diff --git a/compiler/frontend/src/org/jetbrains/jet/lang/psi/JetPsiUtil.java b/compiler/frontend/src/org/jetbrains/jet/lang/psi/JetPsiUtil.java
index 193e4d5cee3..a35cf47b33f 100644
--- a/compiler/frontend/src/org/jetbrains/jet/lang/psi/JetPsiUtil.java
+++ b/compiler/frontend/src/org/jetbrains/jet/lang/psi/JetPsiUtil.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import com.google.common.base.Function;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 import com.intellij.lang.ASTNode;
 import com.intellij.psi.PsiElement;
+import com.intellij.psi.PsiFile;
 import com.intellij.psi.impl.CheckUtil;
 import com.intellij.psi.impl.source.codeStyle.CodeEditUtil;
 import com.intellij.psi.tree.IElementType;
@@ -534,4 +535,28 @@ public class JetPsiUtil {
         List<JetElement> statements = blockExpression.getStatements();
         return statements.isEmpty() ? null : statements.get(statements.size() - 1);
     }
+
+    @Nullable
+    public static JetClassOrObject getOutermostClassOrObject(@NotNull JetClassOrObject classOrObject) {
+        JetClassOrObject current = classOrObject;
+        while (true) {
+            PsiElement parent = current.getParent();
+            assert classOrObject.getParent() != null : "Class with no parent: " + classOrObject.getText();
+
+            if (parent instanceof PsiFile) {
+                return current;
+            }
+            if (parent instanceof JetClassObject) {
+                // current class IS the class object declaration
+                parent = parent.getParent();
+                assert parent instanceof JetClassBody : "Parent of class object is not a class body: " + parent;
+            }
+            if (!(parent instanceof JetClassBody)) {
+                // It is a local class, no legitimate outer
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            current = (JetClassOrObject) parent.getParent();
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/jet.as.java.psi/src/org/jetbrains/jet/asJava/KotlinLightClassForExplicitDeclaration.java b/compiler/jet.as.java.psi/src/org/jetbrains/jet/asJava/KotlinLightClassForExplicitDeclaration.java
index 660ef482d63..872921375c8 100644
--- a/compiler/jet.as.java.psi/src/org/jetbrains/jet/asJava/KotlinLightClassForExplicitDeclaration.java
+++ b/compiler/jet.as.java.psi/src/org/jetbrains/jet/asJava/KotlinLightClassForExplicitDeclaration.java
@@ -150,25 +150,12 @@ public class KotlinLightClassForExplicitDeclaration extends AbstractLightClass i
 
     @NotNull
     private static JetClassOrObject getOutermostClassOrObject(@NotNull JetClassOrObject classOrObject) {
-        JetClassOrObject current = classOrObject;
-        while (true) {
-            PsiElement parent = current.getParent();
-            assert classOrObject.getParent() != null : "Class with no parent: " + classOrObject.getText();
-
-            if (parent instanceof PsiFile) {
-                return current;
-            }
-            if (parent instanceof JetClassObject) {
-                // current class IS the class object declaration
-                parent = parent.getParent();
-                assert parent instanceof JetClassBody : "Parent of class object is not a class body: " + parent;
-            }
-            if (!(parent instanceof JetClassBody)) {
-                // It is a local class, no legitimate outer
-                throw new IllegalStateException("Attempt to build a light class for a local class: " + classOrObject.getText());
-            }
-
-            current = (JetClassOrObject) parent.getParent();
+        JetClassOrObject outermostClass = JetPsiUtil.getOutermostClassOrObject(classOrObject);
+        if (outermostClass == null) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("Attempt to build a light class for a local class: " + classOrObject.getText());
+        }
+        else {
+            return outermostClass;
         }
     }