diff --git a/packages/compat/src/resolver-transform.ts b/packages/compat/src/resolver-transform.ts
index 12e082c81..229cf2aa2 100644
--- a/packages/compat/src/resolver-transform.ts
+++ b/packages/compat/src/resolver-transform.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ export function makeResolverTransform(resolver: Resolver) {
             handleComponentHelper(node.params[0], resolver, filename, scopeStack);
             return;
           }
+          if (node.path.original === 'helper' && node.params.length > 0) {
+            handleDynamicHelper(node.params[0], resolver, filename);
+            return;
+          }
           resolver.resolveSubExpression(node.path.original, filename, node.path.loc);
         },
         MustacheStatement(node: ASTv1.MustacheStatement) {
@@ -97,6 +101,10 @@ export function makeResolverTransform(resolver: Resolver) {
             handleComponentHelper(node.params[0], resolver, filename, scopeStack);
             return;
           }
+          if (node.path.original === 'helper' && node.params.length > 0) {
+            handleDynamicHelper(node.params[0], resolver, filename);
+            return;
+          }
           let hasArgs = node.params.length > 0 || node.hash.pairs.length > 0;
           let resolution = resolver.resolveMustache(node.path.original, hasArgs, filename, node.path.loc);
           if (resolution && resolution.type === 'component') {
@@ -320,3 +328,16 @@ function handleComponentHelper(
 
   resolver.resolveComponentHelper(locator, moduleName, param.loc, impliedBecause);
 }
+
+function handleDynamicHelper(param: ASTv1.Node, resolver: Resolver, moduleName: string): void {
+  switch (param.type) {
+    case 'StringLiteral':
+      resolver.resolveDynamicHelper({ type: 'literal', path: param.value }, moduleName, param.loc);
+      break;
+    case 'TextNode':
+      resolver.resolveDynamicHelper({ type: 'literal', path: param.chars }, moduleName, param.loc);
+      break;
+    default:
+      resolver.resolveDynamicHelper({ type: 'other' }, moduleName, param.loc);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/compat/src/resolver.ts b/packages/compat/src/resolver.ts
index fc3f5c6c4..1633151d8 100644
--- a/packages/compat/src/resolver.ts
+++ b/packages/compat/src/resolver.ts
@@ -87,12 +87,14 @@ const builtInHelpers = [
   'hasBlock',
   'hasBlockParams',
   'hash',
+  'helper',
   'if',
   'input',
   'let',
   'link-to',
   'loc',
   'log',
+  // 'modifier',
   'mount',
   'mut',
   'on',
@@ -108,7 +110,6 @@ const builtInHelpers = [
 ];
 
 const builtInComponents = ['input', 'link-to', 'textarea'];
-
 const builtInModifiers = ['action', 'on'];
 
