diff --git a/infer/src/checkers/patternMatch.ml b/infer/src/checkers/patternMatch.ml
index a14f52b84..533203a49 100644
--- a/infer/src/checkers/patternMatch.ml
+++ b/infer/src/checkers/patternMatch.ml
@@ -98,29 +98,6 @@ let type_get_annotation tenv (typ: Typ.t): Annot.Item.t option =
     )
   | _ -> None
 
-let type_has_direct_supertype tenv (typ : Typ.t) (class_name : Typ.Name.t) =
-  List.exists ~f:(fun cn -> Typ.Name.equal cn class_name) (type_get_direct_supertypes tenv typ)
-
-let type_has_supertype
-    (tenv: Tenv.t)
-    (typ: Typ.t)
-    (class_name: Typ.Name.t): bool =
-  let rec has_supertype typ visited =
-    if Typ.Set.mem typ visited then
-      false
-    else
-      let supers = type_get_direct_supertypes tenv typ in
-      let match_supertype cn =
-        let match_name () = Typ.Name.equal cn class_name in
-        let has_indirect_supertype () = has_supertype (Typ.mk (Tstruct cn)) (Typ.Set.add typ visited) in
-        (match_name () || has_indirect_supertype ()) in
-      List.exists ~f:match_supertype supers in
-  has_supertype typ Typ.Set.empty
-
-let type_is_nested_in_direct_supertype tenv t n =
-  let is_nested_in cn1 cn2 = String.is_prefix ~prefix:(Typ.Name.name cn1 ^ "$") (Typ.Name.name cn2) in
-  List.exists ~f:(is_nested_in n) (type_get_direct_supertypes tenv t)
-
 let rec get_type_name {Typ.desc} =
   match desc with
   | Typ.Tstruct name ->
@@ -272,11 +249,14 @@ let initializer_methods = [
 ]
 
 (** Check if the type has in its supertypes from the initializer_classes list. *)
-let type_has_initializer
-    (tenv: Tenv.t)
-    (t: Typ.t): bool =
-  let check_candidate class_name = type_has_supertype tenv t class_name in
-  List.exists ~f:check_candidate initializer_classes
+let type_has_initializer (tenv: Tenv.t) (t: Typ.t): bool =
+  let is_initializer_class typename _ =
+    List.mem ~equal:Typ.Name.equal initializer_classes typename in
+  match t.desc with
+  | Typ.Tstruct name | Tptr ({ desc=Tstruct name}, _) ->
+      supertype_exists tenv is_initializer_class name
+  | _ ->
+      false
 
 (** Check if the method is one of the known initializer methods. *)
 let method_is_initializer
diff --git a/infer/src/checkers/patternMatch.mli b/infer/src/checkers/patternMatch.mli
index f5bedd884..79e70ff91 100644
--- a/infer/src/checkers/patternMatch.mli
+++ b/infer/src/checkers/patternMatch.mli
@@ -95,15 +95,9 @@ val type_get_annotation : Tenv.t -> Typ.t -> Annot.Item.t option
 (** Get the class name of the type *)
 val type_get_class_name : Typ.t -> Typ.Name.t option
 
-val type_get_direct_supertypes : Tenv.t -> Typ.t -> Typ.Name.t list
-
-val type_has_direct_supertype : Tenv.t -> Typ.t -> Typ.Name.t -> bool
-
 (** Is the type a class type *)
 val type_is_class : Typ.t -> bool
 
-val type_is_nested_in_direct_supertype : Tenv.t -> Typ.t -> Typ.Name.t -> bool
-
 (** Is the type java.lang.Object *)
 val type_is_object : Typ.t -> bool