diff --git a/mlir/include/mlir/Dialect/SparseTensor/Utils/Merger.h b/mlir/include/mlir/Dialect/SparseTensor/Utils/Merger.h
--- a/mlir/include/mlir/Dialect/SparseTensor/Utils/Merger.h
+++ b/mlir/include/mlir/Dialect/SparseTensor/Utils/Merger.h
@@ -267,6 +267,11 @@
     return ldx >= numNativeLoops;
   }
 
+  /// Returns true if the expression is `(kTensor t)`.
+  bool expIsTensor(unsigned e, unsigned t) const {
+    return tensorExps[e].kind == kTensor && tensorExps[e].tensor == t;
+  }
+
   /// Returns true if the expression contains the `t` as an operand.
   bool expContainsTensor(unsigned e, unsigned t) const;
 
diff --git a/mlir/lib/Dialect/SparseTensor/Utils/Merger.cpp b/mlir/lib/Dialect/SparseTensor/Utils/Merger.cpp
--- a/mlir/lib/Dialect/SparseTensor/Utils/Merger.cpp
+++ b/mlir/lib/Dialect/SparseTensor/Utils/Merger.cpp
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@
     if (p0 != p1) {
       // Is this a straightforward copy?
       unsigned e = latPoints[p1].exp;
-      if (tensorExps[e].kind == kTensor && tensorExps[e].tensor == outTensor)
+      if (expIsTensor(e, outTensor))
         continue;
       // Conjunction already covered?
       for (unsigned p2 : latSets[s]) {
@@ -405,15 +405,14 @@
     return false;
   case ExpArity::kUnary: {
     unsigned op = tensorExps[e].children.e0;
-    if (tensorExps[op].kind == kTensor && tensorExps[op].tensor == t)
+    if (expIsTensor(op, t))
       return true;
     return expContainsTensor(op, t);
   }
   case ExpArity::kBinary: {
     unsigned op1 = tensorExps[e].children.e0;
     unsigned op2 = tensorExps[e].children.e1;
-    if ((tensorExps[op1].kind == kTensor && tensorExps[op1].tensor == t) ||
-        (tensorExps[op2].kind == kTensor && tensorExps[op2].tensor == t))
+    if (expIsTensor(op1, t) || expIsTensor(op2, t))
       return true;
     return expContainsTensor(op1, t) || expContainsTensor(op2, t);
   }