diff --git a/src/puya/awst_build/eb/_utils.py b/src/puya/awst_build/eb/_utils.py
index 67fcc79072..62dcfe2beb 100644
--- a/src/puya/awst_build/eb/_utils.py
+++ b/src/puya/awst_build/eb/_utils.py
@@ -10,7 +10,14 @@
     Expression,
     ReinterpretCast,
 )
-from puya.awst_build.eb.interface import BuilderComparisonOp, InstanceBuilder
+from puya.awst_build.eb.interface import (
+    BuilderBinaryOp,
+    BuilderComparisonOp,
+    BuilderUnaryOp,
+    InstanceBuilder,
+    LiteralBuilder,
+)
+from puya.awst_build.eb.uint64 import UInt64TypeBuilder
 
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from puya.parse import SourceLocation
@@ -18,6 +25,21 @@
 logger = log.get_logger(__name__)
 
 
+def resolve_negative_literal_index(
+    index: InstanceBuilder, length: InstanceBuilder, location: SourceLocation
+) -> InstanceBuilder:
+    match index:
+        case LiteralBuilder(value=int(int_index)) if int_index < 0:
+            return length.binary_op(
+                index.unary_op(BuilderUnaryOp.negative, location),
+                BuilderBinaryOp.sub,
+                location,
+                reverse=False,
+            )
+        case _:
+            return index.resolve_literal(UInt64TypeBuilder(index.source_location))
+
+
 def bool_eval_to_constant(
     *, value: bool, location: SourceLocation, negate: bool = False
 ) -> InstanceBuilder:
diff --git a/src/puya/awst_build/eb/arc4/arrays.py b/src/puya/awst_build/eb/arc4/arrays.py
index 58ec88d22d..cbefb032ac 100644
--- a/src/puya/awst_build/eb/arc4/arrays.py
+++ b/src/puya/awst_build/eb/arc4/arrays.py
@@ -23,8 +23,6 @@
     SingleEvaluation,
     Statement,
     TupleExpression,
-    UInt64BinaryOperation,
-    UInt64BinaryOperator,
     UInt64Constant,
 )
 from puya.awst_build import intrinsic_factory, pytypes
@@ -33,7 +31,12 @@
     BytesBackedInstanceExpressionBuilder,
     BytesBackedTypeBuilder,
 )
-from puya.awst_build.eb._utils import bool_eval_to_constant, compare_bytes, compare_expr_bytes
+from puya.awst_build.eb._utils import (
+    bool_eval_to_constant,
+    compare_bytes,
+    compare_expr_bytes,
+    resolve_negative_literal_index,
+)
 from puya.awst_build.eb.arc4.base import CopyBuilder, arc4_bool_bytes
 from puya.awst_build.eb.factories import builder_for_instance
 from puya.awst_build.eb.interface import (
@@ -48,7 +51,6 @@
 from puya.awst_build.eb.uint64 import UInt64ExpressionBuilder
 from puya.awst_build.eb.void import VoidExpressionBuilder
 from puya.awst_build.utils import (
-    expect_operand_type,
     require_instance_builder,
     require_instance_builder_of_type,
 )
@@ -254,22 +256,13 @@ def iterate(self) -> Iteration:
 
