diff --git a/prism/templates/template.rb b/prism/templates/template.rb
index 8f7734dd43f001..5d1afc95065219 100755
--- a/prism/templates/template.rb
+++ b/prism/templates/template.rb
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ module Template # :nodoc: all
     REMOVE_ON_ERROR_TYPES = SERIALIZE_ONLY_SEMANTICS_FIELDS
     CHECK_FIELD_KIND = ENV.fetch("CHECK_FIELD_KIND", false)
 
-    JAVA_BACKEND = ENV["PRISM_JAVA_BACKEND"] || "truffleruby"
-    JAVA_STRING_TYPE = JAVA_BACKEND == "jruby" ? "org.jruby.RubySymbol" : "String"
+    JAVA_BACKEND = ENV["PRISM_JAVA_BACKEND"] || "default"
+    JAVA_IDENTIFIER_TYPE = JAVA_BACKEND == "truffleruby" ? "String" : "byte[]"
     INCLUDE_NODE_ID = !SERIALIZE_ONLY_SEMANTICS_FIELDS || JAVA_BACKEND == "jruby"
 
     COMMON_FLAGS_COUNT = 2
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ def call_seq_type
       end
 
       def java_type
-        JAVA_STRING_TYPE
+        JAVA_IDENTIFIER_TYPE
       end
     end
 
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ def call_seq_type
       end
 
       def java_type
-        JAVA_STRING_TYPE
+        JAVA_IDENTIFIER_TYPE
       end
     end
 
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ def call_seq_type
       end
 
       def java_type
-        "#{JAVA_STRING_TYPE}[]"
+        "#{JAVA_IDENTIFIER_TYPE}[]"
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/zjit/src/hir.rs b/zjit/src/hir.rs
index ebdf044a920daf..9c409e36fb955e 100644
--- a/zjit/src/hir.rs
+++ b/zjit/src/hir.rs
@@ -5071,6 +5071,18 @@ impl Function {
                             _ => insn_id,
                         }
                     },
+                    Insn::GuardGreaterEq { left, right, state, reason } => {
+                        let left_num = self.type_of(left).cint64_value();
+                        let right_num = self.type_of(right).cint64_value();
+                        match (left_num, right_num) {
+                            (Some(l), Some(r)) if l >= r => {
+                                self.make_equal_to(insn_id, left);
+                                continue
+                            },
+                            (Some(_), Some(_)) => self.new_insn(Insn::SideExit { state, reason }),
+                            _ => insn_id,
+                        }
+                    },
                     Insn::GuardBitEquals { val, expected, .. } => {
                         let recv_type = self.type_of(val);
                         if recv_type.has_value(expected) {
diff --git a/zjit/src/hir/opt_tests.rs b/zjit/src/hir/opt_tests.rs
index bc3f92b83ab923..c0c89e35d46eb0 100644
--- a/zjit/src/hir/opt_tests.rs
+++ b/zjit/src/hir/opt_tests.rs
@@ -1017,14 +1017,73 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v34:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
           v29:CInt64 = ArrayLength v27
           v30:CInt64[0] = GuardLess v34, v29
-          v31:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v32:CInt64[0] = GuardGreaterEq v30, v31
-          v33:BasicObject = ArrayAref v27, v32
+          v33:BasicObject = ArrayAref v27, v30
           CheckInterrupts
           Return v33
         ");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_fold_guard_greater_eq() {
+        eval("
+            def test(arr) = arr[0]
+            test([1,2,3])
+        ");
+        assert_snapshot!(hir_string("test"), @"
+        fn test@<compiled>:2:
+        bb1():
+          EntryPoint interpreter
+          v1:BasicObject = LoadSelf
+          v2:CPtr = LoadSP
+          v3:BasicObject = LoadField v2, :arr@0x1000
+          Jump bb3(v1, v3)
+        bb2():
+          EntryPoint JIT(0)
+          v6:BasicObject = LoadArg :self@0
+          v7:BasicObject = LoadArg :arr@1
+          Jump bb3(v6, v7)
+        bb3(v9:BasicObject, v10:BasicObject):
+          v15:Fixnum[0] = Const Value(0)
+          PatchPoint NoSingletonClass(Array@0x1008)
+          PatchPoint MethodRedefined(Array@0x1008, []@0x1010, cme:0x1018)
+          v27:ArrayExact = GuardType v10, ArrayExact
+          v34:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
+          v29:CInt64 = ArrayLength v27
+          v30:CInt64[0] = GuardLess v34, v29
+          v33:BasicObject = ArrayAref v27, v30
+          CheckInterrupts
+          Return v33
+        ");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_fold_guard_greater_eq_side_exit() {
+        eval(r##"
+            def test = [4,5,6].freeze[-10]
+        "##);
+        assert_snapshot!(hir_string("test"), @"
+        fn test@<compiled>:2:
+        bb1():
+          EntryPoint interpreter
+          v1:BasicObject = LoadSelf
+          Jump bb3(v1)
+        bb2():
+          EntryPoint JIT(0)
+          v4:BasicObject = LoadArg :self@0
+          Jump bb3(v4)
+        bb3(v6:BasicObject):
+          PatchPoint BOPRedefined(ARRAY_REDEFINED_OP_FLAG, BOP_FREEZE)
+          v11:ArrayExact[VALUE(0x1000)] = Const Value(VALUE(0x1000))
+          v13:Fixnum[-10] = Const Value(-10)
+          PatchPoint NoSingletonClass(Array@0x1008)
+          PatchPoint MethodRedefined(Array@0x1008, []@0x1010, cme:0x1018)
+          v31:CInt64[-10] = Const CInt64(-10)
+          v26:CInt64 = ArrayLength v11
+          v27:CInt64[-10] = GuardLess v31, v26
+          SideExit GuardGreaterEq
+        ");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn neq_with_side_effect_not_elided () {
         let result = eval("
@@ -2287,9 +2346,7 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v34:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
           v29:CInt64 = ArrayLength v27
           v30:CInt64[0] = GuardLess v34, v29
-          v31:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v32:CInt64[0] = GuardGreaterEq v30, v31
-          v33:BasicObject = ArrayAref v27, v32
+          v33:BasicObject = ArrayAref v27, v30
           CheckInterrupts
           Return v33
         ");
@@ -5998,9 +6055,7 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v33:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
           v28:CInt64 = ArrayLength v23
           v29:CInt64[0] = GuardLess v33, v28
-          v30:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v31:CInt64[0] = GuardGreaterEq v29, v30
-          v32:BasicObject = ArrayAref v23, v31
+          v32:BasicObject = ArrayAref v23, v29
           CheckInterrupts
           Return v32
         ");
@@ -6032,8 +6087,6 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v31:CInt64[1] = Const CInt64(1)
           v26:CInt64 = ArrayLength v11
           v27:CInt64[1] = GuardLess v31, v26
-          v28:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v29:CInt64[1] = GuardGreaterEq v27, v28
           v32:Fixnum[5] = Const Value(5)
           CheckInterrupts
           Return v32
@@ -6064,11 +6117,7 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v31:CInt64[-3] = Const CInt64(-3)
           v26:CInt64 = ArrayLength v11
           v27:CInt64[-3] = GuardLess v31, v26
-          v28:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v29:CInt64[-3] = GuardGreaterEq v27, v28
-          v32:Fixnum[4] = Const Value(4)
-          CheckInterrupts
-          Return v32
+          SideExit GuardGreaterEq
         ");
     }
 
