diff --git a/crates/noirc_abi/src/lib.rs b/crates/noirc_abi/src/lib.rs
index dbd935dcde0..191128b9407 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_abi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_abi/src/lib.rs
@@ -85,6 +85,30 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for AbiVisibility {
     }
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
+/// Represents whether the return value should compromise of unique witness indices such that no
+/// index occurs within the program's abi more than once.
+///
+/// This is useful for application stacks that require an uniform abi across across multiple
+/// circuits. When index duplication is allowed, the compiler may identify that a public input
+/// reaches the output unaltered and is thus referenced directly, causing the input and output
+/// witness indices to overlap. Similarly, repetitions of copied values in the output may be
+/// optimized away.
+pub enum AbiDistinctness {
+    Distinct,
+    DuplicationAllowed,
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for AbiDistinctness {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            AbiDistinctness::Distinct => write!(f, "distinct"),
+            AbiDistinctness::DuplicationAllowed => write!(f, "duplication-allowed"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "lowercase")]
 pub enum Sign {
diff --git a/crates/noirc_evaluator/src/lib.rs b/crates/noirc_evaluator/src/lib.rs
index 8b3cbb009a9..64a02061b0f 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_evaluator/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_evaluator/src/lib.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ pub struct Evaluator {
     // and increasing as for `public_parameters`. We then use a `Vec` rather
     // than a `BTreeSet` to preserve this order for the ABI.
     return_values: Vec<Witness>,
+    // If true, indicates that the resulting ACIR should enforce that all inputs and outputs are
+    // comprised of unique witness indices by having extra constraints if necessary.
+    return_is_distinct: bool,
 
     opcodes: Vec<AcirOpcode>,
 }
@@ -102,6 +105,11 @@ pub fn create_circuit(
 }
 
 impl Evaluator {
+    // Returns true if the `witness_index` appears in the program's input parameters.
+    fn is_abi_input(&self, witness_index: Witness) -> bool {
+        witness_index.as_usize() <= self.num_witnesses_abi_len
+    }
+
     // Returns true if the `witness_index`
     // was created in the ABI as a private input.
     //
@@ -111,11 +119,17 @@ impl Evaluator {
         // If the `witness_index` is more than the `num_witnesses_abi_len`
         // then it was created after the ABI was processed and is therefore
         // an intermediate variable.
-        let is_intermediate_variable = witness_index.as_usize() > self.num_witnesses_abi_len;
 
         let is_public_input = self.public_parameters.contains(&witness_index);
 
-        !is_intermediate_variable && !is_public_input
+        self.is_abi_input(witness_index) && !is_public_input
+    }
+
+    // True if the main function return has the `distinct` keyword and this particular witness
+    // index has already occurred elsewhere in the abi's inputs and outputs.
+    fn should_proxy_witness_for_abi_output(&self, witness_index: Witness) -> bool {
+        self.return_is_distinct
+            && (self.is_abi_input(witness_index) || self.return_values.contains(&witness_index))
     }
 
     // Creates a new Witness index
@@ -139,6 +153,8 @@ impl Evaluator {
         enable_logging: bool,
         show_output: bool,
     ) -> Result<(), RuntimeError> {
+        self.return_is_distinct =
+            program.return_distinctness == noirc_abi::AbiDistinctness::Distinct;
         let mut ir_gen = IrGenerator::new(program);
         self.parse_abi_alt(&mut ir_gen);
 
diff --git a/crates/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/acir_gen/operations/return.rs b/crates/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/acir_gen/operations/return.rs
index 3269af06d16..6aaa3b2fbbd 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/acir_gen/operations/return.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_evaluator/src/ssa/acir_gen/operations/return.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use acvm::acir::native_types::Expression;
+
 use crate::{
     errors::RuntimeErrorKind,
     ssa::{
@@ -46,7 +48,15 @@ pub(crate) fn evaluate(
                     "we do not allow private ABI inputs to be returned as public outputs",
                 )));
             }
-            evaluator.return_values.push(witness);
+            // Check if the outputted witness needs separating from an existing occurrence in the
+            // abi. This behavior stems from usage of the `distinct` keyword.
+            let return_witness = if evaluator.should_proxy_witness_for_abi_output(witness) {
+                let proxy_constraint = Expression::from(witness);
+                evaluator.create_intermediate_variable(proxy_constraint)
+            } else {
+                witness
+            };
+            evaluator.return_values.push(return_witness);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/ast/expression.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/ast/expression.rs
index ac6161ddac1..9be6f715a14 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/ast/expression.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/ast/expression.rs
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ pub struct FunctionDefinition {
     pub span: Span,
     pub return_type: UnresolvedType,
     pub return_visibility: noirc_abi::AbiVisibility,
+    pub return_distinctness: noirc_abi::AbiDistinctness,
 }
 
