diff --git a/tests/compile-fail/weak_memory/imperfectly_overlapping.rs b/tests/compile-fail/weak_memory/imperfectly_overlapping.rs
index e3f89b5b684..6f91e147fa8 100644
--- a/tests/compile-fail/weak_memory/imperfectly_overlapping.rs
+++ b/tests/compile-fail/weak_memory/imperfectly_overlapping.rs
@@ -6,21 +6,26 @@ use std::intrinsics::atomic_load;
 use std::sync::atomic::Ordering::*;
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU16, AtomicU32};
 
+fn split_u32(dword: &mut u32) -> &mut [u16; 2] {
+    unsafe { std::mem::transmute::<&mut u32, &mut [u16; 2]>(dword) }
+}
+
 fn test_same_thread() {
-    let mut qword = AtomicU32::new(42);
-    assert_eq!(qword.load(Relaxed), 42);
-    qword.store(0xabbafafa, Relaxed);
+    let mut dword = AtomicU32::new(42);
+    assert_eq!(dword.load(Relaxed), 42);
+    dword.store(0xabbafafa, Relaxed);
 
-    let qword_mut = qword.get_mut();
+    let dword_mut = dword.get_mut();
 
-    let dwords_mut = unsafe { std::mem::transmute::<&mut u32, &mut [u16; 2]>(qword_mut) };
+    let words_mut = split_u32(dword_mut);
 
-    let (hi_mut, lo_mut) = dwords_mut.split_at_mut(1);
+    let (hi_mut, lo_mut) = words_mut.split_at_mut(1);
 
     let (hi, _) = (AtomicU16::from_mut(&mut hi_mut[0]), AtomicU16::from_mut(&mut lo_mut[0]));
 
     unsafe {
-        //Equivalent to: hi.load(Ordering::SeqCst)
+        // Equivalent to: hi.load(Ordering::SeqCst)
+        // We need to use intrisics to for precise error location
         atomic_load(hi.get_mut() as *mut u16); //~ ERROR: mixed-size access on an existing atomic object
     }
 }