diff --git a/src/dmd/astbase.d b/src/dmd/astbase.d
index df42d3e35314..460ce857b24e 100644
--- a/src/dmd/astbase.d
+++ b/src/dmd/astbase.d
@@ -1485,12 +1485,19 @@ struct ASTBase
 
         const FileName srcfile;
         const(char)* arg;
+        bool rootModule;
 
-        extern (D) this(const(char)* filename, Identifier ident, int doDocComment, int doHdrGen)
+        extern (D) this(const(char)* filename, Identifier ident, int doDocComment, int doHdrGen, bool rootModule = false)
         {
             super(ident);
             this.arg = filename;
             srcfile = FileName(FileName.defaultExt(filename.toDString, global.mars_ext));
+            this.rootModule = rootModule;
+        }
+
+        bool isRoot()
+        {
+            return rootModule;
         }
 
         override void accept(Visitor v)
diff --git a/src/dmd/dtemplate.d b/src/dmd/dtemplate.d
index 49cb9f6d1d8e..b905db489baf 100644
--- a/src/dmd/dtemplate.d
+++ b/src/dmd/dtemplate.d
@@ -6141,41 +6141,6 @@ extern (C++) class TemplateInstance : ScopeDsymbol
             return false;
         }
 
-        if (global.params.useUnitTests)
-        {
-            // Prefer instantiations from root modules, to maximize link-ability.
-            if (minst.isRoot())
-                return true;
-
-            TemplateInstance tnext = this.tnext;
-            TemplateInstance tinst = this.tinst;
-            this.tnext = null;
-            this.tinst = null;
-
-            if (tinst && tinst.needsCodegen())
-            {
-                minst = tinst.minst; // cache result
-                assert(minst);
-                assert(minst.isRoot() || minst.rootImports());
-                return true;
-            }
-            if (tnext && tnext.needsCodegen())
-            {
-                minst = tnext.minst; // cache result
-                assert(minst);
-                assert(minst.isRoot() || minst.rootImports());
-                return true;
-            }
-
-            // https://issues.dlang.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2500 case
-            if (minst.rootImports())
-                return true;
-
-            // Elide codegen because this is not included in root instances.
-            return false;
-        }
-        else
-        {
             // Prefer instantiations from non-root module, to minimize object code size.
 
             /* If a TemplateInstance is ever instantiated by non-root modules,
@@ -6205,7 +6170,6 @@ extern (C++) class TemplateInstance : ScopeDsymbol
 
             // Do codegen because this is not included in non-root instances.
             return true;
-        }
     }
 
     /**********************************************
@@ -7139,13 +7103,6 @@ extern (C++) class TemplateInstance : ScopeDsymbol
     {
         Module mi = minst; // instantiated . inserted module
 
-        if (global.params.useUnitTests || global.params.debuglevel)
-        {
-            // Turn all non-root instances to speculative
-            if (mi && !mi.isRoot())
-                mi = null;
-        }
-
         //printf("%s.appendToModuleMember() enclosing = %s mi = %s\n",
         //    toPrettyChars(),
         //    enclosing ? enclosing.toPrettyChars() : null,
diff --git a/src/dmd/parse.d b/src/dmd/parse.d
index 4a95a1087fac..0be553014b83 100644
--- a/src/dmd/parse.d
+++ b/src/dmd/parse.d
@@ -622,7 +622,8 @@ final class Parser(AST) : Lexer
                 goto Lerror;
 
             case TOK.unittest_:
-                if (global.params.useUnitTests || global.params.doDocComments || global.params.doHdrGeneration)
+                if (global.params.useUnitTests && mod.isRoot()
+                        || global.params.doDocComments || global.params.doHdrGeneration)
                 {
                     s = parseUnitTest(pAttrs);
                     if (*pLastDecl)