diff --git a/vp9/common/vp9_findnearmv.h b/vp9/common/vp9_findnearmv.h
index ad0d882b9..50dfdc7fb 100644
--- a/vp9/common/vp9_findnearmv.h
+++ b/vp9/common/vp9_findnearmv.h
@@ -55,13 +55,11 @@ static MB_PREDICTION_MODE left_block_mode(const MODE_INFO *cur_mb,
     if (!mi)
       return DC_PRED;
 
-    if (mi->mbmi.ref_frame[0] != INTRA_FRAME) {
+    if (is_inter_block(&mi->mbmi))
       return DC_PRED;
-    } else if (mi->mbmi.sb_type < BLOCK_8X8) {
-      return ((mi->bmi + 1 + b)->as_mode);
-    } else {
-      return mi->mbmi.mode;
-    }
+    else
+      return mi->mbmi.sb_type < BLOCK_8X8 ? (mi->bmi + 1 + b)->as_mode
+                                          : mi->mbmi.mode;
   }
   assert(b == 1 || b == 3);
   return (mi->bmi + b - 1)->as_mode;
@@ -77,13 +75,11 @@ static MB_PREDICTION_MODE above_block_mode(const MODE_INFO *cur_mb,
     if (!mi)
       return DC_PRED;
 
-    if (mi->mbmi.ref_frame[0] != INTRA_FRAME) {
+    if (is_inter_block(&mi->mbmi))
       return DC_PRED;
-    } else if (mi->mbmi.sb_type < BLOCK_8X8) {
-      return ((mi->bmi + 2 + b)->as_mode);
-    } else {
-      return mi->mbmi.mode;
-    }
+    else
+      return mi->mbmi.sb_type < BLOCK_8X8 ? (mi->bmi + 2 + b)->as_mode
+                                          : mi->mbmi.mode;
   }
 
   return (mi->bmi + b - 2)->as_mode;
diff --git a/vp9/common/vp9_reconinter.c b/vp9/common/vp9_reconinter.c
index 0f2e4e999..18407dd73 100644
--- a/vp9/common/vp9_reconinter.c
+++ b/vp9/common/vp9_reconinter.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ static void build_inter_predictors(int plane, int block, BLOCK_SIZE bsize,
   const int x = 4 * (block & ((1 << bwl) - 1));
   const int y = 4 * (block >> bwl);
   const MODE_INFO *mi = xd->this_mi;
-  const int use_second_ref = mi->mbmi.ref_frame[1] > 0;
+  const int is_compound = has_second_ref(&mi->mbmi);
   int ref;
 
   assert(x < bw);
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ static void build_inter_predictors(int plane, int block, BLOCK_SIZE bsize,
   assert(mi->mbmi.sb_type < BLOCK_8X8 || 4 << pred_w == bw);
   assert(mi->mbmi.sb_type < BLOCK_8X8 || 4 << pred_h == bh);
 
-  for (ref = 0; ref < 1 + use_second_ref; ++ref) {
+  for (ref = 0; ref < 1 + is_compound; ++ref) {
     struct scale_factors *const scale = &xd->scale_factor[ref];
     struct buf_2d *const pre_buf = &pd->pre[ref];
     struct buf_2d *const dst_buf = &pd->dst;
diff --git a/vp9/encoder/vp9_encodeframe.c b/vp9/encoder/vp9_encodeframe.c
index d138580b0..f6045e80b 100644
--- a/vp9/encoder/vp9_encodeframe.c
+++ b/vp9/encoder/vp9_encodeframe.c
@@ -2736,7 +2736,7 @@ static void encode_superblock(VP9_COMP *cpi, TOKENEXTRA **t, int output_enabled,
     int idx = cm->ref_frame_map[get_ref_frame_idx(cpi, mbmi->ref_frame[0])];
     YV12_BUFFER_CONFIG *ref_fb = &cm->yv12_fb[idx];
     YV12_BUFFER_CONFIG *second_ref_fb = NULL;
-    if (mbmi->ref_frame[1] > 0) {
+    if (has_second_ref(mbmi)) {
       idx = cm->ref_frame_map[get_ref_frame_idx(cpi, mbmi->ref_frame[1])];
       second_ref_fb = &cm->yv12_fb[idx];
     }
diff --git a/vp9/encoder/vp9_rdopt.c b/vp9/encoder/vp9_rdopt.c
index 8b911e669..bb14df170 100644
--- a/vp9/encoder/vp9_rdopt.c
+++ b/vp9/encoder/vp9_rdopt.c
@@ -2672,7 +2672,7 @@ static int64_t handle_inter_mode(VP9_COMP *cpi, MACROBLOCK *x,
   VP9_COMMON *cm = &cpi->common;
   MACROBLOCKD *xd = &x->e_mbd;
   MB_MODE_INFO *mbmi = &xd->this_mi->mbmi;
-  const int is_comp_pred = (mbmi->ref_frame[1] > 0);
+  const int is_comp_pred = has_second_ref(mbmi);
   const int num_refs = is_comp_pred ? 2 : 1;
   const int this_mode = mbmi->mode;
   int_mv *frame_mv = mode_mv[this_mode];
@@ -4044,13 +4044,11 @@ int64_t vp9_rd_pick_inter_mode_sb(VP9_COMP *cpi, MACROBLOCK *x,
   if (best_mbmode.ref_frame[0] != INTRA_FRAME &&
       best_mbmode.sb_type < BLOCK_8X8) {
     for (i = 0; i < 4; i++)
-      xd->this_mi->bmi[i].as_mv[0].as_int =
-          best_bmodes[i].as_mv[0].as_int;
+      xd->this_mi->bmi[i].as_mv[0].as_int = best_bmodes[i].as_mv[0].as_int;
 
-    if (mbmi->ref_frame[1] > 0)
+    if (has_second_ref(mbmi))
       for (i = 0; i < 4; i++)
-        xd->this_mi->bmi[i].as_mv[1].as_int =
-            best_bmodes[i].as_mv[1].as_int;
+        xd->this_mi->bmi[i].as_mv[1].as_int = best_bmodes[i].as_mv[1].as_int;
 
     *x->partition_info = best_partition;