diff --git a/src/Language/PureScript/TypeChecker/Entailment.hs b/src/Language/PureScript/TypeChecker/Entailment.hs
index de6875bdf8..f6b3dd58ac 100644
--- a/src/Language/PureScript/TypeChecker/Entailment.hs
+++ b/src/Language/PureScript/TypeChecker/Entailment.hs
@@ -324,9 +324,21 @@ entails SolverOptions{..} constraint context hints =
                 let subst = fmap head substs
                 currentSubst <- lift . lift $ gets checkSubstitution
                 subst' <- lift . lift $ withFreshTypes tcd (fmap (substituteType currentSubst) subst)
-                lift . lift $ zipWithM_ (\t1 t2 -> do
-                  let inferredType = replaceAllTypeVars (M.toList subst') t1
-                  unifyTypes inferredType t2) (tcdInstanceTypes tcd) tys''
+                -- Row.Cons specialization: bypass sort+align, use O(n) linear scan.
+                -- For all other classes, use the generic fundep enforcement.
+                lift . lift $ case (className', tcdInstanceTypes tcd, tys'') of
+                  (cn', TypeLevelString _ sym : ty : r : _, _ : _ : _ : goalRow : _)
+                    | cn' == C.RowCons
+                    -> case removeRowLabel (Label sym) goalRow of
+                         Just (goalTy, restRow) -> do
+                           withErrorMessageHint (ErrorInRowLabel (Label sym)) $
+                             unifyTypes ty goalTy
+                           unifyTypes r restRow
+                         Nothing ->
+                           unifyTypes (srcRCons (Label sym) ty r) goalRow
+                  _ -> zipWithM_ (\t1 t2 -> do
+                    let inferredType = replaceAllTypeVars (M.toList subst') t1
+                    unifyTypes inferredType t2) (tcdInstanceTypes tcd) tys''
                 currentSubst' <- lift . lift $ gets checkSubstitution
                 let subst'' = fmap (substituteType currentSubst') subst'
                 -- Solve any necessary subgoals
@@ -707,6 +719,15 @@ entails SolverOptions{..} constraint context hints =
       Just [ TypeClassDictionaryInScope Nothing 0 EmptyClassInstance [] C.RowCons [] kinds [TypeLevelString ann sym, ty, r, srcRCons (Label sym) ty r] Nothing Nothing ]
     solveRowCons _ _ = Nothing
 
+    -- | Remove a label from a row type, returning the matched field type
+    -- and the row with that entry removed. O(n) linear scan.
+    -- Used by the Row.Cons specialization in fundep enforcement.
+    removeRowLabel target = go id where
+      go rebuild (RCons ann l t rest)
+        | l == target = Just (t, rebuild rest)
+        | otherwise   = go (rebuild . RCons ann l t) rest
+      go _ _ = Nothing
+
     solveRowToList :: [SourceType] -> [SourceType] -> Maybe [TypeClassDict]
     solveRowToList [kind] [r, _] = do
       entries <- rowToRowList kind r
diff --git a/src/Language/PureScript/TypeChecker/Unify.hs b/src/Language/PureScript/TypeChecker/Unify.hs
index 72b8086599..52af84daab 100644
--- a/src/Language/PureScript/TypeChecker/Unify.hs
+++ b/src/Language/PureScript/TypeChecker/Unify.hs
@@ -170,11 +170,53 @@ unifyTypes t1 t2 = do
 --
 -- Common labels are identified and unified. Remaining labels and types are unified with a
 -- trailing row unification variable, if appropriate.
+--
+-- Fast path: when both rows have RCons entries with matching labels in order,
+-- unify field types directly without sorting. Falls back to sort + alignment
+-- on the first label mismatch or when one side is exhausted.
 unifyRows :: SourceType -> SourceType -> TypeCheckM ()
-unifyRows r1 r2 = sequence_ matches *> uncurry unifyTails rest where
-  unifyTypesWithLabel l t1 t2 = withErrorMessageHint (ErrorInRowLabel l) $ unifyTypes t1 t2
+unifyRows r1 r2 = fastPath r1 r2 where
+  -- Walk both RCons chains in parallel. When labels match, unify types
+  -- in O(1) per entry. On mismatch, fall back to sort+align on the
+  -- remaining (shorter) rows.
+  fastPath (RCons _ l1 t1 rest1) (RCons _ l2 t2 rest2)
+    | l1 == l2 = do
+        withErrorMessageHint (ErrorInRowLabel l1) $ unifyTypes t1 t2
+        fastPath rest1 rest2
+  -- Single-entry scan: when one side has exactly one RCons entry (tail
+  -- is not RCons), scan the other side linearly for the matching label.
+  -- O(n) instead of O(n log n). Common path for Row.Cons constraints.
+  fastPath r1'@(RCons _ l1 t1 tail1) r2'@RCons{}
+    | notRCons tail1
+    = case removeLabel l1 r2' of
+        Just (t2, rest2) -> do
+          withErrorMessageHint (ErrorInRowLabel l1) $ unifyTypes t1 t2
+          unifyTypes tail1 rest2
+        Nothing -> slowPath r1' r2'
+  fastPath r1'@RCons{} r2'@(RCons _ l2 t2 tail2)
+    | notRCons tail2
+    = case removeLabel l2 r1' of
+        Just (t1, rest1) -> do
+          withErrorMessageHint (ErrorInRowLabel l2) $ unifyTypes t1 t2
+          unifyTypes tail2 rest1
+        Nothing -> slowPath r1' r2'
+  fastPath rest1 rest2 = slowPath rest1 rest2
+
+  notRCons RCons{} = False
+  notRCons _ = True
+
+  -- Remove a label from a row, returning the matched field type and
+  -- the row with that entry removed. O(n) linear scan.
+  removeLabel target = go id where
+    go rebuild (RCons ann l t rest)
+      | l == target = Just (t, rebuild rest)
+      | otherwise   = go (rebuild . RCons ann l t) rest
+    go _ _ = Nothing
 
-  (matches, rest) = alignRowsWith unifyTypesWithLabel r1 r2
+  -- Sort both sides and do merge-join alignment (original algorithm).
+  slowPath r1' r2' = sequence_ matches *> uncurry unifyTails rest where
+    unifyTypesWithLabel l t1' t2' = withErrorMessageHint (ErrorInRowLabel l) $ unifyTypes t1' t2'
+    (matches, rest) = alignRowsWith unifyTypesWithLabel r1' r2'
 
   unifyTails :: ([RowListItem SourceAnn], SourceType) -> ([RowListItem SourceAnn], SourceType) -> TypeCheckM ()
   unifyTails ([], TUnknown _ u)    (sd, r)               = solveType u (rowFromList (sd, r))