diff --git a/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowUtil.qll b/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowUtil.qll
index 75ab4dbb2ebd5..68ffe57f5f59d 100644
--- a/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowUtil.qll
+++ b/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowUtil.qll
@@ -341,6 +341,21 @@ module BarrierGuard<guardChecksSig/3 guardChecks> {
     localFlow(pragma[only_bind_out](outp.getNode(c)), resNode)
   }
 
+  private predicate onlyPossibleReturnSatisfyingProperty(
+    FuncDecl fd, FunctionOutput outp, Node ret, DataFlow::Property p
+  ) {
+    exists(boolean b |
+      onlyPossibleReturnOfBool(fd, outp, ret, b) and
+      p.isBoolean(b)
+    )
+    or
+    onlyPossibleReturnOfNonNil(fd, outp, ret) and
+    p.isNonNil()
+    or
+    onlyPossibleReturnOfNil(fd, outp, ret) and
+    p.isNil()
+  }
+
   /**
    * Holds if whenever `p` holds of output `outp` of function `f`, this node
    * is known to validate the input `inp` of `f`.
@@ -356,23 +371,13 @@ module BarrierGuard<guardChecksSig/3 guardChecks> {
     exists(FuncDecl fd, Node arg, Node ret |
       fd.getFunction() = f and
       localFlow(inp.getExitNode(fd), pragma[only_bind_out](arg)) and
-      ret = outp.getEntryNode(fd) and
       (
         // Case: a function like "if someBarrierGuard(arg) { return true } else { return false }"
         exists(ControlFlow::ConditionGuardNode guard |
-          guards(g, guard, arg) and
-          guard.dominates(ret.getBasicBlock())
+          guards(g, pragma[only_bind_out](guard), arg) and
+          guard.dominates(pragma[only_bind_out](ret).getBasicBlock())
         |
-          exists(boolean b |
-            onlyPossibleReturnOfBool(fd, outp, ret, b) and
-            p.isBoolean(b)
-          )
-          or
-          onlyPossibleReturnOfNonNil(fd, outp, ret) and
-          p.isNonNil()
-          or
-          onlyPossibleReturnOfNil(fd, outp, ret) and
-          p.isNil()
+          onlyPossibleReturnSatisfyingProperty(fd, outp, ret, p)
         )
         or
         // Case: a function like "return someBarrierGuard(arg)"