diff --git a/kmir/src/kmir/__main__.py b/kmir/src/kmir/__main__.py
index bcc3adbae..846cf91ef 100644
--- a/kmir/src/kmir/__main__.py
+++ b/kmir/src/kmir/__main__.py
@@ -263,6 +263,12 @@ def _arg_parser() -> ArgumentParser:
     prove_args.add_argument(
         '--break-on-thunk', dest='break_on_thunk', action='store_true', help='Break on thunk evaluation'
     )
+    prove_args.add_argument(
+        '--terminate-on-thunk',
+        dest='terminate_on_thunk',
+        action='store_true',
+        help='Terminate proof when reaching a thunk',
+    )
     prove_args.add_argument(
         '--break-every-statement',
         dest='break_every_statement',
@@ -507,6 +513,7 @@ def _parse_args(ns: Namespace) -> KMirOpts:
                 break_on_terminator_unreachable=ns.break_on_terminator_unreachable,
                 break_every_terminator=ns.break_every_terminator,
                 break_every_step=ns.break_every_step,
+                terminate_on_thunk=ns.terminate_on_thunk,
             )
         case 'link':
             return LinkOpts(
diff --git a/kmir/src/kmir/kmir.py b/kmir/src/kmir/kmir.py
index 747bc770e..c5d629c62 100644
--- a/kmir/src/kmir/kmir.py
+++ b/kmir/src/kmir/kmir.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 from pyk.cli.utils import bug_report_arg
 from pyk.cterm import CTerm, cterm_symbolic
-from pyk.kast.inner import KApply, KSequence, KSort, KToken, KVariable, Subst
+from pyk.kast.inner import KApply, KLabel, KSequence, KSort, KToken, KVariable, Subst
 from pyk.kast.manip import abstract_term_safely, split_config_from
 from pyk.kcfg import KCFG
 from pyk.kcfg.explore import KCFGExplore
@@ -128,13 +128,14 @@ def from_kompiled_kore(
 
     class Symbols:
         END_PROGRAM: Final = KApply('#EndProgram_KMIR-CONTROL-FLOW_KItem')
+        THUNK: Final = KLabel('thunk(_)_RT-DATA_Value_Evaluation')
 
     @cached_property
     def parser(self) -> Parser:
         return Parser(self.definition)
 
     @contextmanager
-    def kcfg_explore(self, label: str | None = None) -> Iterator[KCFGExplore]:
+    def kcfg_explore(self, label: str | None = None, terminate_on_thunk: bool = False) -> Iterator[KCFGExplore]:
         with cterm_symbolic(
             self.definition,
             self.definition_dir,
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ def kcfg_explore(self, label: str | None = None) -> Iterator[KCFGExplore]:
             id=label if self.bug_report is not None else None,  # NB bug report arg.s must be coherent
             simplify_each=30,
         ) as cts:
-            yield KCFGExplore(cts, kcfg_semantics=KMIRSemantics())
+            yield KCFGExplore(cts, kcfg_semantics=KMIRSemantics(terminate_on_thunk=terminate_on_thunk))
 
     def run_smir(
         self,
@@ -247,7 +248,7 @@ def prove_rs(opts: ProveRSOpts) -> APRProof:
                 break_on_calls=opts.break_on_calls,
                 break_on_function_calls=opts.break_on_function_calls,
                 break_on_intrinsic_calls=opts.break_on_intrinsic_calls,
-                break_on_thunk=opts.break_on_thunk,
+                break_on_thunk=opts.break_on_thunk or opts.terminate_on_thunk,  # must break for terminal rule
                 break_every_statement=opts.break_every_statement,
                 break_on_terminator_goto=opts.break_on_terminator_goto,
                 break_on_terminator_switch_int=opts.break_on_terminator_switch_int,
@@ -260,15 +261,26 @@ def prove_rs(opts: ProveRSOpts) -> APRProof:
                 break_every_step=opts.break_every_step,
             )
 
-            with kmir.kcfg_explore(label) as kcfg_explore:
+            with kmir.kcfg_explore(label, terminate_on_thunk=opts.terminate_on_thunk) as kcfg_explore:
                 prover = APRProver(kcfg_explore, execute_depth=opts.max_depth, cut_point_rules=cut_point_rules)
                 prover.advance_proof(apr_proof, max_iterations=opts.max_iterations)
                 return apr_proof
 
 
 class KMIRSemantics(DefaultSemantics):
+    terminate_on_thunk: bool
+
+    def __init__(self, terminate_on_thunk: bool = False) -> None:
+        self.terminate_on_thunk = terminate_on_thunk
+
     def is_terminal(self, cterm: CTerm) -> bool:
         k_cell = cterm.cell('K_CELL')
+
+        if self.terminate_on_thunk:  # terminate on `thunk ( ... )` rule
+            match k_cell:
+                case KApply(label, _) | KSequence((KApply(label, _), *_)) if label == KMIR.Symbols.THUNK:
+                    return True
+
         # <k> #EndProgram </k>
         if k_cell == KMIR.Symbols.END_PROGRAM:
             return True
diff --git a/kmir/src/kmir/options.py b/kmir/src/kmir/options.py
index cda622524..ff6371fdd 100644
--- a/kmir/src/kmir/options.py
+++ b/kmir/src/kmir/options.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ class ProveOpts(KMirOpts):
     break_on_terminator_unreachable: bool
     break_every_terminator: bool
     break_every_step: bool
+    terminate_on_thunk: bool
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ def __init__(
         break_on_terminator_unreachable: bool = False,
         break_every_terminator: bool = False,
         break_every_step: bool = False,
+        terminate_on_thunk: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         self.proof_dir = Path(proof_dir).resolve() if proof_dir is not None else None
         self.bug_report = bug_report
@@ -97,6 +99,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.break_on_terminator_unreachable = break_on_terminator_unreachable
         self.break_every_terminator = break_every_terminator
         self.break_every_step = break_every_step
+        self.terminate_on_thunk = terminate_on_thunk
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@ def __init__(
         break_on_terminator_unreachable: bool = False,
         break_every_terminator: bool = False,
         break_every_step: bool = False,
+        terminate_on_thunk: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         self.rs_file = rs_file
         self.proof_dir = Path(proof_dir).resolve() if proof_dir is not None else None
@@ -155,6 +159,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.break_on_terminator_unreachable = break_on_terminator_unreachable
         self.break_every_terminator = break_every_terminator
         self.break_every_step = break_every_step
+        self.terminate_on_thunk = terminate_on_thunk
 
 
 @dataclass