diff --git a/src/math/lp/lar_solver.h b/src/math/lp/lar_solver.h
index 527ad980f..f431a2604 100644
--- a/src/math/lp/lar_solver.h
+++ b/src/math/lp/lar_solver.h
@@ -265,8 +265,8 @@ class lar_solver : public column_namer {
     void collect_rounded_rows_to_fix();
     void register_normalized_term(const lar_term&, lpvar);
     void deregister_normalized_term(const lar_term&);
-    bool inside_bounds(lpvar, const impq&) const;
 public:
+    bool inside_bounds(lpvar, const impq&) const;
     inline void set_column_value(unsigned j, const impq& v) {
         m_mpq_lar_core_solver.m_r_solver.update_x(j, v);
     }
@@ -306,6 +306,9 @@ public:
     bool column_corresponds_to_term(unsigned) const;
     inline unsigned row_count() const { return A_r().row_count(); }
     bool var_is_registered(var_index vj) const;
+    void clear_inf_set() {
+        m_mpq_lar_core_solver.m_r_solver.inf_set().clear();        
+    }
     inline void remove_column_from_inf_set(unsigned j) {
         m_mpq_lar_core_solver.m_r_solver.remove_column_from_inf_set(j);
     }
@@ -367,7 +370,7 @@ public:
         }
 
         impq ival(val);
-        if (!inside_bounds(j, ival) || blocker(j))
+        if (!blocker(j, ival))
             return false;
 
         impq delta = get_column_value(j) - ival;
@@ -378,7 +381,7 @@ public:
             impq rj_new_val = a * delta + get_column_value(rj);
             // if (column_is_int(rj) && !rj_new_val.is_int())
             //     return false;
-            if (blocker(rj))
+            if (blocker(rj, rj_new_val))
                 return false;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/math/lp/nla_core.cpp b/src/math/lp/nla_core.cpp
index bd882e161..2bb14b841 100644
--- a/src/math/lp/nla_core.cpp
+++ b/src/math/lp/nla_core.cpp
@@ -1288,10 +1288,10 @@ bool core::has_real(const monic& m) const {
     return false;
 }
 
-
-
-bool core::patch_blocker(lpvar u, const monic& m) const {
+bool core::patch_blocker(lpvar u, const monic& m, const lp::impq& ival) const {
     SASSERT(m_to_refine.contains(m.var()));
+    if (m_cautious_patching && !m_lar_solver.inside_bounds(u, ival))
+        return false;
     if (var_breaks_correct_monic(u)) {
         TRACE("nla_solver", tout << "u = " << u << " blocked as used in a correct monomial\n";);
         return true;
@@ -1307,7 +1307,8 @@ bool core::patch_blocker(lpvar u, const monic& m) const {
 
 bool core::try_to_patch(lpvar k, const rational& v, const monic & m) {
     auto call_before_change = [this](lpvar u) { m_changes_of_patch.insert_if_not_there(u, val(u)); };
-    auto blocker = [this, k, m](lpvar u) { return u != k && patch_blocker(u, m); };
+    auto blocker = [this, k, m](lpvar u, const lp::impq& v)
+        { return u != k && patch_blocker(u, m, v); };
     auto change_report = [this](lpvar u) { update_to_refine_of_var(u); };
     return m_lar_solver.try_to_patch(k, v, blocker, call_before_change, change_report);
 }
@@ -1390,6 +1391,7 @@ void core::restore_patched_values() {
 
 void core::patch_monomials() {
     m_changes_of_patch.reset();
+    m_cautious_patching = true;
     auto to_refine = m_to_refine.index();
     // the rest of the function might change m_to_refine, so have to copy
     unsigned sz = to_refine.size();
@@ -1400,19 +1402,37 @@ void core::patch_monomials() {
         if (m_to_refine.size() == 0)
             break;
     }
-    if (m_to_refine.size()) {
-        restore_patched_values();
+    
+    if (m_to_refine.size() == 0 || !m_nla_settings.expensive_patching()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    m_cautious_patching = false; //
+    NOT_IMPLEMENTED_YET(); // have to repeat the patching
+    m_lar_solver.push();
+    constrain_nl_in_tableau();
+    if (solve_tableau() && integrality_holds()) {
+        m_lar_solver.pop(1);
+    } else {
+        m_lar_solver.pop();
+        restore_patched_values();
+        m_lar_solver.clear_inf_set();
     }
-    NOT_IMPLEMENTED_YET();
-    /*
-      If the tableau is not feasible we need to fix all non-linear
-      vars that do not satisfy var_breaks_correct_monic()
-      and find a feasible solution, fix the integral values too.
-     */
-    TRACE("nla_solver", tout << "sz = " << m_to_refine.size() << "\n";);
     SASSERT(m_lar_solver.ax_is_correct());
 }
 
+void core::constrain_nl_in_tableau() {
+    NOT_IMPLEMENTED_YET();
+}
+
+bool core::solve_tableau() {
+    NOT_IMPLEMENTED_YET();
+}
+
+bool core::integrality_holds() {
+    NOT_IMPLEMENTED_YET();
+}
+
+
 lbool core::check(vector<lemma>& l_vec) {
     lp_settings().stats().m_nla_calls++;
     TRACE("nla_solver", tout << "calls = " << lp_settings().stats().m_nla_calls << "\n";);
@@ -1433,7 +1453,7 @@ lbool core::check(vector<lemma>& l_vec) {
 
     set_use_nra_model(false);    
 
