diff --git a/compiler/noirc_driver/src/lib.rs b/compiler/noirc_driver/src/lib.rs
index db69d41c704..8826e67e69d 100644
--- a/compiler/noirc_driver/src/lib.rs
+++ b/compiler/noirc_driver/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #![warn(unreachable_pub)]
 #![warn(clippy::semicolon_if_nothing_returned)]
 
+use acvm::ExpressionWidth;
 use clap::Args;
 use fm::{FileId, FileManager};
 use iter_extended::vecmap;
@@ -16,7 +17,6 @@ use noirc_frontend::hir::Context;
 use noirc_frontend::macros_api::MacroProcessor;
 use noirc_frontend::monomorphization::monomorphize;
 use noirc_frontend::node_interner::FuncId;
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::path::Path;
 use tracing::info;
 
@@ -43,8 +43,12 @@ pub const NOIRC_VERSION: &str = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION");
 pub const NOIR_ARTIFACT_VERSION_STRING: &str =
     concat!(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"), "+", env!("GIT_COMMIT"));
 
-#[derive(Args, Clone, Debug, Default, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Args, Clone, Debug, Default)]
 pub struct CompileOptions {
+    /// Override the expression width requested by the backend.
+    #[arg(long, value_parser = parse_expression_width)]
+    pub expression_width: Option<ExpressionWidth>,
+
     /// Force a full recompilation.
     #[arg(long = "force")]
     pub force_compile: bool,
@@ -77,6 +81,19 @@ pub struct CompileOptions {
     pub disable_macros: bool,
 }
 
+fn parse_expression_width(input: &str) -> Result<ExpressionWidth, std::io::Error> {
+    use std::io::{Error, ErrorKind};
+
+    let width = usize::from_str_radix(input, 10)
+        .map_err(|err| Error::new(ErrorKind::InvalidInput, err.to_string()))?;
+
+    if width == 0 {
+        Ok(ExpressionWidth::Unbounded)
+    } else {
+        Ok(ExpressionWidth::Bounded { width: width as usize })
+    }
+}
+
 /// Helper type used to signify where only warnings are expected in file diagnostics
 pub type Warnings = Vec<FileDiagnostic>;
 
diff --git a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/compile_cmd.rs b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/compile_cmd.rs
index 29e6012996a..5222dd502d0 100644
--- a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/compile_cmd.rs
+++ b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/compile_cmd.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
     insert_all_files_for_workspace_into_file_manager(&workspace, &mut workspace_file_manager);
     let parsed_files = parse_all(&workspace_file_manager);
 
-    let expression_width = backend.get_backend_info_or_default();
+    let expression_width = args
+        .compile_options
+        .expression_width
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| backend.get_backend_info_or_default());
     let (compiled_program, compiled_contracts) = compile_workspace(
         &workspace_file_manager,
         &parsed_files,
diff --git a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/dap_cmd.rs b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/dap_cmd.rs
index c028545c11c..535ee91e6c2 100644
--- a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/dap_cmd.rs
+++ b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/dap_cmd.rs
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ fn loop_uninitialized_dap<R: Read, W: Write>(
 
 pub(crate) fn run(
     backend: &Backend,
-    _args: DapCommand,
+    args: DapCommand,
     _config: NargoConfig,
 ) -> Result<(), CliError> {
     let output = BufWriter::new(std::io::stdout());
diff --git a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/debug_cmd.rs b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/debug_cmd.rs
index ce89324a3b9..f4b938a841a 100644
--- a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/debug_cmd.rs
+++ b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/debug_cmd.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
         Some(NOIR_ARTIFACT_VERSION_STRING.to_string()),
     )?;
     let target_dir = &workspace.target_directory_path();
-    let expression_width = backend.get_backend_info()?;
+    let expression_width = args
+        .compile_options
+        .expression_width
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| backend.get_backend_info_or_default());
 
     let mut workspace_file_manager = file_manager_with_stdlib(std::path::Path::new(""));
     insert_all_files_for_workspace_into_file_manager(&workspace, &mut workspace_file_manager);
diff --git a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/execute_cmd.rs b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/execute_cmd.rs
index a84b2821f1e..63cea4af45f 100644
--- a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/execute_cmd.rs
+++ b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/execute_cmd.rs
@@ -68,7 +68,10 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
     insert_all_files_for_workspace_into_file_manager(&workspace, &mut workspace_file_manager);
     let parsed_files = parse_all(&workspace_file_manager);
 
-    let expression_width = backend.get_backend_info_or_default();
+    let expression_width = args
+        .compile_options
+        .expression_width
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| backend.get_backend_info_or_default());
     let binary_packages = workspace.into_iter().filter(|package| package.is_binary());
     for package in binary_packages {
         let compilation_result = compile_program(
diff --git a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/info_cmd.rs b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/info_cmd.rs
index 8dfff67b47f..38629ca3020 100644
--- a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/info_cmd.rs
+++ b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/info_cmd.rs
@@ -69,7 +69,10 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
     insert_all_files_for_workspace_into_file_manager(&workspace, &mut workspace_file_manager);
     let parsed_files = parse_all(&workspace_file_manager);
 
-    let expression_width = backend.get_backend_info_or_default();
+    let expression_width = args
+        .compile_options
+        .expression_width
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| backend.get_backend_info_or_default());
     let (compiled_programs, compiled_contracts) = compile_workspace(
         &workspace_file_manager,
         &parsed_files,
diff --git a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/prove_cmd.rs b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/prove_cmd.rs
index a79c21c81c9..06ca4bf2720 100644
--- a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/prove_cmd.rs
+++ b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/prove_cmd.rs
@@ -69,7 +69,10 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
     insert_all_files_for_workspace_into_file_manager(&workspace, &mut workspace_file_manager);
     let parsed_files = parse_all(&workspace_file_manager);
 
-    let expression_width = backend.get_backend_info()?;
+    let expression_width = args
+        .compile_options
+        .expression_width
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| backend.get_backend_info_or_default());
     let binary_packages = workspace.into_iter().filter(|package| package.is_binary());
     for package in binary_packages {
         let compilation_result = compile_program(
diff --git a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/verify_cmd.rs b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/verify_cmd.rs
index daf623c10c6..90331d80ae1 100644
--- a/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/verify_cmd.rs
+++ b/tooling/nargo_cli/src/cli/verify_cmd.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,10 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
     insert_all_files_for_workspace_into_file_manager(&workspace, &mut workspace_file_manager);
     let parsed_files = parse_all(&workspace_file_manager);
 
-    let expression_width = backend.get_backend_info()?;
+    let expression_width = args
+        .compile_options
+        .expression_width
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| backend.get_backend_info_or_default());
     let binary_packages = workspace.into_iter().filter(|package| package.is_binary());
     for package in binary_packages {
         let compilation_result = compile_program(