diff --git a/src/librustc/metadata/encoder.rs b/src/librustc/metadata/encoder.rs
index 110d17b9b15bf..460da5d60b33f 100644
--- a/src/librustc/metadata/encoder.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/metadata/encoder.rs
@@ -388,6 +388,17 @@ fn encode_reexported_static_methods(ecx: @EncodeContext,
             match ecx.tcx.items.find(&exp.def_id.node) {
                 Some(&ast_map::node_item(item, path)) => {
                     let original_name = ecx.tcx.sess.str_of(item.ident);
+
+                    //
+                    // We don't need to reexport static methods on traits
+                    // declared in the same module as our `pub use ...` since
+                    // that's done when we encode the trait item.
+                    //
+                    // The only exception is when the reexport *changes* the
+                    // name e.g. `pub use Foo = self::Bar` -- we have
+                    // encoded metadata for static methods relative to Bar,
+                    // but not yet for Foo.
+                    //
                     if mod_path != *path || *exp.name != *original_name {
                         for methods.each |&m| {
                             if m.explicit_self == ast::sty_static {