diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/fold.rs b/src/librustc/ty/fold.rs
index 069dc0275cbb..c5b82730e488 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/fold.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/fold.rs
@@ -97,14 +97,19 @@ pub trait TypeFoldable<'tcx>: fmt::Debug + Clone {
     fn has_closure_types(&self) -> bool {
         self.has_type_flags(TypeFlags::HAS_TY_CLOSURE)
     }
-    fn has_erasable_regions(&self) -> bool {
-        self.has_type_flags(TypeFlags::HAS_RE_EARLY_BOUND |
-                            TypeFlags::HAS_RE_INFER |
-                            TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS)
+    /// "Free" regions in this context means that it has any region
+    /// that is not (a) erased or (b) late-bound.
+    fn has_free_regions(&self) -> bool {
+        self.has_type_flags(TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS)
     }
+
+    /// True if there any any un-erased free regions.
+    fn has_erasable_regions(&self) -> bool {
+        self.has_type_flags(TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS)
+    }
+
     fn is_normalized_for_trans(&self) -> bool {
-        !self.has_type_flags(TypeFlags::HAS_RE_EARLY_BOUND |
-                             TypeFlags::HAS_RE_INFER |
+        !self.has_type_flags(TypeFlags::HAS_RE_INFER |
                              TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS |
                              TypeFlags::HAS_TY_INFER |
                              TypeFlags::HAS_PARAMS |
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs b/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
index 4e1a79d4613e..9d088b95bbbb 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
@@ -421,8 +421,18 @@ bitflags! {
         const HAS_TY_INFER       = 1 << 2;
         const HAS_RE_INFER       = 1 << 3;
         const HAS_RE_SKOL        = 1 << 4;
+
+        /// Does this have any `ReEarlyBound` regions? Used to
+        /// determine whether substitition is required, since those
+        /// represent regions that are bound in a `ty::Generics` and
+        /// hence may be substituted.
         const HAS_RE_EARLY_BOUND = 1 << 5;
+
+        /// Does this have any region that "appears free" in the type?
+        /// Basically anything but `ReLateBound` and `ReErased`.
         const HAS_FREE_REGIONS   = 1 << 6;
+
+        /// Is an error type reachable?
         const HAS_TY_ERR         = 1 << 7;
         const HAS_PROJECTION     = 1 << 8;
 
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/sty.rs b/src/librustc/ty/sty.rs
index e085d1311c3f..2f72b3dde42f 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/sty.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/sty.rs
@@ -1184,18 +1184,29 @@ impl RegionKind {
 
         match *self {
             ty::ReVar(..) => {
+                flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS;
                 flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_RE_INFER;
                 flags = flags | TypeFlags::KEEP_IN_LOCAL_TCX;
             }
             ty::ReSkolemized(..) => {
+                flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS;
                 flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_RE_INFER;
                 flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_RE_SKOL;
                 flags = flags | TypeFlags::KEEP_IN_LOCAL_TCX;
             }
             ty::ReLateBound(..) => { }
-            ty::ReEarlyBound(..) => { flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_RE_EARLY_BOUND; }
-            ty::ReStatic | ty::ReErased => { }
-            _ => { flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS; }
+            ty::ReEarlyBound(..) => {
+                flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS;
+                flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_RE_EARLY_BOUND;
+            }
+            ty::ReEmpty |
+            ty::ReStatic |
+            ty::ReFree { .. } |
+            ty::ReScope { .. } => {
+                flags = flags | TypeFlags::HAS_FREE_REGIONS;
+            }
+            ty::ReErased => {
+            }
         }
 
         match *self {