diff --git a/ql/src/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowUtil.qll b/ql/src/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowUtil.qll
index eab96dac19e..c4aed4ddd1e 100644
--- a/ql/src/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowUtil.qll
+++ b/ql/src/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowUtil.qll
@@ -1219,7 +1219,7 @@ abstract class BarrierGuard extends Node {
         // Case: a function like "return someBarrierGuard(arg)"
         // or "return !someBarrierGuard(arg) && otherCond(...)"
         exists(boolean outcome |
-          not exists(DataFlow::Node otherRet | otherRet = outp.getEntryNode(fd) | otherRet != ret) and
+          ret = getUniqueOutputNode(fd, outp) and
           this.checks(arg.asExpr(), outcome) and
           // This predicate's contract is (p holds of ret ==> arg is checked),
           // (and we have (this has outcome ==> arg is checked))
@@ -1234,7 +1234,7 @@ abstract class BarrierGuard extends Node {
           Function f2, FunctionInput inp2, FunctionOutput outp2, CallNode c,
           DataFlow::Property outpProp
         |
-          not exists(DataFlow::Node otherRet | otherRet = outp.getEntryNode(fd) | otherRet != ret) and
+          ret = getUniqueOutputNode(fd, outp) and
           this.guardingFunction(f2, inp2, outp2, outpProp) and
           c = f2.getACall() and
           arg = inp2.getNode(c) and
@@ -1252,6 +1252,10 @@ abstract class BarrierGuard extends Node {
   }
 }
 
+DataFlow::Node getUniqueOutputNode(FuncDecl fd, FunctionOutput outp) {
+  result = unique(DataFlow::Node n | n = outp.getEntryNode(fd) | n)
+}
+
 /**
  * Holds if `ret` is a data-flow node whose value contributes to the output `res` of `fd`,
  * and that node may have Boolean value `b`.