diff --git a/src/parse_execution.cpp b/src/parse_execution.cpp
index e6e51ed2c..72bebf415 100644
--- a/src/parse_execution.cpp
+++ b/src/parse_execution.cpp
@@ -1196,7 +1196,7 @@ parse_execution_result_t parse_execution_context_t::run_1_job(tnode_t<g::job> jo
                   (job_control_mode == JOB_CONTROL_ALL) ||
                       ((job_control_mode == JOB_CONTROL_INTERACTIVE) && shell_is_interactive()));
 
-    job->set_flag(JOB_FOREGROUND, !tree().job_should_be_backgrounded(job_node));
+    job->set_flag(JOB_FOREGROUND, !job_node_is_background(job_node));
 
     job->set_flag(JOB_TERMINAL, job->get_flag(JOB_CONTROL) && !is_event);
 
diff --git a/src/parse_tree.cpp b/src/parse_tree.cpp
index c431fa0e0..600d9818f 100644
--- a/src/parse_tree.cpp
+++ b/src/parse_tree.cpp
@@ -1405,12 +1405,6 @@ parse_node_tree_t::parse_node_list_t parse_node_tree_t::comment_nodes_for_node(
     return result;
 }
 
-bool parse_node_tree_t::job_should_be_backgrounded(const parse_node_t &job) const {
-    assert(job.type == symbol_job);
-    const parse_node_t *opt_background = get_child(job, 2, symbol_optional_background);
-    return opt_background != NULL && opt_background->tag == parse_background;
-}
-
 const parse_node_t *parse_node_tree_t::next_node_in_node_list(
     const parse_node_t &node_list, parse_token_type_t entry_type,
     const parse_node_t **out_list_tail) const {
@@ -1465,3 +1459,8 @@ arguments_node_list_t get_argument_nodes(tnode_t<grammar::argument_list> list) {
 arguments_node_list_t get_argument_nodes(tnode_t<grammar::arguments_or_redirections_list> list) {
     return list.descendants<grammar::argument>();
 }
+
+bool job_node_is_background(tnode_t<grammar::job> job) {
+    tnode_t<grammar::optional_background> bg = job.child<2>();
+    return bg.tag() == parse_background;
+}
diff --git a/src/parse_tree.h b/src/parse_tree.h
index b7e7287e6..e69b27c1c 100644
--- a/src/parse_tree.h
+++ b/src/parse_tree.h
@@ -214,9 +214,6 @@ class parse_node_tree_t : public std::vector<parse_node_t> {
     /// Given a node, return all of its comment nodes.
     parse_node_list_t comment_nodes_for_node(const parse_node_t &node) const;
 
-    /// Given a job, return whether it should be backgrounded, because it has a & specifier.
-    bool job_should_be_backgrounded(const parse_node_t &job) const;
-
    private:
     // Finds the last node of a given type underneath a given node, or NULL if it could not be
     // found. If parent is NULL, this finds the last node in the tree of that type.
@@ -437,6 +434,9 @@ using arguments_node_list_t = std::vector<tnode_t<grammar::argument>>;
 arguments_node_list_t get_argument_nodes(tnode_t<grammar::argument_list>);
 arguments_node_list_t get_argument_nodes(tnode_t<grammar::arguments_or_redirections_list>);
 
+/// Return whether the given job is background because it has a & symbol.
+bool job_node_is_background(tnode_t<grammar::job>);
+
 /// The big entry point. Parse a string, attempting to produce a tree for the given goal type.
 bool parse_tree_from_string(const wcstring &str, parse_tree_flags_t flags,
                             parse_node_tree_t *output, parse_error_list_t *errors,
diff --git a/src/parse_util.cpp b/src/parse_util.cpp
index c2c341b06..0753c4918 100644
--- a/src/parse_util.cpp
+++ b/src/parse_util.cpp
@@ -1163,7 +1163,7 @@ parser_test_error_bits_t parse_util_detect_errors(const wcstring &buff_src,
                 // while foo & ; end
                 // If it's not a background job, nothing to do.
                 auto job = tnode_t<grammar::job>{&node_tree, &node};
-                if (node_tree.job_should_be_backgrounded(job)) {
+                if (job_node_is_background(job)) {
                     errored |= detect_errors_in_backgrounded_job(node_tree, job, &parse_errors);
                 }
             } else if (node.type == symbol_plain_statement) {