diff --git a/crates/flat/src/encoder.rs b/crates/flat/src/encoder.rs
index 436b7c42..84f094c0 100644
--- a/crates/flat/src/encoder.rs
+++ b/crates/flat/src/encoder.rs
@@ -137,10 +137,14 @@ impl Encoder {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn encode_list_with<T: Encode>(&mut self, list: Vec<T>) -> Result<(), String> {
+    pub fn encode_list_with(
+        &mut self,
+        encoder_func: for<'r> fn(u8, &'r mut Encoder) -> Result<(), String>,
+        list: Vec<u8>,
+    ) -> Result<(), String> {
         for item in list {
             self.one();
-            self.encode(item)?;
+            encoder_func(item, self)?;
         }
         self.zero();
         Ok(())
diff --git a/crates/uplc/src/ast.rs b/crates/uplc/src/ast.rs
index 07f0318e..33a44e1b 100644
--- a/crates/uplc/src/ast.rs
+++ b/crates/uplc/src/ast.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use flat::en::{Encode, Encoder};
 use crate::builtins::DefaultFunction;
 
 const TERM_TAG_WIDTH: u32 = 4;
+const CONST_TAG_WIDTH: u32 = 4;
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct Program {
@@ -70,7 +71,11 @@ pub enum Constant {
 }
 
 pub fn encode_constant(tag: u8, e: &mut Encoder) -> Result<(), String> {
-    e.encode_list_with([tag].to_vec())
+    e.encode_list_with(encode_constant_tag, [tag].to_vec())
+}
+
+pub fn encode_constant_tag(tag: u8, e: &mut Encoder) -> Result<(), String> {
+    safe_encode_bits(CONST_TAG_WIDTH, tag, e)
 }
 
 impl Encode for Program {