diff --git a/gcc/tree.c b/gcc/tree.c
index d38a87daf1f9..a12df1cb9f0d 100644
--- a/gcc/tree.c
+++ b/gcc/tree.c
@@ -3850,6 +3850,45 @@ build_function_type_list (tree return_type, ...)
   return args;
 }
 
+/* Build a METHOD_TYPE for a member of BASETYPE.  The RETTYPE (a TYPE)
+   and ARGTYPES (a TREE_LIST) are the return type and arguments types
+   for the method.  An implicit additional parameter (of type
+   pointer-to-BASETYPE) is added to the ARGTYPES.  */
+
+tree
+build_method_type_directly (tree basetype,
+			    tree rettype,
+			    tree argtypes)
+{
+  tree t;
+  tree ptype;
+  int hashcode;
+
+  /* Make a node of the sort we want.  */
+  t = make_node (METHOD_TYPE);
+
+  TYPE_METHOD_BASETYPE (t) = TYPE_MAIN_VARIANT (basetype);
+  TREE_TYPE (t) = rettype;
+  ptype = build_pointer_type (basetype);
+
+  /* The actual arglist for this function includes a "hidden" argument
+     which is "this".  Put it into the list of argument types.  */
+  argtypes = tree_cons (NULL_TREE, ptype, argtypes);
+  TYPE_ARG_TYPES (t) = argtypes;
+
+  /* If we already have such a type, use the old one and free this one.
+     Note that it also frees up the above cons cell if found.  */
+  hashcode = TYPE_HASH (basetype) + TYPE_HASH (rettype) +
+    type_hash_list (argtypes);
+
+  t = type_hash_canon (hashcode, t);
+
+  if (!COMPLETE_TYPE_P (t))
+    layout_type (t);
+
+  return t;
+}
+
 /* Construct, lay out and return the type of methods belonging to class
    BASETYPE and whose arguments and values are described by TYPE.
    If that type exists already, reuse it.
@@ -3858,33 +3897,12 @@ build_function_type_list (tree return_type, ...)
 tree
 build_method_type (tree basetype, tree type)
 {
-  tree t;
-  unsigned int hashcode;
-
-  /* Make a node of the sort we want.  */
-  t = make_node (METHOD_TYPE);
-
   if (TREE_CODE (type) != FUNCTION_TYPE)
     abort ();
 
-  TYPE_METHOD_BASETYPE (t) = TYPE_MAIN_VARIANT (basetype);
-  TREE_TYPE (t) = TREE_TYPE (type);
-
-  /* The actual arglist for this function includes a "hidden" argument
-     which is "this".  Put it into the list of argument types.  */
-
-  TYPE_ARG_TYPES (t)
-    = tree_cons (NULL_TREE,
-		 build_pointer_type (basetype), TYPE_ARG_TYPES (type));
-
-  /* If we already have such a type, use the old one and free this one.  */
-  hashcode = TYPE_HASH (basetype) + TYPE_HASH (type);
-  t = type_hash_canon (hashcode, t);
-
-  if (!COMPLETE_TYPE_P (t))
-    layout_type (t);
-
-  return t;
+  return build_method_type_directly (basetype, 
+				     TREE_TYPE (type),
+				     TYPE_ARG_TYPES (type));
 }
 
 /* Construct, lay out and return the type of offsets to a value