diff --git a/compiler/rustc_metadata/src/rmeta/encoder.rs b/compiler/rustc_metadata/src/rmeta/encoder.rs
index 06f53bb9282..254954c8376 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_metadata/src/rmeta/encoder.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_metadata/src/rmeta/encoder.rs
@@ -836,6 +836,76 @@ fn should_encode_mir(tcx: TyCtxt<'_>, def_id: LocalDefId) -> (bool, bool) {
     }
 }
 
+fn should_encode_variances(def_kind: DefKind) -> bool {
+    match def_kind {
+        DefKind::Struct
+        | DefKind::Union
+        | DefKind::Enum
+        | DefKind::Variant
+        | DefKind::Fn
+        | DefKind::Ctor(..)
+        | DefKind::AssocFn => true,
+        DefKind::Mod
+        | DefKind::Field
+        | DefKind::AssocTy
+        | DefKind::AssocConst
+        | DefKind::TyParam
+        | DefKind::ConstParam
+        | DefKind::Static
+        | DefKind::Const
+        | DefKind::ForeignMod
+        | DefKind::TyAlias
+        | DefKind::OpaqueTy
+        | DefKind::Impl
+        | DefKind::Trait
+        | DefKind::TraitAlias
+        | DefKind::Macro(..)
+        | DefKind::ForeignTy
+        | DefKind::Use
+        | DefKind::LifetimeParam
+        | DefKind::AnonConst
+        | DefKind::GlobalAsm
+        | DefKind::Closure
+        | DefKind::Generator
+        | DefKind::ExternCrate => false,
+    }
+}
+
+fn should_encode_generics(def_kind: DefKind) -> bool {
+    match def_kind {
+        DefKind::Struct
+        | DefKind::Union
+        | DefKind::Enum
+        | DefKind::Variant
+        | DefKind::Trait
+        | DefKind::TyAlias
+        | DefKind::ForeignTy
+        | DefKind::TraitAlias
+        | DefKind::AssocTy
+        | DefKind::Fn
+        | DefKind::Const
+        | DefKind::Static
+        | DefKind::Ctor(..)
+        | DefKind::AssocFn
+        | DefKind::AssocConst
+        | DefKind::AnonConst
+        | DefKind::OpaqueTy
+        | DefKind::Impl
+        | DefKind::Closure
+        | DefKind::Generator => true,
+        DefKind::Mod
+        | DefKind::Field
+        | DefKind::ForeignMod
+        | DefKind::TyParam
+        | DefKind::ConstParam
+        | DefKind::Macro(..)
+        | DefKind::Use
+        | DefKind::LifetimeParam
+        | DefKind::GlobalAsm
+        | DefKind::ExternCrate => false,
+    }
+}
+
 impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
     fn encode_def_ids(&mut self) {
         if self.is_proc_macro {
@@ -864,6 +934,22 @@ fn encode_def_ids(&mut self) {
                 self.encode_const_stability(def_id);
                 self.encode_deprecation(def_id);
             }
+            if should_encode_variances(def_kind) {
+                let v = self.tcx.variances_of(def_id);
+                record!(self.tables.variances[def_id] <- v);
+            }
+            if should_encode_generics(def_kind) {
+                let g = tcx.generics_of(def_id);
+                record!(self.tables.generics[def_id] <- g);
+                record!(self.tables.explicit_predicates[def_id] <- self.tcx.explicit_predicates_of(def_id));
+                let inferred_outlives = self.tcx.inferred_outlives_of(def_id);
+                if !inferred_outlives.is_empty() {
+                    record!(self.tables.inferred_outlives[def_id] <- inferred_outlives);
+                }
+            }
+            if let DefKind::Trait | DefKind::TraitAlias = def_kind {
+                record!(self.tables.super_predicates[def_id] <- self.tcx.super_predicates_of(def_id));
+            }
         }
         let inherent_impls = tcx.crate_inherent_impls(LOCAL_CRATE);
         for (def_id, implementations) in inherent_impls.inherent_impls.iter() {
@@ -878,11 +964,6 @@ fn encode_def_ids(&mut self) {
         }
     }
 
-    fn encode_variances_of(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
-        debug!("EncodeContext::encode_variances_of({:?})", def_id);
-        record!(self.tables.variances[def_id] <- self.tcx.variances_of(def_id));
-    }
-
     fn encode_item_type(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
         debug!("EncodeContext::encode_item_type({:?})", def_id);
         record!(self.tables.ty[def_id] <- self.tcx.type_of(def_id));
@@ -913,12 +994,7 @@ fn encode_enum_variant_info(&mut self, def: &ty::AdtDef, index: VariantIdx) {
             if let Some(ctor_def_id) = variant.ctor_def_id {
                 record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(ctor_def_id));
             }
-            // FIXME(eddyb) is this ever used?
-            self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
     }
 
