diff --git a/src/ast/seq_decl_plugin.cpp b/src/ast/seq_decl_plugin.cpp
index 3040ee899..d359f010c 100644
--- a/src/ast/seq_decl_plugin.cpp
+++ b/src/ast/seq_decl_plugin.cpp
@@ -1449,3 +1449,17 @@ bool seq_util::re::is_loop(expr const* n, expr*& body, expr*& lo) const {
     }
     return false;
 }
+
+/**
+   Returns true iff e is the epsilon regex.
+ */
+bool seq_util::re::is_epsilon(expr* r) const {
+    expr* s;
+    return is_to_re(r, s) && u.str.is_empty(s);
+}
+/**
+   Makes the epsilon regex for a given sequence sort.
+ */
+app* seq_util::re::mk_epsilon(sort* seq_sort) {
+    return mk_to_re(u.str.mk_empty(seq_sort));
+}
diff --git a/src/ast/seq_decl_plugin.h b/src/ast/seq_decl_plugin.h
index 6edfc2007..78286fac0 100644
--- a/src/ast/seq_decl_plugin.h
+++ b/src/ast/seq_decl_plugin.h
@@ -474,6 +474,8 @@ public:
         bool is_loop(expr const* n, expr*& body, expr*& lo) const;
         unsigned min_length(expr* r) const;
         unsigned max_length(expr* r) const;
+        bool is_epsilon(expr* r) const;
+        app* mk_epsilon(sort* seq_sort);
     };
     str str;
     re  re;
diff --git a/src/smt/seq_regex.cpp b/src/smt/seq_regex.cpp
index af5617745..f24b744bd 100644
--- a/src/smt/seq_regex.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/seq_regex.cpp
@@ -109,11 +109,37 @@ namespace smt {
             return;
         }
 
-        if (coallesce_in_re(lit))
-            return;
+        // Convert a non-ground sequence into an additional regex and
+        // strengthen the original regex constraint into an intersection
+        // for example:
+        //     (x ++ "a" ++ y) in b*
+        // is coverted to
+        //     (x ++ "a" ++ y) in intersect((.* ++ "a" ++ .*), b*)
+        if (!m.is_value(s)) {
+            expr_ref s_approx = get_overapprox_regex(s);
+            if (!re().is_full_seq(s_approx)) {
+                r = re().mk_inter(r, s_approx);
+                TRACE("seq_regex", tout
+                    << "get_overapprox_regex(" << mk_pp(s, m)
+                    << ") = " << mk_pp(s_approx, m) << std::endl;);
+                STRACE("seq_regex_brief", tout
+                    << "overapprox=" << state_str(r) << " ";);
+            }
+        }
 
-        if (is_string_equality(lit))
+        if (coallesce_in_re(lit)) {
+            TRACE("seq_regex", tout
+                << "simplified conjunctions to an intersection" << std::endl;);
+            STRACE("seq_regex_brief", tout << "coallesce_in_re ";);
             return;
+        }
+
+        if (is_string_equality(lit)) {
+            TRACE("seq_regex", tout
+                << "simplified regex using string equality" << std::endl;);
+            STRACE("seq_regex_brief", tout << "string_eq ";);
+            return;
+        }
 
         expr_ref zero(a().mk_int(0), m);
         expr_ref acc = sk().mk_accept(s, zero, r);
@@ -124,6 +150,56 @@ namespace smt {
         th.propagate_lit(nullptr, 1, &lit, acc_lit);
     }
 
+    /**
+    * Gets an overapproximating regex s_approx for the input string expression s.
+    * such that for any valuation v(s) of s, v(s) in L(s_approx).
+    * If the overapproximation is trivial then dotstar is returned.
+    */
+    expr_ref seq_regex::get_overapprox_regex(expr* s) {
+        expr_ref s_to_re(re().mk_to_re(s), m);
+        expr_ref epsilon(re().mk_epsilon(m.get_sort(s)), m);
+        expr_ref dotstar(re().mk_full_seq(m.get_sort(s_to_re)), m);
+        if (m.is_value(s)) {
+            return s_to_re;
+        }
+        else {
+            expr_ref_vector es(m);
+            expr_ref s_approx(m);
+            if (str().is_concat(s)) {
+                str().get_concat(s, es);
+                //here it is known that es is nonempty or else s would be a value
+                expr_ref e_approx(m), last(m);
+                for (expr* e : es) {
+                    e_approx = get_overapprox_regex(e);
+                    if (!s_approx)
+                        s_approx = e_approx;
+                    else if (last != dotstar || e_approx != dotstar)
+                        s_approx = re().mk_concat(e_approx, s_approx);
+                        last = e_approx;
+                }
+                return s_approx;
+            }
+            else if (m.is_ite(s)) {
+                s_approx = get_overapprox_regex(to_app(s)->get_arg(1));
+                //if either branch approximates to .* then the result is also .*
+                if (!re().is_full_seq(s_approx)) {
+                    expr_ref r2 = get_overapprox_regex(to_app(s)->get_arg(2));
+                    if (re().is_full_seq(r2)) {
+                        s_approx = r2;
+                    }
+                    else if (s_approx != r2) {
+                        s_approx = re().mk_union(s_approx, r2);
+                    }
+                }
+                return s_approx;
+            }
+            else {
+                // TBD: other app expressions that can be approximated
+                return dotstar;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Propagate the atom (accept s i r)
      *
diff --git a/src/smt/seq_regex.h b/src/smt/seq_regex.h
index 7d4cfb651..1f49d7003 100644
--- a/src/smt/seq_regex.h
+++ b/src/smt/seq_regex.h
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ namespace smt {
 
         bool is_string_equality(literal lit);
 
+        // Get a regex which overapproximates a given string
+        expr_ref get_overapprox_regex(expr* s);
+
         void rewrite(expr_ref& e);
 
         bool coallesce_in_re(literal lit);