diff --git a/src/items.rs b/src/items.rs
index 197f5403e7c..2224d9a5cb6 100644
--- a/src/items.rs
+++ b/src/items.rs
@@ -930,27 +930,35 @@ fn rewrite_explicit_self(explicit_self: &ast::ExplicitSelf, args: &[ast::Arg]) -
             }
         }
         ast::ExplicitSelf_::SelfExplicit(ref ty, _) => {
-            Some(format!("self: {}", pprust::ty_to_string(ty)))
+            assert!(!args.is_empty(), "&[ast::Arg] shouldn't be empty.");
+
+            let mutability = explicit_self_mutability(&args[0]);
+
+            Some(format!("{}self: {}",
+                         format_mutability(mutability),
+                         pprust::ty_to_string(ty)))
         }
         ast::ExplicitSelf_::SelfValue(_) => {
-            assert!(args.len() >= 1, "&[ast::Arg] shouldn't be empty.");
+            assert!(!args.is_empty(), "&[ast::Arg] shouldn't be empty.");
 
-            // this hacky solution caused by absence of `Mutability` in `SelfValue`.
-            let mut_str = {
-                if let ast::Pat_::PatIdent(ast::BindingMode::BindByValue(mutability), _, _) =
-                       args[0].pat.node {
-                    format_mutability(mutability)
-                } else {
-                    panic!("there is a bug or change in structure of AST, aborting.");
-                }
-            };
+            let mutability = explicit_self_mutability(&args[0]);
 
-            Some(format!("{}self", mut_str))
+            Some(format!("{}self", format_mutability(mutability)))
         }
         _ => None,
     }
 }
 
+// Hacky solution caused by absence of `Mutability` in `SelfValue` and
+// `SelfExplicit` variants of `ast::ExplicitSelf_`.
+fn explicit_self_mutability(arg: &ast::Arg) -> ast::Mutability {
+    if let ast::Pat_::PatIdent(ast::BindingMode::BindByValue(mutability), _, _) = arg.pat.node {
+        mutability
+    } else {
+        unreachable!()
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn span_lo_for_arg(arg: &ast::Arg) -> BytePos {
     if is_named_arg(arg) {
         arg.pat.span.lo
diff --git a/tests/source/impls.rs b/tests/source/impls.rs
index 4382c4fd0e6..016350ca6d6 100644
--- a/tests/source/impls.rs
+++ b/tests/source/impls.rs
@@ -58,3 +58,5 @@ impl Blah {
     fn boop() {}
     add_fun!();
 }
+
+impl X { fn do_parse(  mut  self : X ) {} }
diff --git a/tests/target/impls.rs b/tests/target/impls.rs
index 35ddc23a20a..9f12a6fd7ff 100644
--- a/tests/target/impls.rs
+++ b/tests/target/impls.rs
@@ -72,3 +72,7 @@ impl Blah {
     fn boop() {}
     add_fun!();
 }
+
+impl X {
+    fn do_parse(mut self: X) {}
+}