diff --git a/src/librustc/traits/coherence.rs b/src/librustc/traits/coherence.rs
index b7120ab31f0..f3682f8d35d 100644
--- a/src/librustc/traits/coherence.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/traits/coherence.rs
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ fn overlap<'cx, 'gcx, 'tcx>(selcx: &mut SelectionContext<'cx, 'gcx, 'tcx>,
 }
 
 pub fn trait_ref_is_knowable<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>,
-                                             trait_ref: &ty::TraitRef<'tcx>) -> bool
+                                             trait_ref: ty::TraitRef<'tcx>) -> bool
 {
     debug!("trait_ref_is_knowable(trait_ref={:?})", trait_ref);
 
@@ -140,10 +140,7 @@ pub fn trait_ref_is_knowable<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>,
     // if the trait is not marked fundamental, then it's always possible that
     // an ancestor crate will impl this in the future, if they haven't
     // already
-    if
-        trait_ref.def_id.krate != LOCAL_CRATE &&
-        !tcx.has_attr(trait_ref.def_id, "fundamental")
-    {
+    if !trait_ref_is_local_or_fundamental(tcx, trait_ref) {
         debug!("trait_ref_is_knowable: trait is neither local nor fundamental");
         return false;
     }
@@ -157,6 +154,12 @@ pub fn trait_ref_is_knowable<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>,
     orphan_check_trait_ref(tcx, trait_ref, InferIsLocal(true)).is_err()
 }
 
+pub fn trait_ref_is_local_or_fundamental<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>,
+                                                         trait_ref: ty::TraitRef<'tcx>)
+                                                         -> bool {
+    trait_ref.def_id.krate == LOCAL_CRATE || tcx.has_attr(trait_ref.def_id, "fundamental")
+}
+
 pub enum OrphanCheckErr<'tcx> {
     NoLocalInputType,
     UncoveredTy(Ty<'tcx>),
@@ -186,11 +189,11 @@ pub fn orphan_check<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx>,
         return Ok(());
     }
 
-    orphan_check_trait_ref(tcx, &trait_ref, InferIsLocal(false))
+    orphan_check_trait_ref(tcx, trait_ref, InferIsLocal(false))
 }
 
 fn orphan_check_trait_ref<'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt,
-                                trait_ref: &ty::TraitRef<'tcx>,
+                                trait_ref: ty::TraitRef<'tcx>,
                                 infer_is_local: InferIsLocal)
                                 -> Result<(), OrphanCheckErr<'tcx>>
 {
diff --git a/src/librustc/traits/select.rs b/src/librustc/traits/select.rs
index 07b64e3c221..cd259fc2528 100644
--- a/src/librustc/traits/select.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/traits/select.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ use super::{VtableImplData, VtableObjectData, VtableBuiltinData, VtableGenerator
 use super::util;
 
 use dep_graph::{DepNodeIndex, DepKind};
-use hir::def_id::{DefId, LOCAL_CRATE};
+use hir::def_id::DefId;
 use infer;
 use infer::{InferCtxt, InferOk, TypeFreshener};
 use ty::subst::{Kind, Subst, Substs};
@@ -1075,9 +1075,8 @@ impl<'cx, 'gcx, 'tcx> SelectionContext<'cx, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
                 } else {
                     None
                 };
-                let cause = if
-                    trait_ref.def_id.krate != LOCAL_CRATE &&
-                    !self.tcx().has_attr(trait_ref.def_id, "fundamental") {
+                let cause = if !coherence::trait_ref_is_local_or_fundamental(self.tcx(),
+                                                                             trait_ref) {
                     IntercrateAmbiguityCause::UpstreamCrateUpdate { trait_desc, self_desc }
                 } else {
                     IntercrateAmbiguityCause::DownstreamCrate { trait_desc, self_desc }
@@ -1205,7 +1204,7 @@ impl<'cx, 'gcx, 'tcx> SelectionContext<'cx, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
         // ok to skip binder because of the nature of the
         // trait-ref-is-knowable check, which does not care about
         // bound regions
-        let trait_ref = &predicate.skip_binder().trait_ref;
+        let trait_ref = predicate.skip_binder().trait_ref;
 
         coherence::trait_ref_is_knowable(self.tcx(), trait_ref)
     }