diff --git a/src/smt/CMakeLists.txt b/src/smt/CMakeLists.txt
index fb1997fb4..26b099240 100644
--- a/src/smt/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/smt/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ z3_add_component(smt
     old_interval.cpp
     qi_queue.cpp
     smt_almost_cg_table.cpp
+    smt_arith_value.cpp
     smt_case_split_queue.cpp
     smt_cg_table.cpp
     smt_checker.cpp
diff --git a/src/smt/smt_arith_value.cpp b/src/smt/smt_arith_value.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce4c0d9a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/smt/smt_arith_value.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+
+/*++
+Copyright (c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation
+
+Module Name:
+
+    smt_arith_value.cpp
+
+Abstract:
+
+    Utility to extract arithmetic values from context.
+
+Author:
+
+    Nikolaj Bjorner (nbjorner) 2018-12-08.
+
+Revision History:
+
+--*/
+#pragma once;
+
+#include "smt/smt_arith_value.h"
+#include "smt/theory_lra.h"
+#include "smt/theory_arith.h"
+
+namespace smt {
+
+    arith_value::arith_value(context& ctx): 
+        m_ctx(ctx), m(ctx.get_manager()), a(m) {}
+
+    bool arith_value::get_lo(expr* e, rational& lo, bool& is_strict) {
+        if (!m_ctx.e_internalized(e)) return false;
+        family_id afid = a.get_family_id();
+        is_strict = false;
+        enode* next = m_ctx.get_enode(e), *n = next;
+        bool found = false;
+        bool is_strict1; 
+        rational lo1;
+        theory* th = m_ctx.get_theory(afid);
+        theory_mi_arith* tha = dynamic_cast<theory_mi_arith*>(th);
+        theory_i_arith*  thi = dynamic_cast<theory_i_arith*>(th);
+        theory_lra*      thr = dynamic_cast<theory_lra*>(th);
+        do {
+            if ((tha && tha->get_lower(next, lo1, is_strict1)) ||
+                (thi && thi->get_lower(next, lo1, is_strict1)) ||
+                (thr && thr->get_lower(next, lo1, is_strict1))) {
+                if (!found || lo1 > lo || (lo == lo1 && is_strict1)) lo = lo1, is_strict = is_strict1;
+                found = true;
+            }
+            next = next->get_next();
+        }
+        while (n != next);
+        return found;
+    }
+
+    bool arith_value::get_up(expr* e, rational& up, bool& is_strict) {
+        if (!m_ctx.e_internalized(e)) return false;
+        family_id afid = a.get_family_id();
+        is_strict = false;
+        enode* next = m_ctx.get_enode(e), *n = next;
+        bool found = false, is_strict1;
+        rational up1;
+        theory* th = m_ctx.get_theory(afid);
+        theory_mi_arith* tha = dynamic_cast<theory_mi_arith*>(th);
+        theory_i_arith*  thi = dynamic_cast<theory_i_arith*>(th);
+        theory_lra*      thr = dynamic_cast<theory_lra*>(th);
+        do {
+            if ((tha && tha->get_upper(next, up1, is_strict1)) ||
+                (thi && thi->get_upper(next, up1, is_strict1)) ||
+                (thr && thr->get_upper(next, up1, is_strict1))) {
+                if (!found || up1 < up || (up1 == up && is_strict1)) up = up1, is_strict = is_strict1;
+                found = true;
+            }
+            next = next->get_next();
+        }
+        while (n != next);
+        return found;
+    }
+
+    bool arith_value::get_value(expr* e, rational& val) {
+        if (!m_ctx.e_internalized(e)) return false;
+        expr_ref _val(m);
+        enode* next = m_ctx.get_enode(e), *n = next;
+        family_id afid = a.get_family_id();
+        theory* th = m_ctx.get_theory(afid);
+        theory_mi_arith* tha = dynamic_cast<theory_mi_arith*>(th);
+        theory_i_arith* thi = dynamic_cast<theory_i_arith*>(th);
+        theory_lra* thr = dynamic_cast<theory_lra*>(th);           
+        do { 
+            e = next->get_owner();
+            if (tha && tha->get_value(next, _val) && a.is_numeral(_val, val)) return true;
+            if (thi && thi->get_value(next, _val) && a.is_numeral(_val, val)) return true;
+            if (thr && thr->get_value(next, val)) return true;
+            next = next->get_next();
+        }
+        while (next != n);
+        return false;
+    }
+};
diff --git a/src/smt/smt_arith_value.h b/src/smt/smt_arith_value.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9b0f833ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/smt/smt_arith_value.h
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+
+/*++
+Copyright (c) 2018 Microsoft Corporation
+
+Module Name:
+
+    smt_arith_value.h
+
+Abstract:
+
+    Utility to extract arithmetic values from context.
+
+Author:
+
+    Nikolaj Bjorner (nbjorner) 2018-12-08.
+
+Revision History:
+
+--*/
+#pragma once;
+
+#include "ast/arith_decl_plugin.h"
+#include "smt/smt_context.h"
+
+
+namespace smt {
+    class arith_value {
+        context& m_ctx;        
+        ast_manager& m;
+        arith_util a;
+    public:
+        arith_value(context& ctx);
+        bool get_lo(expr* e, rational& lo, bool& strict);
+        bool get_up(expr* e, rational& up, bool& strict);
+        bool get_value(expr* e, rational& value);
+    };
+};
diff --git a/src/smt/theory_seq.cpp b/src/smt/theory_seq.cpp
index b00c1565c..857691b8b 100644
--- a/src/smt/theory_seq.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/theory_seq.cpp
@@ -4588,10 +4588,10 @@ bool theory_seq::lower_bound2(expr* _e, rational& lo) {
     theory_mi_arith* tha = get_th_arith<theory_mi_arith>(ctx, m_autil.get_family_id(), e);
     if (!tha) {
         theory_i_arith* thi = get_th_arith<theory_i_arith>(ctx, m_autil.get_family_id(), e);
-        if (!thi || !thi->get_lower(ctx.get_enode(e), _lo)) return false;
+        if (!thi || !thi->get_lower(ctx.get_enode(e), _lo) || !m_autil.is_numeral(_lo, lo)) return false;
     }
     enode *ee = ctx.get_enode(e);
-    if (!tha->get_lower(ee, _lo) || m_autil.is_numeral(_lo, lo)) {
+    if (tha && (!tha->get_lower(ee, _lo) || m_autil.is_numeral(_lo, lo))) {
         enode *next = ee->get_next();
         bool flag = false;
         while (next != ee) {