 /// Describes the types of smart contract functions that are allowed.
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/def_map/mod.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/def_map/mod.rs
index 25e0488a7b6..fdaf2dd3acc 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/def_map/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/def_map/mod.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ pub use module_data::*;
 mod namespace;
 pub use namespace::*;
 
+/// The name that is used for a non-contract program's entry-point function.
+pub const MAIN_FUNCTION: &str = "main";
+
 // XXX: Ultimately, we want to constrain an index to be of a certain type just like in RA
 /// Lets first check if this is offered by any external crate
 /// XXX: RA has made this a crate on crates.io
@@ -104,8 +107,6 @@ impl CrateDefMap {
 
     /// Find the main function for this crate
     pub fn main_function(&self) -> Option<FuncId> {
-        const MAIN_FUNCTION: &str = "main";
-
         let root_module = &self.modules()[self.root.0];
 
         // This function accepts an Ident, so we attach a dummy span to
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/errors.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/errors.rs
index 9406474a226..c57e4c890d2 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/errors.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/errors.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ pub enum ResolverError {
     UnnecessaryPub { ident: Ident },
     #[error("Required 'pub', main function must return public value")]
     NecessaryPub { ident: Ident },
+    #[error("'distinct' keyword can only be used with main method")]
+    DistinctNotAllowed { ident: Ident },
     #[error("Expected const value where non-constant value was used")]
     ExpectedComptimeVariable { name: String, span: Span },
     #[error("Missing expression for declared constant")]
@@ -176,6 +178,18 @@ impl From<ResolverError> for Diagnostic {
                 diag.add_note("The `pub` keyword is mandatory for the entry-point function return type because the verifier cannot retrieve private witness and thus the function will not be able to return a 'priv' value".to_owned());
                 diag
             }
+            ResolverError::DistinctNotAllowed { ident } => {
+                let name = &ident.0.contents;
+
+                let mut diag = Diagnostic::simple_error(
+                    format!("Invalid `distinct` keyword on return type of function {name}"),
+                    "Invalid distinct on return type".to_string(),
+                    ident.0.span(),
+                );
+
+                diag.add_note("The `distinct` keyword is only valid when used on the main function of a program, as its only purpose is to ensure that all witness indices that occur in the abi are unique".to_owned());
+                diag
+            }
             ResolverError::ExpectedComptimeVariable { name, span } => Diagnostic::simple_error(
                 format!("expected constant variable where non-constant variable {name} was used"),
                 "expected const variable".to_string(),
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/resolver.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/resolver.rs
index cfb354498ab..98cf5993edf 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/resolver.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/resolution/resolver.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ use std::collections::{BTreeMap, BTreeSet, HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
 use crate::graph::CrateId;
-use crate::hir::def_map::{ModuleDefId, TryFromModuleDefId};
+use crate::hir::def_map::{ModuleDefId, TryFromModuleDefId, MAIN_FUNCTION};
 use crate::hir_def::stmt::{HirAssignStatement, HirLValue, HirPattern};
 use crate::node_interner::{
     DefinitionId, DefinitionKind, ExprId, FuncId, NodeInterner, StmtId, StructId,
@@ -637,6 +637,12 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
             self.push_err(ResolverError::NecessaryPub { ident: func.name_ident().clone() });
         }
 