-    if (l_vec.empty() && !done() && m_nla_settings.propagate_bounds()) 
+    if (l_vec.empty() && !done()) 
         m_monomial_bounds();
     
     if (l_vec.empty() && !done() && need_run_horner()) 
diff --git a/src/math/lp/nla_core.h b/src/math/lp/nla_core.h
index 430348e89..e15e0ddac 100644
--- a/src/math/lp/nla_core.h
+++ b/src/math/lp/nla_core.h
@@ -175,7 +175,9 @@ public:
     reslimit&                m_reslim;
     bool                     m_use_nra_model;
     nra::solver              m_nra;
-
+private:
+    bool                     m_cautious_patching;
+public:    
     void insert_to_refine(lpvar j);
     void erase_from_to_refine(lpvar j);
     
@@ -472,7 +474,7 @@ public:
     void update_to_refine_of_var(lpvar j);
     bool try_to_patch(lpvar, const rational&, const monic&);
     bool to_refine_is_correct() const;
-    bool patch_blocker(lpvar u, const monic& m) const;
+    bool patch_blocker(lpvar u, const monic& m, const lp::impq&) const;
     bool has_big_num(const monic&) const;
     bool var_is_big(lpvar) const;
     bool has_real(const factorization&) const;
@@ -482,6 +484,9 @@ public:
     void collect_statistics(::statistics&);
 private:
     void restore_patched_values();
+    void constrain_nl_in_tableau();
+    bool solve_tableau();
+    bool integrality_holds();
 };  // end of core
 
 struct pp_mon {
diff --git a/src/math/lp/nla_settings.h b/src/math/lp/nla_settings.h
index 606f69088..4045f4567 100644
--- a/src/math/lp/nla_settings.h
+++ b/src/math/lp/nla_settings.h
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ class nla_settings {
     unsigned m_grobner_quota;
     unsigned m_grobner_frequency;
     bool     m_run_nra;
-    // propagate bounds
-    bool     m_bp;
+    // expensive patching
+    bool     m_expensive_patching;
 public:
     nla_settings() : m_run_order(true),
                      m_run_tangents(true),
@@ -45,10 +45,8 @@ public:
                      m_grobner_quota(0),
                      m_grobner_frequency(4),
                      m_run_nra(false),
-                     m_bp(false)
+                     m_expensive_patching(false)
     {}
-    bool propagate_bounds() const { return m_bp; }
-    bool& propagate_bounds() { return m_bp; }
     unsigned grobner_eqs_growth() const { return m_grobner_eqs_growth;}
     unsigned& grobner_eqs_growth() { return m_grobner_eqs_growth;}
     bool run_order() const { return m_run_order; }
@@ -57,6 +55,9 @@ public:
     bool run_tangents() const { return m_run_tangents; }
     bool& run_tangents() { return m_run_tangents; }    
 
+    bool expensive_patching() const { return m_expensive_patching; }
+    bool& expensive_patching() { return m_expensive_patching; }    
+
     bool run_horner() const { return m_run_horner; }
     bool& run_horner() { return m_run_horner; }    
 
diff --git a/src/smt/params/smt_params_helper.pyg b/src/smt/params/smt_params_helper.pyg
index 6626d2d56..15c271218 100644
--- a/src/smt/params/smt_params_helper.pyg
+++ b/src/smt/params/smt_params_helper.pyg
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def_module_params(module_name='smt',
                           ('arith.nl.branching', BOOL, True, 'branching on integer variables in non linear clusters, relevant only if smt.arith.solver=2'),
                           ('arith.nl.rounds', UINT, 1024, 'threshold for number of (nested) final checks for non linear arithmetic, relevant only if smt.arith.solver=2'),
                           ('arith.nl.order', BOOL, True, 'run order lemmas'),
-                          ('arith.nl.bp', BOOL, True, 'propagate bounds on monomials'),
+                          ('arith.nl.expp', BOOL, False, 'expensive patching'),
                           ('arith.nl.tangents', BOOL, True, 'run tangent lemmas'),
                           ('arith.nl.horner', BOOL, True, 'run horner\'s heuristic'),
                           ('arith.nl.horner_subs_fixed', UINT, 2, '0 - no subs, 1 - substitute, 2 - substitute fixed zeros only'),
diff --git a/src/smt/theory_lra.cpp b/src/smt/theory_lra.cpp
index e9b284017..541e90397 100644
--- a/src/smt/theory_lra.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/theory_lra.cpp
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ class theory_lra::imp {
             m_nla->settings().grobner_number_of_conflicts_to_report() = prms.arith_nl_grobner_cnfl_to_report();
             m_nla->settings().grobner_quota() =               prms.arith_nl_gr_q();
             m_nla->settings().grobner_frequency() =           prms.arith_nl_grobner_frequency();
-            m_nla->settings().propagate_bounds()  =           prms.arith_nl_bp();
+            m_nla->settings().expensive_patching()  =         prms.arith_nl_expp();
         }
     }