diff --git a/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/late/diagnostics.rs b/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/late/diagnostics.rs
index a675a1fb78bb..6923ca7ef1bf 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/late/diagnostics.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_resolve/src/late/diagnostics.rs
@@ -1462,7 +1462,7 @@ impl<'a: 'ast, 'ast> LateResolutionVisitor<'a, '_, 'ast> {
                                     .map(|span| {
                                         (
                                             *span,
-                                            if span.lo() == span.hi() { "pub " } else { "pub" }
+                                            if span.is_empty() { "pub " } else { "pub" }
                                                 .to_string(),
                                         )
                                     })