diff --git a/mlir/lib/Dialect/Affine/IR/AffineOps.cpp b/mlir/lib/Dialect/Affine/IR/AffineOps.cpp
index 22608a16cc1ab..7e5ce26b5f733 100644
--- a/mlir/lib/Dialect/Affine/IR/AffineOps.cpp
+++ b/mlir/lib/Dialect/Affine/IR/AffineOps.cpp
@@ -427,6 +427,21 @@ bool mlir::affine::isValidSymbol(Value value) {
   return false;
 }
 
+/// A utility function to check if a value is defined at the top level of
+/// `region` or is an argument of `region` or is defined above the region.
+static bool isTopLevelValueOrAbove(Value value, Region *region) {
+  Region *parentRegion = value.getParentRegion();
+  do {
+    if (parentRegion == region)
+      return true;
+    Operation *regionOp = region->getParentOp();
+    if (regionOp->hasTrait<OpTrait::IsIsolatedFromAbove>())
+      break;
+    region = region->getParentOp()->getParentRegion();
+  } while (region);
+  return false;
+}
+
 /// A value can be used as a symbol for `region` iff it meets one of the
 /// following conditions:
 /// *) It is a constant.
@@ -445,19 +460,12 @@ bool mlir::affine::isValidSymbol(Value value, Region *region) {
     return false;
 
   // A top-level value is a valid symbol.
-  if (region && ::isTopLevelValue(value, region))
+  if (region && isTopLevelValueOrAbove(value, region))
     return true;
 
   auto *defOp = value.getDefiningOp();
-  if (!defOp) {
-    // A block argument that is not a top-level value is a valid symbol if it
-    // dominates region's parent op.
-    Operation *regionOp = region ? region->getParentOp() : nullptr;
-    if (regionOp && !regionOp->hasTrait<OpTrait::IsIsolatedFromAbove>())
-      if (auto *parentOpRegion = region->getParentOp()->getParentRegion())
-        return isValidSymbol(value, parentOpRegion);
+  if (!defOp)
     return false;
-  }
 
   // Constant operation is ok.
   Attribute operandCst;
@@ -475,12 +483,6 @@ bool mlir::affine::isValidSymbol(Value value, Region *region) {
   if (auto dimOp = dyn_cast<ShapedDimOpInterface>(defOp))
     return isDimOpValidSymbol(dimOp, region);
 
-  // Check for values dominating `region`'s parent op.
-  Operation *regionOp = region ? region->getParentOp() : nullptr;
-  if (regionOp && !regionOp->hasTrait<OpTrait::IsIsolatedFromAbove>())
-    if (auto *parentRegion = region->getParentOp()->getParentRegion())
-      return isValidSymbol(value, parentRegion);
-
   return false;
 }