diff --git a/artiq/compiler/builtins.py b/artiq/compiler/builtins.py
index c06f600d3..0d091e74f 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/builtins.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/builtins.py
@@ -138,6 +138,12 @@ def fn_len():
 def fn_round():
     return types.TBuiltinFunction("round")
 
+def fn_min():
+    return types.TBuiltinFunction("min")
+
+def fn_max():
+    return types.TBuiltinFunction("max")
+
 def fn_print():
     return types.TBuiltinFunction("print")
 
diff --git a/artiq/compiler/prelude.py b/artiq/compiler/prelude.py
index 98dd02ff0..8809f7612 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/prelude.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/prelude.py
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ def globals():
         # Built-in Python functions
         "len":                  builtins.fn_len(),
         "round":                builtins.fn_round(),
+        "min":                  builtins.fn_min(),
+        "max":                  builtins.fn_max(),
         "print":                builtins.fn_print(),
 
         # ARTIQ decorators
diff --git a/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py b/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
index 35aa25616..5db5809e5 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
@@ -1667,6 +1667,20 @@ class ARTIQIRGenerator(algorithm.Visitor):
                 return self.append(ir.Builtin("round", [arg], node.type))
             else:
                 assert False
+        elif types.is_builtin(typ, "min"):
+            if len(node.args) == 2 and len(node.keywords) == 0:
+                arg0, arg1 = map(self.visit, node.args)
+                cond = self.append(ir.Compare(ast.Lt(loc=None), arg0, arg1))
+                return self.append(ir.Select(cond, arg0, arg1))
+            else:
+                assert False
+        elif types.is_builtin(typ, "max"):
+            if len(node.args) == 2 and len(node.keywords) == 0:
+                arg0, arg1 = map(self.visit, node.args)
+                cond = self.append(ir.Compare(ast.Gt(loc=None), arg0, arg1))
+                return self.append(ir.Select(cond, arg0, arg1))
+            else:
+                assert False
         elif types.is_builtin(typ, "print"):
             self.polymorphic_print([self.visit(arg) for arg in node.args],
                                    separator=" ", suffix="\n")
diff --git a/artiq/compiler/transforms/inferencer.py b/artiq/compiler/transforms/inferencer.py
index 329508812..59d215c84 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/transforms/inferencer.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/transforms/inferencer.py
@@ -789,6 +789,37 @@ class Inferencer(algorithm.Visitor):
                             node.loc, None)
             else:
                 diagnose(valid_forms())
+        elif types.is_builtin(typ, "min") or types.is_builtin(typ, "max"):
+            fn = typ.name
+
+            valid_forms = lambda: [
+                valid_form("{}(x:int(width='a), y:int(width='a)) -> int(width='a)".format(fn)),
+                valid_form("{}(x:float, y:float) -> float".format(fn))
+            ]
+
+            if len(node.args) == 2 and len(node.keywords) == 0:
+                arg0, arg1 = node.args
+
+                self._unify(arg0.type, arg1.type,
+                            arg0.loc, arg1.loc)
+
+                if builtins.is_int(arg0.type) or builtins.is_float(arg0.type):
+                    self._unify(arg0.type, node.type,
+                                arg0.loc, node.loc)
+                elif types.is_var(arg0.type):
+                    pass # undetermined yet
+                else:
+                    note = diagnostic.Diagnostic("note",
+                        "this expression has type {type}",
+                        {"type": types.TypePrinter().name(arg0.type)},
+                        arg0.loc)
+                    diag = diagnostic.Diagnostic("error",
+                        "the arguments of {fn}() must be of a numeric type",
+                        {"fn": fn},
+                        node.func.loc, notes=[note])
+                    self.engine.process(diag)
+            else:
+                diagnose(valid_forms())
         elif types.is_builtin(typ, "print"):
             valid_forms = lambda: [
                 valid_form("print(args...) -> None"),
diff --git a/artiq/test/lit/inferencer/error_builtin_calls.py b/artiq/test/lit/inferencer/error_builtin_calls.py
index aae74c5cd..172f01e8f 100644
--- a/artiq/test/lit/inferencer/error_builtin_calls.py
+++ b/artiq/test/lit/inferencer/error_builtin_calls.py
@@ -10,3 +10,6 @@ len(1)
 
 # CHECK-L: ${LINE:+1}: error: the argument of list() must be of an iterable type
 list(1)
+
+# CHECK-L: ${LINE:+1}: error: the arguments of min() must be of a numeric type
+min([1], [1])
diff --git a/artiq/test/lit/integration/minmax.py b/artiq/test/lit/integration/minmax.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f325be7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artiq/test/lit/integration/minmax.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# RUN: %python -m artiq.compiler.testbench.jit %s
+# RUN: %python %s
+
+assert min(1, 2) == 1
+assert max(1, 2) == 2
+assert min(1.0, 2.0) == 1.0
+assert max(1.0, 2.0) == 2.0