     fn encode_enum_variant_ctor(&mut self, def: &ty::AdtDef, index: VariantIdx) {
@@ -939,11 +1015,7 @@ fn encode_enum_variant_ctor(&mut self, def: &ty::AdtDef, index: VariantIdx) {
         self.encode_item_type(def_id);
         if variant.ctor_kind == CtorKind::Fn {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
-            self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
     }
 
     fn encode_info_for_mod(&mut self, local_def_id: LocalDefId, md: &hir::Mod<'_>) {
@@ -1002,9 +1074,6 @@ fn encode_field(
         record!(self.tables.kind[def_id] <- EntryKind::Field);
         self.encode_ident_span(def_id, field.ident);
         self.encode_item_type(def_id);
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
     }
 
     fn encode_struct_ctor(&mut self, adt_def: &ty::AdtDef, def_id: DefId) {
@@ -1023,35 +1092,7 @@ fn encode_struct_ctor(&mut self, adt_def: &ty::AdtDef, def_id: DefId) {
         self.encode_item_type(def_id);
         if variant.ctor_kind == CtorKind::Fn {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
-            self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
-    }
-
-    fn encode_generics(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
-        debug!("EncodeContext::encode_generics({:?})", def_id);
-        record!(self.tables.generics[def_id] <- self.tcx.generics_of(def_id));
-    }
-
-    fn encode_explicit_predicates(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
-        debug!("EncodeContext::encode_explicit_predicates({:?})", def_id);
-        record!(self.tables.explicit_predicates[def_id] <-
-            self.tcx.explicit_predicates_of(def_id));
-    }
-
-    fn encode_inferred_outlives(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
-        debug!("EncodeContext::encode_inferred_outlives({:?})", def_id);
-        let inferred_outlives = self.tcx.inferred_outlives_of(def_id);
-        if !inferred_outlives.is_empty() {
-            record!(self.tables.inferred_outlives[def_id] <- inferred_outlives);
-        }
-    }
-
-    fn encode_super_predicates(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
-        debug!("EncodeContext::encode_super_predicates({:?})", def_id);
-        record!(self.tables.super_predicates[def_id] <- self.tcx.super_predicates_of(def_id));
     }
 
     fn encode_explicit_item_bounds(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
@@ -1128,11 +1169,7 @@ fn encode_info_for_trait_item(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
         }
         if trait_item.kind == ty::AssocKind::Fn {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
-            self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
     }
 
     fn encode_info_for_impl_item(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
@@ -1189,11 +1226,7 @@ fn encode_info_for_impl_item(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
         self.encode_item_type(def_id);
         if impl_item.kind == ty::AssocKind::Fn {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
-            self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
     }
 
     fn encode_fn_param_names_for_body(&mut self, body_id: hir::BodyId) -> Lazy<[Ident]> {
@@ -1458,37 +1491,6 @@ fn encode_info_for_item(&mut self, def_id: DefId, item: &'tcx hir::Item<'tcx>) {
                 record!(self.tables.impl_trait_ref[def_id] <- trait_ref);
             }
         }
-        match item.kind {
-            hir::ItemKind::Enum(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Struct(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Union(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Fn(..) => self.encode_variances_of(def_id),
-            _ => {}
-        }
-        match item.kind {
-            hir::ItemKind::Static(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Const(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Fn(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::TyAlias(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Enum(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Struct(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Union(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Impl { .. }
-            | hir::ItemKind::OpaqueTy(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::Trait(..)
-            | hir::ItemKind::TraitAlias(..) => {
-                self.encode_generics(def_id);
-                self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-                self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
-            }
-            _ => {}
-        }
-        match item.kind {
-            hir::ItemKind::Trait(..) | hir::ItemKind::TraitAlias(..) => {
-                self.encode_super_predicates(def_id);
-            }
-            _ => {}
-        }
     }
 
     /// Serialize the text of exported macros
@@ -1529,7 +1531,6 @@ fn encode_info_for_closure(&mut self, def_id: LocalDefId) {
         if let ty::Closure(def_id, substs) = *ty.kind() {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- substs.as_closure().sig());
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id.to_def_id());
     }
 
     fn encode_info_for_anon_const(&mut self, def_id: LocalDefId) {
@@ -1541,9 +1542,6 @@ fn encode_info_for_anon_const(&mut self, def_id: LocalDefId) {
 
         record!(self.tables.kind[def_id.to_def_id()] <- EntryKind::AnonConst(qualifs, const_data));
         self.encode_item_type(def_id.to_def_id());
-        self.encode_generics(def_id.to_def_id());
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id.to_def_id());
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id.to_def_id());
     }
 
     fn encode_native_libraries(&mut self) -> Lazy<[NativeLib]> {
@@ -1822,11 +1820,7 @@ fn encode_info_for_foreign_item(&mut self, def_id: DefId, nitem: &hir::ForeignIt
         self.encode_item_type(def_id);
         if let hir::ForeignItemKind::Fn(..) = nitem.kind {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
-            self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
     }
 }