diff --git a/jax/_src/state/discharge.py b/jax/_src/state/discharge.py
index a20d5648217b..bbe1a1f9bdf9 100644
--- a/jax/_src/state/discharge.py
+++ b/jax/_src/state/discharge.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ def __call__(
 def register_discharge_rule(prim: core.Primitive):
   def register(f: DischargeRule):
     _discharge_rules[prim] = f
+    return f
 
   return register
 
@@ -630,6 +631,27 @@ def _closed_call_discharge_rule(
   assert next(ref_vals_iter, sentinel) is sentinel
   return new_invals, out_vals
 
+@register_discharge_rule(core.call_p)
+def _call_discharge_rule(
+    in_avals: Sequence[core.AbstractValue], _,*args,
+    call_jaxpr: core.Jaxpr):
+  closed_call_jaxpr = core.ClosedJaxpr(call_jaxpr, ())
+  discharged_closed_jaxpr, num_outs, fun = _cached_closed_jaxpr_discharge(
+      closed_call_jaxpr)
+  discharged_call_jaxpr = discharged_closed_jaxpr.jaxpr
+  discharged_consts = discharged_closed_jaxpr.consts
+  discharged_call_jaxpr = pe.convert_constvars_jaxpr(discharged_call_jaxpr)
+  out_and_ref_vals = core.closed_call_p.bind(fun, *discharged_consts, *args,
+                                             call_jaxpr=discharged_call_jaxpr)
+  out_vals, ref_vals = split_list(out_and_ref_vals, [num_outs])
+  ref_vals_iter = iter(ref_vals)
+  new_invals = tuple(next(ref_vals_iter) if isinstance(aval, AbstractRef)
+                     else None for aval in in_avals)
+  sentinel = object()
+  assert next(ref_vals_iter, sentinel) is sentinel
+  return new_invals, out_vals
+
+
 # # `run_state`
 
 run_state_p = core.Primitive("run_state")
diff --git a/tests/state_test.py b/tests/state_test.py
index c75ffb2043e4..16fbaecb8e5a 100644
--- a/tests/state_test.py
+++ b/tests/state_test.py
@@ -1385,6 +1385,25 @@ def body(_, x_ref):
     self.assertEqual(a.shape, ())
     self.assertEqual(b.shape, (3,))
 
+  @parameterized.named_parameters(
+      ("call_primitive", core.call_p),
+      ("closed_call_primitive", core.closed_call_p),
+  )
+  def test_call_primitive_discharges(self, prim):
+
+    def g(y_ref, x):
+      x_ref = jax.new_ref(x)
+      y_ref[...] = jnp.exp(x_ref[...])
+      return [jax.freeze(y_ref)]
+
+    def f(x):
+      y_ref = jax.new_ref(jnp.zeros_like(x))
+      g_ = partial(g, y_ref)
+      return prim.bind(
+          lu.wrap_init(g_, debug_info=api_util.debug_info("f", g, (x,), {})), x
+      )[0]
+    out = f(4.)
+    np.testing.assert_array_equal(out, jnp.exp(4.))
 
 class GeneralRefTest(jtu.JaxTestCase):