diff --git a/Annex/Branch.hs b/Annex/Branch.hs
index 41d8f5354b..d75b8f249b 100644
--- a/Annex/Branch.hs
+++ b/Annex/Branch.hs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ module Annex.Branch (
 	withIndex,
 	precache,
 	UnmergedBranches(..),
+	FileContents,
 	overBranchFileContents,
 	overJournalFileContents,
 	combineStaleJournalWithBranch,
@@ -990,6 +991,8 @@ data UnmergedBranches t
 	= UnmergedBranches t 
 	| NoUnmergedBranches t
 
+type FileContents t b = Maybe (t, RawFilePath, Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe b))
+
 {- Runs an action on the content of selected files from the branch.
  - This is much faster than reading the content of each file in turn,
  - because it lets git cat-file stream content without blocking.
@@ -1012,7 +1015,7 @@ overBranchFileContents
 	-- and in this case it's also possible for the callback to be
 	-- passed some of the same file content repeatedly.
 	-> (RawFilePath -> Maybe v)
-	-> (Annex (Maybe (v, RawFilePath, Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe Bool))) -> Annex a)
+	-> (Annex (FileContents v Bool) -> Annex a)
 	-> Annex (UnmergedBranches (a, Git.Sha))
 overBranchFileContents ignorejournal select go = do
 	st <- update
@@ -1026,7 +1029,7 @@ overBranchFileContents ignorejournal select go = do
 
 overBranchFileContents'
 	:: (RawFilePath -> Maybe v)
-	-> (Annex (Maybe (v, RawFilePath, Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe Bool))) -> Annex a)
+	-> (Annex (FileContents v Bool) -> Annex a)
 	-> BranchState
 	-> Annex (a, Git.Sha)
 overBranchFileContents' select go st = do
@@ -1080,7 +1083,7 @@ overJournalFileContents
 	-- content may be stale or lack information committed to the
 	-- git-annex branch.
 	-> (RawFilePath -> Maybe v)
-	-> (Annex (Maybe (v, RawFilePath, Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe b))) -> Annex a)
+	-> (Annex (FileContents v b) -> Annex a)
 	-> Annex a
 overJournalFileContents handlestale select go = do
 	buf <- liftIO newEmptyMVar
@@ -1090,7 +1093,7 @@ overJournalFileContents'
 	:: MVar ([RawFilePath], [RawFilePath])
 	-> (RawFilePath -> L.ByteString -> Annex (L.ByteString, Maybe b))
 	-> (RawFilePath -> Maybe a)
-	-> Annex (Maybe (a, RawFilePath, (Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe b))))
+	-> Annex (FileContents a b)
 overJournalFileContents' buf handlestale select =
 	liftIO (tryTakeMVar buf) >>= \case
 		Nothing -> do
diff --git a/Logs/Location.hs b/Logs/Location.hs
index 73842ddd97..73c1c5fe48 100644
--- a/Logs/Location.hs
+++ b/Logs/Location.hs
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ module Logs.Location (
 
 import Annex.Common
 import qualified Annex.Branch
+import Annex.Branch (FileContents)
 import Logs
 import Logs.Presence
 import Types.Cluster
@@ -230,7 +231,7 @@ overLocationLogs ignorejournal v =
 overLocationLogs'
 	:: Bool
 	-> v
-	-> (Annex (Maybe (Key, RawFilePath, Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe Bool))) -> Annex v -> Annex v)
+	-> (Annex (FileContents Key Bool) -> Annex v -> Annex v)
         -> (Key -> [UUID] -> v -> Annex v)
         -> Annex (Annex.Branch.UnmergedBranches (v, Sha))
 overLocationLogs' ignorejournal =
@@ -280,14 +281,11 @@ overLocationLogsJournal v branchsha keyaction =
 	changedlocs _ _ _ Nothing = pure (S.empty, S.empty)
 
 overLocationLogsHelper
-	:: ( (RawFilePath -> Maybe Key)
-		-> (Annex (Maybe (Key, RawFilePath, Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe b))) -> Annex v) 
-		-> Annex a
-	   )
+	:: ((RawFilePath -> Maybe Key) -> (Annex (FileContents Key b) -> Annex v) -> Annex a)
 	-> ((Maybe L.ByteString -> [UUID]) -> Key -> RawFilePath -> Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe b) -> Annex u)
 	-> Bool
 	-> v
-	-> (Annex (Maybe (Key, RawFilePath, Maybe (L.ByteString, Maybe b))) -> Annex v -> Annex v)
+	-> (Annex (FileContents Key b) -> Annex v -> Annex v)
         -> (Key -> u -> v -> Annex v)
         -> Annex a
 overLocationLogsHelper runner locparserrunner canprecache iv discarder keyaction = do