+        if !self.distinct_allowed(func)
+            && func.def.return_distinctness != noirc_abi::AbiDistinctness::DuplicationAllowed
+        {
+            self.push_err(ResolverError::DistinctNotAllowed { ident: func.name_ident().clone() });
+        }
+
         if attributes == Some(Attribute::Test) && !parameters.is_empty() {
             self.push_err(ResolverError::TestFunctionHasParameters {
                 span: func.name_ident().span(),
@@ -661,6 +667,7 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
             typ,
             parameters: parameters.into(),
             return_visibility: func.def.return_visibility,
+            return_distinctness: func.def.return_distinctness,
             has_body: !func.def.body.is_empty(),
         }
     }
@@ -670,7 +677,18 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
         if self.in_contract() {
             !func.def.is_unconstrained && !func.def.is_open
         } else {
-            func.name() == "main"
+            func.name() == MAIN_FUNCTION
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// True if the `distinct` keyword is allowed on a function's return type
+    fn distinct_allowed(&self, func: &NoirFunction) -> bool {
+        if self.in_contract() {
+            // "open" and "unconstrained" functions are compiled to brillig and thus duplication of
+            // witness indices in their abis is not a concern.
+            !func.def.is_unconstrained && !func.def.is_open
+        } else {
+            func.name() == MAIN_FUNCTION
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/type_check/mod.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/type_check/mod.rs
index 97b1c71a0bc..5ebac6de9a3 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/type_check/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir/type_check/mod.rs
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ mod test {
             ]
             .into(),
             return_visibility: noirc_abi::AbiVisibility::Private,
+            return_distinctness: noirc_abi::AbiDistinctness::DuplicationAllowed,
             has_body: true,
         };
         interner.push_fn_meta(func_meta, func_id);
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/function.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/function.rs
index a9fafffe159..1f7399e5547 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/function.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/hir_def/function.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use iter_extended::vecmap;
-use noirc_abi::{AbiParameter, AbiType, AbiVisibility};
+use noirc_abi::{AbiDistinctness, AbiParameter, AbiType, AbiVisibility};
 use noirc_errors::{Location, Span};
 
 use super::expr::{HirBlockExpression, HirExpression, HirIdent};
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ pub struct FuncMeta {
 
     pub return_visibility: AbiVisibility,
 
+    pub return_distinctness: AbiDistinctness,
+
     /// The type of this function. Either a Type::Function
     /// or a Type::Forall for generic functions.
     pub typ: Type,
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/lexer/token.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/lexer/token.rs
index 0df1fc39938..6b021a3dcbb 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/lexer/token.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/lexer/token.rs
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ pub enum Keyword {
     Contract,
     Crate,
     Dep,
+    Distinct,
     Else,
     Field,
     Fn,
@@ -454,6 +455,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for Keyword {
             Keyword::Contract => write!(f, "contract"),
             Keyword::Crate => write!(f, "crate"),
             Keyword::Dep => write!(f, "dep"),
+            Keyword::Distinct => write!(f, "distinct"),
             Keyword::Else => write!(f, "else"),
             Keyword::Field => write!(f, "Field"),
             Keyword::Fn => write!(f, "fn"),
@@ -490,6 +492,7 @@ impl Keyword {
             "contract" => Keyword::Contract,
             "crate" => Keyword::Crate,
             "dep" => Keyword::Dep,
+            "distinct" => Keyword::Distinct,
             "else" => Keyword::Else,
             "Field" => Keyword::Field,
             "fn" => Keyword::Fn,
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/ast.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/ast.rs
index e4339c8e367..04aec9a6726 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/ast.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/ast.rs
@@ -221,11 +221,20 @@ impl Type {
 pub struct Program {
     pub functions: Vec<Function>,
     pub main_function_signature: FunctionSignature,
+    /// Indicates whether witness indices are allowed to reoccur in the ABI of the resulting ACIR.
+    ///
+    /// Note: this has no impact on monomorphization, and is simply attached here for ease of
+    /// forwarding to the next phase.
+    pub return_distinctness: noirc_abi::AbiDistinctness,
 }
 
 impl Program {
-    pub fn new(functions: Vec<Function>, main_function_signature: FunctionSignature) -> Program {
-        Program { functions, main_function_signature }
+    pub fn new(
+        functions: Vec<Function>,
+        main_function_signature: FunctionSignature,
+        return_distinctness: noirc_abi::AbiDistinctness,
+    ) -> Program {
+        Program { functions, main_function_signature, return_distinctness }
     }
 