     @typing.override
     def index(self, index: InstanceBuilder, location: SourceLocation) -> InstanceBuilder:
-        if isinstance(index, LiteralBuilder) and isinstance(index.value, int) and index.value < 0:
-            index_expr: Expression = UInt64BinaryOperation(
-                left=require_instance_builder(
-                    self.member_access("length", index.source_location)
-                ).resolve(),
-                op=UInt64BinaryOperator.sub,
-                right=UInt64Constant(
-                    value=abs(index.value), source_location=index.source_location
-                ),
-                source_location=index.source_location,
-            )
-        else:
-            index_expr = expect_operand_type(index, pytypes.UInt64Type).resolve()
+        array_length = require_instance_builder(
+            self.member_access("length", index.source_location)
+        )
+        index = resolve_negative_literal_index(index, array_length, location)
         result_expr = IndexExpression(
             base=self.resolve(),
-            index=index_expr,
+            index=index.resolve(),
             wtype=self.pytype.items.wtype,
             source_location=location,
         )
diff --git a/src/puya/awst_build/eb/bytes.py b/src/puya/awst_build/eb/bytes.py
index ecee65a72f..8304673494 100644
--- a/src/puya/awst_build/eb/bytes.py
+++ b/src/puya/awst_build/eb/bytes.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
     InstanceExpressionBuilder,
     TypeBuilder,
 )
-from puya.awst_build.eb._utils import compare_bytes
+from puya.awst_build.eb._utils import compare_bytes, resolve_negative_literal_index
 from puya.awst_build.eb.bool import BoolExpressionBuilder
 from puya.awst_build.eb.interface import (
     BuilderBinaryOp,
@@ -175,20 +175,21 @@ def to_bytes(self, location: SourceLocation) -> Expression:
         return self.resolve()
 
     @typing.override
-    def member_access(self, name: str, location: SourceLocation) -> NodeBuilder:
+    def member_access(self, name: str, location: SourceLocation) -> InstanceBuilder:
         match name:
             case "length":
                 len_call = intrinsic_factory.bytes_len(expr=self.resolve(), loc=location)
                 return UInt64ExpressionBuilder(len_call)
-        return super().member_access(name, location)
+        raise CodeError(f"unrecognised member of {self.pytype}: {name}", location)
 
     @typing.override
     def index(self, index: InstanceBuilder, location: SourceLocation) -> InstanceBuilder:
-        index_expr = expect_operand_type(index, pytypes.UInt64Type).resolve()
+        length = self.member_access("length", location)
+        index = resolve_negative_literal_index(index, length, location)
         expr = IndexExpression(
             source_location=location,
             base=self.resolve(),
-            index=index_expr,
+            index=index.resolve(),
             wtype=self.pytype.wtype,
         )
         return BytesExpressionBuilder(expr)
diff --git a/src/puya/awst_build/eb/storage/_util.py b/src/puya/awst_build/eb/storage/_util.py
index 486d11dfb1..9a13194600 100644
--- a/src/puya/awst_build/eb/storage/_util.py
+++ b/src/puya/awst_build/eb/storage/_util.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 )
 from puya.awst_build import intrinsic_factory, pytypes
 from puya.awst_build.contract_data import AppStorageDeclaration
+from puya.awst_build.eb._utils import resolve_negative_literal_index
 from puya.awst_build.eb.bytes import BytesExpressionBuilder
 from puya.awst_build.eb.interface import (
     BuilderBinaryOp,
@@ -38,26 +39,14 @@ def index_box_bytes(
     index: InstanceBuilder,
     location: SourceLocation,
 ) -> InstanceBuilder:
-
-    if isinstance(index, InstanceBuilder):
-        # no negatives
-        begin_index_expr = index.resolve()
-    elif not isinstance(index.value, int):
-        raise CodeError("Invalid literal index type", index.source_location)
-    elif index.value >= 0:
-        begin_index_expr = UInt64Constant(value=index.value, source_location=index.source_location)
-    else:
-        box_length = box_length_unchecked(box, location)
-        box_length_builder = UInt64ExpressionBuilder(box_length)
-        begin_index_expr = box_length_builder.binary_op(
-            index, BuilderBinaryOp.sub, location, reverse=False
-        ).resolve()
+    box_length = UInt64ExpressionBuilder(box_length_unchecked(box, location))
+    begin_index = resolve_negative_literal_index(index, box_length, location)
     return BytesExpressionBuilder(
         IntrinsicCall(
             op_code="box_extract",
             stack_args=[
                 box.key,
-                begin_index_expr,
+                begin_index.resolve(),
                 UInt64Constant(value=1, source_location=location),
             ],
             source_location=location,