diff --git a/compiler/rustc_metadata/src/rmeta/encoder.rs b/compiler/rustc_metadata/src/rmeta/encoder.rs
index 7e33a479228ba..02ebaa8502f46 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_metadata/src/rmeta/encoder.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_metadata/src/rmeta/encoder.rs
@@ -758,9 +758,7 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             // FIXME(eddyb) is this ever used?
             self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
+        self.encode_bounds(def_id);
         self.encode_optimized_mir(def_id.expect_local());
         self.encode_promoted_mir(def_id.expect_local());
     }
@@ -789,9 +787,7 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
             self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
+        self.encode_bounds(def_id);
         self.encode_optimized_mir(def_id.expect_local());
         self.encode_promoted_mir(def_id.expect_local());
     }
@@ -868,9 +864,7 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
         self.encode_stability(def_id);
         self.encode_deprecation(def_id);
         self.encode_item_type(def_id);
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
+        self.encode_bounds(def_id);
     }
 
     fn encode_struct_ctor(&mut self, adt_def: &ty::AdtDef, def_id: DefId) {
@@ -896,9 +890,7 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
             self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
+        self.encode_bounds(def_id);
         self.encode_optimized_mir(def_id.expect_local());
         self.encode_promoted_mir(def_id.expect_local());
     }
@@ -908,14 +900,11 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
         record!(self.tables.generics[def_id] <- self.tcx.generics_of(def_id));
     }
 
-    fn encode_explicit_predicates(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
-        debug!("EncodeContext::encode_explicit_predicates({:?})", def_id);
+    fn encode_bounds(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
+        debug!("EncodeContext::encode_bounds({:?})", def_id);
+        self.encode_generics(def_id);
         record!(self.tables.explicit_predicates[def_id] <-
             self.tcx.explicit_predicates_of(def_id));
-    }
-
-    fn encode_inferred_outlives(&mut self, def_id: DefId) {
-        debug!("EncodeContext::encode_inferred_outlives({:?})", def_id);
         let inferred_outlives = self.tcx.inferred_outlives_of(def_id);
         if !inferred_outlives.is_empty() {
             record!(self.tables.inferred_outlives[def_id] <- inferred_outlives);
@@ -1013,9 +1002,7 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
             self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
+        self.encode_bounds(def_id);
 
         // This should be kept in sync with `PrefetchVisitor.visit_trait_item`.
         self.encode_optimized_mir(def_id.expect_local());
@@ -1086,9 +1073,7 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
             self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
+        self.encode_bounds(def_id);
 
         // The following part should be kept in sync with `PrefetchVisitor.visit_impl_item`.
 
@@ -1196,12 +1181,34 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
         self.lazy(rendered_const)
     }
 
+    /// Common encoding operations between [`encode_info_for_item`] and [`encode_info_for_foreign_item`].
+    ///
+    /// [`encode_info_for_item`]: EncodeContext::encode_info_for_item
+    /// [`encode_info_for_foreign_item`]: EncodeContext::encode_info_for_foreign_item
+    fn encode_info_for_item_foreign_item_common(
+        &mut self,
+        def_id: DefId,
+        attrs: &'_ [ast::Attribute],
+        ident: Ident,
+    ) {
+        record!(self.tables.visibility[def_id] <- self.tcx.visibility(def_id));
+        record!(self.tables.span[def_id] <- self.tcx.def_span(def_id));
+        record!(self.tables.attributes[def_id] <- attrs);
+        self.encode_ident_span(def_id, ident);
+        self.encode_stability(def_id);
+        self.encode_const_stability(def_id);
+        self.encode_deprecation(def_id);
+        self.encode_inherent_implementations(def_id);
+    }
+
     fn encode_info_for_item(&mut self, def_id: DefId, item: &'tcx hir::Item<'tcx>) {
         let tcx = self.tcx;
 
         debug!("EncodeContext::encode_info_for_item({:?})", def_id);
 