     pub fn main(&self) -> &Function {
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/mod.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/mod.rs
index bfce292d2eb..79c9bab7d8a 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/monomorphization/mod.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use std::collections::{BTreeMap, HashMap, VecDeque};
 use crate::{
     hir_def::{
         expr::*,
-        function::{Param, Parameters},
+        function::{FuncMeta, Param, Parameters},
         stmt::{HirAssignStatement, HirLValue, HirLetStatement, HirPattern, HirStatement},
     },
     node_interner::{self, DefinitionKind, NodeInterner, StmtId},
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ pub fn monomorphize(main: node_interner::FuncId, interner: &NodeInterner) -> Pro
     }
 
     let functions = vecmap(monomorphizer.finished_functions, |(_, f)| f);
-    Program::new(functions, function_sig)
+    let FuncMeta { return_distinctness, .. } = interner.function_meta(&main);
+    Program::new(functions, function_sig, return_distinctness)
 }
 
 impl<'interner> Monomorphizer<'interner> {
diff --git a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/parser/parser.rs b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/parser/parser.rs
index f4793d06368..065b6362fb4 100644
--- a/crates/noirc_frontend/src/parser/parser.rs
+++ b/crates/noirc_frontend/src/parser/parser.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ use crate::{
 
 use chumsky::prelude::*;
 use iter_extended::vecmap;
-use noirc_abi::AbiVisibility;
+use noirc_abi::{AbiDistinctness, AbiVisibility};
 use noirc_errors::{CustomDiagnostic, Span, Spanned};
 
 /// Entry function for the parser - also handles lexing internally.
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ fn function_definition(allow_self: bool) -> impl NoirParser<NoirFunction> {
             |(
                 (
                     ((((attribute, (is_unconstrained, is_open)), name), generics), parameters),
-                    (return_visibility, return_type),
+                    ((return_distinctness, return_visibility), return_type),
                 ),
                 body,
             )| {
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ fn function_definition(allow_self: bool) -> impl NoirParser<NoirFunction> {
                     body,
                     return_type,
                     return_visibility,
+                    return_distinctness,
                 }
                 .into()
             },
@@ -235,12 +236,18 @@ fn lambda_return_type() -> impl NoirParser<UnresolvedType> {
         .map(|ret| ret.unwrap_or(UnresolvedType::Unspecified))
 }
 
-fn function_return_type() -> impl NoirParser<(AbiVisibility, UnresolvedType)> {
+fn function_return_type() -> impl NoirParser<((AbiDistinctness, AbiVisibility), UnresolvedType)> {
     just(Token::Arrow)
-        .ignore_then(optional_visibility())
+        .ignore_then(optional_distinctness())
+        .then(optional_visibility())
         .then(parse_type())
         .or_not()
-        .map(|ret| ret.unwrap_or((AbiVisibility::Private, UnresolvedType::Unit)))
+        .map(|ret| {
+            ret.unwrap_or((
+                (AbiDistinctness::DuplicationAllowed, AbiVisibility::Private),
+                UnresolvedType::Unit,
+            ))
+        })
 }
 
 fn attribute() -> impl NoirParser<Attribute> {
@@ -554,6 +561,13 @@ fn optional_visibility() -> impl NoirParser<AbiVisibility> {
     })
 }
 
+fn optional_distinctness() -> impl NoirParser<AbiDistinctness> {
+    keyword(Keyword::Distinct).or_not().map(|opt| match opt {
+        Some(_) => AbiDistinctness::Distinct,
+        None => AbiDistinctness::DuplicationAllowed,
+    })
+}
+
 fn maybe_comp_time() -> impl NoirParser<CompTime> {
     keyword(Keyword::CompTime).or_not().map(|opt| match opt {
         Some(_) => CompTime::Yes(None),
@@ -1257,6 +1271,7 @@ mod test {
                 "fn f(f: pub Field, y : Field, z : comptime Field) -> u8 { x + a }",
                 "fn func_name(f: Field, y : pub Field, z : pub [u8;5],) {}",
                 "fn func_name(x: [Field], y : [Field;2],y : pub [Field;2], z : pub [u8;5])  {}",
+                "fn main(x: pub u8, y: pub u8) -> distinct pub [u8; 2] { [x, y] }"
             ],
         );