diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/Eval.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/Eval.scala
index 934e6d12372..4779eb2023f 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/Eval.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/Eval.scala
@@ -301,7 +301,10 @@ private[cats] trait EvalInstances extends EvalInstances0 {
       def flatMap[A, B](fa: Eval[A])(f: A => Eval[B]): Eval[B] = fa.flatMap(f)
       def extract[A](la: Eval[A]): A = la.value
       def coflatMap[A, B](fa: Eval[A])(f: Eval[A] => B): Eval[B] = Later(f(fa))
-      def tailRecM[A, B](a: A)(f: A => Eval[Either[A, B]]): Eval[B] = defaultTailRecM(a)(f)
+      def tailRecM[A, B](a: A)(f: A => Eval[Either[A, B]]): Eval[B] = f(a).flatMap { // OK because Eval is trampolined
+        case Left(nextA) => tailRecM(nextA)(f)
+        case Right(b)    => pure(b)
+      }
     }
 
   implicit def catsOrderForEval[A: Order]: Order[Eval[A]] =
diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/cats/Monad.scala b/core/src/main/scala/cats/Monad.scala
index b8388fa7b57..21e2d6d7bfb 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/cats/Monad.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/cats/Monad.scala
@@ -14,16 +14,4 @@ import simulacrum.typeclass
 @typeclass trait Monad[F[_]] extends FlatMap[F] with Applicative[F] {
   override def map[A, B](fa: F[A])(f: A => B): F[B] =
     flatMap(fa)(a => pure(f(a)))
-
-  /**
-   * This is not stack safe if the monad is not trampolined, but it
-   * is always lawful. It it better if you can find a stack safe way
-   * to write this method (all cats types have a stack safe version
-   * of this). When this method is safe you can find an `implicit r: RecursiveTailRecM`.
-   */
-  protected def defaultTailRecM[A, B](a: A)(fn: A => F[Either[A, B]]): F[B] =
-    flatMap(fn(a)) {
-      case Right(b) => pure(b)
-      case Left(nextA) => defaultTailRecM(nextA)(fn)
-    }
 }
diff --git a/free/src/main/scala/cats/free/Free.scala b/free/src/main/scala/cats/free/Free.scala
index 0634ac87b7f..f16f5333595 100644
--- a/free/src/main/scala/cats/free/Free.scala
+++ b/free/src/main/scala/cats/free/Free.scala
@@ -127,14 +127,6 @@ sealed abstract class Free[S[_], A] extends Product with Serializable {
       case FlatMapped(c, g) => M.map(c.foldMap(f))(cc => Left(g(cc)))
     })
 
-  /**
-   * Same as foldMap but without a guarantee of stack safety. If the recursion is shallow
-   * enough, this will work
-   */
-  final def foldMapUnsafe[M[_]](f: FunctionK[S, M])(implicit M: Monad[M]): M[A] =
-    foldMap[M](f)
-
-
   /**
    * Compile your free monad into another language by changing the
    * suspension functor using the given natural transformation `f`.
@@ -143,7 +135,7 @@ sealed abstract class Free[S[_], A] extends Product with Serializable {
    * effects will be applied by `compile`.
    */
   final def compile[T[_]](f: FunctionK[S, T]): Free[T, A] =
-    foldMapUnsafe[Free[T, ?]] { // this is safe because Free is stack safe
+    foldMap[Free[T, ?]] { // this is safe because Free is stack safe
       new FunctionK[S, Free[T, ?]] {
         def apply[B](fa: S[B]): Free[T, B] = Suspend(f(fa))
       }
diff --git a/laws/src/main/scala/cats/laws/discipline/MonadTests.scala b/laws/src/main/scala/cats/laws/discipline/MonadTests.scala
index 42741bae5d7..50d355125b6 100644
--- a/laws/src/main/scala/cats/laws/discipline/MonadTests.scala
+++ b/laws/src/main/scala/cats/laws/discipline/MonadTests.scala
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cats
 package laws
 package discipline
 
+import catalysts.Platform
 import cats.laws.discipline.CartesianTests.Isomorphisms
 import org.scalacheck.Arbitrary
 import org.scalacheck.Prop
@@ -30,9 +31,8 @@ trait MonadTests[F[_]] extends ApplicativeTests[F] with FlatMapTests[F] {
       def props: Seq[(String, Prop)] = Seq(
         "monad left identity" -> forAll(laws.monadLeftIdentity[A, B] _),
         "monad right identity" -> forAll(laws.monadRightIdentity[A] _),
-        "map flatMap coherence" -> forAll(laws.mapFlatMapCoherence[A, B] _),
-        "tailRecM stack safety" -> laws.tailRecMStackSafety
-      )
+        "map flatMap coherence" -> forAll(laws.mapFlatMapCoherence[A, B] _)
+      ) ++ (if (Platform.isJvm) Seq[(String, Prop)]("tailRecM stack safety" -> laws.tailRecMStackSafety) else Seq.empty)
     }
   }
 }