@@ -6096,11 +6145,7 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v31:CInt64[-10] = Const CInt64(-10)
           v26:CInt64 = ArrayLength v11
           v27:CInt64[-10] = GuardLess v31, v26
-          v28:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v29:CInt64[-10] = GuardGreaterEq v27, v28
-          v32:NilClass = Const Value(nil)
-          CheckInterrupts
-          Return v32
+          SideExit GuardGreaterEq
         ");
     }
 
@@ -6128,8 +6173,6 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v31:CInt64[10] = Const CInt64(10)
           v26:CInt64 = ArrayLength v11
           v27:CInt64[10] = GuardLess v31, v26
-          v28:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v29:CInt64[10] = GuardGreaterEq v27, v28
           v32:NilClass = Const Value(nil)
           CheckInterrupts
           Return v32
@@ -8362,9 +8405,7 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v37:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
           v32:CInt64 = ArrayLength v14
           v33:CInt64[0] = GuardLess v37, v32
-          v34:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v35:CInt64[0] = GuardGreaterEq v33, v34
-          v36:BasicObject = ArrayAref v14, v35
+          v36:BasicObject = ArrayAref v14, v33
           CheckInterrupts
           Return v36
         ");
@@ -8744,9 +8785,7 @@ mod hir_opt_tests {
           v45:CInt64[1] = Const CInt64(1)
           v39:CInt64 = ArrayLength v33
           v40:CInt64[1] = GuardLess v45, v39
-          v41:CInt64[0] = Const CInt64(0)
-          v42:CInt64[1] = GuardGreaterEq v40, v41
-          ArrayAset v33, v42, v19
+          ArrayAset v33, v40, v19
           WriteBarrier v33, v19
           CheckInterrupts
           Return v19