-        self.encode_ident_span(def_id, item.ident);
+        // Must be at top of function, so ident span encoding happens early
+        // Otherwise later operations panic with 'Missing ident span ...'
+        self.encode_info_for_item_foreign_item_common(def_id, item.attrs, item.ident);
 
         record!(self.tables.kind[def_id] <- match item.kind {
             hir::ItemKind::Static(_, hir::Mutability::Mut, _) => EntryKind::MutStatic,
@@ -1314,9 +1321,6 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             hir::ItemKind::ExternCrate(_) |
             hir::ItemKind::Use(..) => bug!("cannot encode info for item {:?}", item),
         });
-        record!(self.tables.visibility[def_id] <- self.tcx.visibility(def_id));
-        record!(self.tables.span[def_id] <- self.tcx.def_span(def_id));
-        record!(self.tables.attributes[def_id] <- item.attrs);
         record!(self.tables.expn_that_defined[def_id] <- self.tcx.expansion_that_defined(def_id));
         // FIXME(eddyb) there should be a nicer way to do this.
         match item.kind {
@@ -1351,9 +1355,6 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             }
             _ => {}
         }
-        self.encode_stability(def_id);
-        self.encode_const_stability(def_id);
-        self.encode_deprecation(def_id);
         match item.kind {
             hir::ItemKind::Static(..)
             | hir::ItemKind::Const(..)
@@ -1374,7 +1375,6 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
                 record!(self.tables.impl_trait_ref[def_id] <- trait_ref);
             }
         }
-        self.encode_inherent_implementations(def_id);
         match item.kind {
             hir::ItemKind::Enum(..)
             | hir::ItemKind::Struct(..)
@@ -1394,9 +1394,7 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             | hir::ItemKind::OpaqueTy(..)
             | hir::ItemKind::Trait(..)
             | hir::ItemKind::TraitAlias(..) => {
-                self.encode_generics(def_id);
-                self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-                self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
+                self.encode_bounds(def_id);
             }
             _ => {}
         }
@@ -1486,9 +1484,7 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
         record!(self.tables.kind[def_id.to_def_id()] <- EntryKind::AnonConst(qualifs, const_data));
         record!(self.tables.span[def_id.to_def_id()] <- self.tcx.def_span(def_id));
         self.encode_item_type(def_id.to_def_id());
-        self.encode_generics(def_id.to_def_id());
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id.to_def_id());
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id.to_def_id());
+        self.encode_bounds(def_id.to_def_id());
         self.encode_optimized_mir(def_id);
         self.encode_promoted_mir(def_id);
     }
@@ -1703,6 +1699,8 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
 
         debug!("EncodeContext::encode_info_for_foreign_item({:?})", def_id);
 
+        self.encode_info_for_item_foreign_item_common(def_id, nitem.attrs, nitem.ident);
+
         record!(self.tables.kind[def_id] <- match nitem.kind {
             hir::ForeignItemKind::Fn(_, ref names, _) => {
                 let data = FnData {
@@ -1720,22 +1718,12 @@ impl EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
             hir::ForeignItemKind::Static(_, hir::Mutability::Not) => EntryKind::ForeignImmStatic,
             hir::ForeignItemKind::Type => EntryKind::ForeignType,
         });
-        record!(self.tables.visibility[def_id] <- self.tcx.visibility(def_id));
-        record!(self.tables.span[def_id] <- nitem.span);
-        record!(self.tables.attributes[def_id] <- nitem.attrs);
-        self.encode_ident_span(def_id, nitem.ident);
-        self.encode_stability(def_id);
-        self.encode_const_stability(def_id);
-        self.encode_deprecation(def_id);
         self.encode_item_type(def_id);
-        self.encode_inherent_implementations(def_id);
         if let hir::ForeignItemKind::Fn(..) = nitem.kind {
             record!(self.tables.fn_sig[def_id] <- tcx.fn_sig(def_id));
             self.encode_variances_of(def_id);
         }
-        self.encode_generics(def_id);
-        self.encode_explicit_predicates(def_id);
-        self.encode_inferred_outlives(def_id);
+        self.encode_bounds(def_id);
     }
 }