diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/printing/Formatting.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/printing/Formatting.scala
index f4bbd74842c8..0acfd06de433 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/printing/Formatting.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/printing/Formatting.scala
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ object Formatting {
       given Show[util.SourceFile]                     = ShowAny
       given Show[util.Spans.Span]                     = ShowAny
       given Show[tasty.TreeUnpickler#OwnerTree]       = ShowAny
+      given Show[typer.ForceDegree.Value]             = ShowAny
 
       private def show1[A: Show](x: A)(using Context) = show2(Show[A].show(x).ctxShow)
       private def show2(x: Shown)(using Context): String = x match
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Inferencing.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Inferencing.scala
index 656a1266d5ab..dc83b49a8aa3 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Inferencing.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/dotc/typer/Inferencing.scala
@@ -170,14 +170,18 @@ object Inferencing {
 
     private var toMaximize: List[TypeVar] = Nil
 
-    def apply(x: Boolean, tp: Type): Boolean =
-      try tp.dealias match
+    def apply(x: Boolean, tp: Type): Boolean = trace(i"isFullyDefined($tp, $force)", typr) {
+      try {
+      val tpd = tp.dealias
+      if tpd ne tp then apply(x, tpd)
+      else tp match
         case _: WildcardType | _: ProtoType =>
           false
         case tvar: TypeVar if !tvar.isInstantiated =>
           force.appliesTo(tvar)
           && ctx.typerState.constraint.contains(tvar)
           && {
+            var fail = false
             val direction = instDirection(tvar.origin)
             if minimizeSelected then
               if direction <= 0 && tvar.hasLowerBound then
@@ -190,17 +194,16 @@ object Inferencing {
             else if variance >= 0 && (force.ifBottom == IfBottom.ok || tvar.hasLowerBound) then
               instantiate(tvar, fromBelow = true)
             else if variance >= 0 && force.ifBottom == IfBottom.fail then
-              return false
+              fail = true
             else
               toMaximize = tvar :: toMaximize
-            foldOver(x, tvar)
-          }
-        case tp =>
-          reporting.trace(s"IFT $tp") {
-            foldOver(x, tp)
+            !fail && foldOver(x, tvar)
           }
+        case tp => foldOver(x, tp)
+      }
       catch case ex: Throwable =>
         handleRecursive("check fully defined", tp.show, ex)
+    }
 
     def process(tp: Type): Boolean =
       // Maximize type vars in the order they were visited before */
@@ -767,13 +770,14 @@ trait Inferencing { this: Typer =>
   end constrainIfDependentParamRef
 }
 
-/** An enumeration controlling the degree of forcing in "is-dully-defined" checks. */
+/** An enumeration controlling the degree of forcing in "is-fully-defined" checks. */
 @sharable object ForceDegree {
-  class Value(val appliesTo: TypeVar => Boolean, val ifBottom: IfBottom)
-  val none: Value = new Value(_ => false, IfBottom.ok)
-  val all: Value = new Value(_ => true, IfBottom.ok)
-  val failBottom: Value = new Value(_ => true, IfBottom.fail)
-  val flipBottom: Value = new Value(_ => true, IfBottom.flip)
+  class Value(val appliesTo: TypeVar => Boolean, val ifBottom: IfBottom):
+    override def toString = s"ForceDegree.Value(.., $ifBottom)"
+  val none: Value       = new Value(_ => false, IfBottom.ok)  { override def toString = "ForceDegree.none" }
+  val all: Value        = new Value(_ => true, IfBottom.ok)   { override def toString = "ForceDegree.all" }
+  val failBottom: Value = new Value(_ => true, IfBottom.fail) { override def toString = "ForceDegree.failBottom" }
+  val flipBottom: Value = new Value(_ => true, IfBottom.flip) { override def toString = "ForceDegree.flipBottom" }
 }
 
 enum IfBottom: