diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb b/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb
index 61d7608cb1..d07fea7598 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb
@@ -546,14 +546,13 @@ class FormulaInstaller
   end
 
   def link
-    if f.linked_keg.directory? and f.linked_keg.resolved_path == f.prefix
-      opoo "This keg was marked linked already, continuing anyway"
-      # otherwise Keg.link will bail
-      f.linked_keg.unlink
-    end
-
     keg = Keg.new(f.prefix)
 
+    if keg.linked?
+      opoo "This keg was marked linked already, continuing anyway"
+      keg.remove_linked_keg_record
+    end
+
     begin
       keg.link
     rescue Keg::ConflictError => e
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb b/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
index bc96f5356c..ffe34a80c5 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
@@ -180,16 +180,18 @@ class Keg
       end
     end
 
-    if linked?
-      linked_keg_record.unlink
-      linked_keg_record.parent.rmdir_if_possible
-    end
+    remove_linked_keg_record if linked?
 
     dirs.reverse_each(&:rmdir_if_possible)
 
     ObserverPathnameExtension.total
   end
 
+  def remove_linked_keg_record
+    linked_keg_record.unlink
+    linked_keg_record.parent.rmdir_if_possible
+  end
+
   def lock
     FormulaLock.new(name).with_lock { yield }
   end