diff --git a/src/rustc/metadata.rs b/src/rustc/metadata.rs
index 5248b9e0cc83..61ba70e73e73 100644
--- a/src/rustc/metadata.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/metadata.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ mod middle {
     export borrowck;
     import alias = middle_::alias;
     export alias;
+    import astencode = middle_::astencode;
+    export astencode;
 }
 
 mod front {
diff --git a/src/rustc/metadata/decoder.rs b/src/rustc/metadata/decoder.rs
index f634c3b6639f..4ec7a7af3400 100644
--- a/src/rustc/metadata/decoder.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/metadata/decoder.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import syntax::print::pprust;
 import cmd=cstore::crate_metadata;
 import util::ppaux::ty_to_str;
 import ebml::deserializer;
+import middle::astencode;
 
 export get_class_fields;
 export get_symbol;
diff --git a/src/rustc/metadata/encoder.rs b/src/rustc/metadata/encoder.rs
index 3afa3776ccac..4b713d68559e 100644
--- a/src/rustc/metadata/encoder.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/metadata/encoder.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import std::ebml::serializer;
 import middle::resolve;
 import syntax::ast;
 import driver::session::session;
+import middle::astencode;
 
 export encode_parms;
 export encode_metadata;
diff --git a/src/rustc/metadata/astencode.rs b/src/rustc/middle/astencode.rs
similarity index 99%
rename from src/rustc/metadata/astencode.rs
rename to src/rustc/middle/astencode.rs
index 315836fc0c34..b78c94de663b 100644
--- a/src/rustc/metadata/astencode.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/middle/astencode.rs
@@ -27,8 +27,15 @@ import driver::session::session;
 import middle::freevars::{freevar_entry,
                           serialize_freevar_entry,
                           deserialize_freevar_entry};
-import c = common;
-import e = encoder;
+import c = metadata::common;
+import e = metadata::encoder;
+import cstore = metadata::cstore;
+import metadata::maps;
+import metadata::encoder;
+import metadata::decoder;
+import metadata::tyencode;
+import metadata::tydecode;
+
 
 // used in testing:
 import syntax::diagnostic;
diff --git a/src/rustc/rustc.rc b/src/rustc/rustc.rc
index 21623f45f5c6..378091da2e91 100644
--- a/src/rustc/rustc.rc
+++ b/src/rustc/rustc.rc
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ mod middle {
     mod region;
     mod regionck;
     mod const_eval;
+    mod astencode;
 
     mod tstate {
         mod ck;
@@ -106,11 +107,14 @@ mod metadata {
     export creader;
     export cstore;
     export csearch;
+    export common;
+    export decoder;
+    export tyencode;
+    export tydecode;
 
     mod common;
     mod tyencode;
     mod tydecode;
-    mod astencode;
     mod encoder;
     mod decoder;
     mod creader;