diff --git a/compiler/can/src/def.rs b/compiler/can/src/def.rs
index 5e5430eabc..ed3d9fb2a8 100644
--- a/compiler/can/src/def.rs
+++ b/compiler/can/src/def.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 use crate::annotation::canonicalize_annotation;
 use crate::annotation::IntroducedVariables;
 use crate::env::Env;
-use crate::expr::references_from_call_better;
-use crate::expr::references_from_local_better;
+use crate::expr::references_from;
 use crate::expr::ClosureData;
 use crate::expr::Expr::{self, *};
-use crate::expr::{
-    canonicalize_expr, local_successors, references_from_call, references_from_local, Output,
-    Recursive,
-};
+use crate::expr::{canonicalize_expr, local_successors, Output, Recursive};
 use crate::pattern::{bindings_from_patterns, canonicalize_pattern, Pattern};
 use crate::procedure::References;
 use crate::scope::create_alias;
@@ -434,11 +430,6 @@ fn find_used_defs(
     refs_by_def: &MutMap<Symbol, (Region, References)>,
     closures: &MutMap<Symbol, References>,
 ) -> References {
-    // Determine the full set of references by traversing the graph.
-    let mut visited_symbols = MutSet::default();
-
-    let mut output_references = References::default();
-
     // Start with the return expression's referenced locals. They're the only ones that count!
     //
     // If I have two defs which reference each other, but neither of them is referenced
@@ -450,27 +441,13 @@ fn find_used_defs(
     // def as a whole references both `a` *and* `b`, even though it doesn't
     // directly mention `b` - because `a` depends on `b`. If we didn't traverse a graph here,
     // we'd erroneously give a warning that `b` was unused since it wasn't directly referenced.
-    for symbol in value_lookups.iter().copied() {
-        // We only care about local symbols in this analysis.
-        if symbol.module_id() == home {
-            // Traverse the graph and look up *all* the references for this local symbol.
-            let refs =
-                references_from_local_better(symbol, &mut visited_symbols, refs_by_def, closures);
+    let locals = value_lookups
+        .iter()
+        .copied()
+        .filter(|symbol| symbol.module_id() == home);
+    let calls = calls.iter().copied();
 
-            output_references = output_references.union(refs);
-        }
-    }
-
-    for symbol in calls.iter().copied() {
-        // Traverse the graph and look up *all* the references for this call.
-        // Reuse the same visited_symbols as before; if we already visited it,
-        // we won't learn anything new from visiting it again!
-        let refs = references_from_call_better(symbol, &mut visited_symbols, refs_by_def, closures);
-
-        output_references = output_references.union(refs);
-    }
-
-    output_references
+    references_from(locals, calls, refs_by_def, closures)
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
diff --git a/compiler/can/src/expr.rs b/compiler/can/src/expr.rs
index 65668696d0..400b39bcda 100644
--- a/compiler/can/src/expr.rs
+++ b/compiler/can/src/expr.rs
@@ -1153,50 +1153,32 @@ enum ReferencesFrom {
     Call(Symbol),
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn references_from_local_better<'a, T>(
-    initial: Symbol,
-    visited: &'a mut MutSet<Symbol>,
+pub(crate) fn references_from<'a, T>(
+    locals: impl IntoIterator<Item = Symbol>,
+    calls: impl IntoIterator<Item = Symbol>,
     refs_by_def: &'a MutMap<Symbol, (T, References)>,
     closures: &'a MutMap<Symbol, References>,
 ) -> References
 where
     T: Debug,
 {
-    references_from_help(
-        ReferencesFrom::Local(initial),
-        visited,
-        refs_by_def,
-        closures,
-    )
-}
+    let mut stack = Vec::new();
 
-pub(crate) fn references_from_call_better<'a, T>(
-    initial: Symbol,
-    visited: &'a mut MutSet<Symbol>,
-    refs_by_def: &'a MutMap<Symbol, (T, References)>,
-    closures: &'a MutMap<Symbol, References>,
-) -> References
-where
-    T: Debug,
-{
-    references_from_help(
-        ReferencesFrom::Call(initial),
-        visited,
-        refs_by_def,
-        closures,
-    )
+    stack.extend(locals.into_iter().map(ReferencesFrom::Local));
+    stack.extend(calls.into_iter().map(ReferencesFrom::Call));
+
+    references_from_help(stack, refs_by_def, closures)
 }
 
 fn references_from_help<'a, T>(
-    initial: ReferencesFrom,
-    visited: &'a mut MutSet<Symbol>,
+    mut stack: Vec<ReferencesFrom>,
     refs_by_def: &'a MutMap<Symbol, (T, References)>,
     closures: &'a MutMap<Symbol, References>,
 ) -> References
 where
     T: Debug,
 {
-    let mut stack: Vec<ReferencesFrom> = vec![initial];
+    let mut visited = Vec::new();
     let mut result = References::default();
 
     while let Some(job) = stack.pop() {
@@ -1207,7 +1189,7 @@ where
                         continue;
                     }
 
-                    visited.insert(defined_symbol);
+                    visited.push(defined_symbol);
 
                     for local in refs.value_lookups.iter() {
                         stack.push(ReferencesFrom::Local(*local));
@@ -1228,7 +1210,7 @@ where
                         continue;
                     }
 
-                    visited.insert(call_symbol);
+                    visited.push(call_symbol);
 
                     result = result.union(references.clone());