -> i32) -> () {
+    printfd("fn(7) = %d\n", f(7));
+}
+
+#[import(cc="C")]
+fn foo(x: i32) -> i32;
+
+#[export]
+fn main(f: fn(i32) -> i32) -> () {
+    foo(4);
+}