 // this is a subset of the full Options. We care about serializability, and we
@@ -821,6 +822,43 @@ export default class CompatResolver implements Resolver {
       from
     );
   }
+
+  resolveDynamicHelper(helper: ComponentLocator, from: string, loc: Loc): Resolution | null {
+    if (!this.staticHelpersEnabled) {
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    if (helper.type === 'literal') {
+      let helperName = helper.path;
+      if (builtInHelpers.includes(helperName)) {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      let found = this.tryHelper(helperName, from);
+      if (found) {
+        return this.add(found, from);
+      }
+      return this.add(
+        {
+          type: 'error',
+          message: `Missing helper`,
+          detail: helperName,
+          loc,
+        },
+        from
+      );
+    } else {
+      return this.add(
+        {
+          type: 'error',
+          message: 'Unsafe dynamic helper',
+          detail: `cannot statically analyze this expression`,
+          loc,
+        },
+        from
+      );
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 function humanReadableFile(root: string, file: string) {
diff --git a/packages/compat/tests/resolver.test.ts b/packages/compat/tests/resolver.test.ts
index 66dc183b9..8e435a4c9 100644
--- a/packages/compat/tests/resolver.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compat/tests/resolver.test.ts
@@ -519,6 +519,18 @@ describe('compat-resolver', function () {
       },
     ]);
   });
+  test('string literal passed to `helper` helper in content position', function () {
+    let findDependencies = configure({
+      staticHelpers: true,
+    });
+    givenFile('helpers/hello-world.js');
+    expect(findDependencies('templates/application.hbs', `{{helper "hello-world"}}`)).toEqual([
+      {
+        path: '../helpers/hello-world.js',
+        runtimeName: 'the-app/helpers/hello-world',
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
   test('built-in components are ignored when used with the component helper', function () {
     let findDependencies = configure({
       staticComponents: true,
@@ -534,6 +546,21 @@ describe('compat-resolver', function () {
       )
     ).toEqual([]);
   });
+  test('built-in helpers are ignored when used with the "helper" helper', function () {
+    let findDependencies = configure({
+      staticHelpers: true,
+    });
+    expect(
+      findDependencies(
+        'templates/application.hbs',
+        `
+      {{helper "fn"}}
+      {{helper "array"}}
+      {{helper "concat"}}
+    `
+      )
+    ).toEqual([]);
+  });
   test('component helper with direct addon package reference', function () {
     let findDependencies = configure({
       staticComponents: true,
@@ -635,6 +662,25 @@ describe('compat-resolver', function () {
       },
     ]);
   });
+  test('string literal passed to "helper" helper in helper position', function () {
+    let findDependencies = configure({ staticHelpers: true });
+    givenFile('helpers/hello-world.js');
+    expect(
+      findDependencies(
+        'templates/application.hbs',
+        `
+        {{#let (helper "hello-world") as |helloWorld|}}
+          {{helloWorld}}
+        {{/let}}
+        `
+      )
+    ).toEqual([
+      {
+        path: '../helpers/hello-world.js',
+        runtimeName: 'the-app/helpers/hello-world',
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
   test('string literal passed to component helper fails to resolve', function () {
     let findDependencies = configure({ staticComponents: true });
     givenFile('components/my-thing.js');
@@ -642,11 +688,21 @@ describe('compat-resolver', function () {
       findDependencies('templates/application.hbs', `{{my-thing header=(component "hello-world") }}`);
     }).toThrow(new RegExp(`Missing component: hello-world in templates/application.hbs`));
   });
+  test('string literal passed to "helper" helper fails to resolve', function () {
+    let findDependencies = configure({ staticHelpers: true });
+    expect(() => {
+      findDependencies('templates/application.hbs', `{{helper "hello-world"}}`);
+    }).toThrow(new RegExp(`Missing helper: hello-world in templates/application.hbs`));
+  });
   test('string literal passed to component helper fails to resolve when staticComponents is off', function () {
     let findDependencies = configure({ staticComponents: false });
     givenFile('components/my-thing.js');
     expect(findDependencies('templates/application.hbs', `{{my-thing header=(component "hello-world") }}`)).toEqual([]);
   });
+  test('string literal passed to "helper" helper fails to resolve when staticHelpers is off', function () {
+    let findDependencies = configure({ staticHelpers: false });
+    expect(findDependencies('templates/application.hbs', `{{helper "hello-world"}}`)).toEqual([]);
+  });
   test('dynamic component helper error in content position', function () {
     let findDependencies = configure({ staticComponents: true });
     givenFile('components/hello-world.js');
@@ -1708,6 +1764,20 @@ describe('compat-resolver', function () {
     );
   });
 
+  test('rejects arbitrary expression in "helper" helper', function () {
+    let findDependencies = configure({ staticHelpers: true });
+    expect(() => findDependencies('templates/application.hbs', `{{helper (some-helper this.which) }}`)).toThrow(
+      `Unsafe dynamic helper: cannot statically analyze this expression`
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('rejects any non-string-literal in "helper" helper', function () {
+    let findDependencies = configure({ staticHelpers: true });
+    expect(() => findDependencies('templates/application.hbs', `{{helper this.which }}`)).toThrow(
+      `Unsafe dynamic helper: cannot statically analyze this expression`
+    );
+  });
+
   test('trusts inline ensure-safe-component helper', function () {
     let findDependencies = configure({ staticComponents: true });
     expect(findDependencies('templates/application.hbs', `{{component (ensure-safe-component this.which) }}`)).toEqual(