diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 1b8854930b7..743a037c248 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ v 8.13.0 (unreleased)
   - Log LDAP lookup errors and don't swallow unrelated exceptions. !6103 (Markus Koller)
   - Add more tests for calendar contribution (ClemMakesApps)
   - Avoid database queries on Banzai::ReferenceParser::BaseParser for nodes without references
+  - Simplify Mentionable concern instance methods
   - Fix permission for setting an issue's due date
   - Expose expires_at field when sharing project on API
   - Fix issue with page scrolling to top when closing or pinning sidebar (lukehowell)
diff --git a/app/models/concerns/mentionable.rb b/app/models/concerns/mentionable.rb
index ec9e0f1b1d0..eb2ff0428f6 100644
--- a/app/models/concerns/mentionable.rb
+++ b/app/models/concerns/mentionable.rb
@@ -43,19 +43,15 @@ module Mentionable
     self
   end
 
-  def all_references(current_user = nil, text = nil, extractor: nil)
+  def all_references(current_user = nil, extractor: nil)
     extractor ||= Gitlab::ReferenceExtractor.
       new(project, current_user)
 
-    if text
-      extractor.analyze(text, author: author)
-    else
-      self.class.mentionable_attrs.each do |attr, options|
-        text = __send__(attr)
-        options = options.merge(cache_key: [self, attr], author: author)
+    self.class.mentionable_attrs.each do |attr, options|
+      text    = __send__(attr)
+      options = options.merge(cache_key: [self, attr], author: author)
 
-        extractor.analyze(text, options)
-      end
+      extractor.analyze(text, options)
     end
 
     extractor
@@ -66,8 +62,8 @@ module Mentionable
   end
 
   # Extract GFM references to other Mentionables from this Mentionable. Always excludes its #local_reference.
-  def referenced_mentionables(current_user = self.author, text = nil)
-    refs = all_references(current_user, text)
+  def referenced_mentionables(current_user = self.author)
+    refs = all_references(current_user)
     refs = (refs.issues + refs.merge_requests + refs.commits)
 
     # We're using this method instead of Array diffing because that requires
@@ -77,8 +73,8 @@ module Mentionable
   end
 
   # Create a cross-reference Note for each GFM reference to another Mentionable found in the +mentionable_attrs+.
-  def create_cross_references!(author = self.author, without = [], text = nil)
-    refs = referenced_mentionables(author, text)
+  def create_cross_references!(author = self.author, without = [])
+    refs = referenced_mentionables(author)
 
     # We're using this method instead of Array diffing because that requires
     # both of the object's `hash` values to be the same, which may not be the
@@ -97,10 +93,7 @@ module Mentionable
 
     return if changes.empty?
 
-    original_text = changes.collect { |_, vals| vals.first }.join(' ')
-
-    preexisting = referenced_mentionables(author, original_text)
-    create_cross_references!(author, preexisting)
+    create_cross_references!(author)
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/app/services/system_note_service.rb b/app/services/system_note_service.rb
index bf251816e7e..1ce66d50368 100644
--- a/app/services/system_note_service.rb
+++ b/app/services/system_note_service.rb
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ module SystemNoteService
       notes = notes.where(noteable_id: noteable.id)
     end
 
-    notes_for_mentioner(mentioner, noteable, notes).count > 0
+    notes_for_mentioner(mentioner, noteable, notes).exists?
   end
 
   # Build an Array of lines detailing each commit added in a merge request
diff --git a/spec/models/concerns/mentionable_spec.rb b/spec/models/concerns/mentionable_spec.rb
index 549b0042038..132858950d5 100644
--- a/spec/models/concerns/mentionable_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/concerns/mentionable_spec.rb
@@ -1,18 +1,27 @@
 require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Mentionable do
-  include Mentionable
+  class Example
+    include Mentionable
 
-  def author
-    nil
+    attr_accessor :project, :message
+    attr_mentionable :message
+
+    def author
+      nil
+    end
   end
 
   describe 'references' do
     let(:project) { create(:project) }
+    let(:mentionable) { Example.new }
 
     it 'excludes JIRA references' do
       allow(project).to receive_messages(jira_tracker?: true)
-      expect(referenced_mentionables(project, 'JIRA-123')).to be_empty
+
+      mentionable.project = project
+      mentionable.message = 'JIRA-123'
+      expect(mentionable.referenced_mentionables).to be_empty
     end
   end
 end
@@ -39,9 +48,8 @@ describe Issue, "Mentionable" do
       let(:user) { create(:user) }
 
       def referenced_issues(current_user)
-        text = "#{private_issue.to_reference(project)} and #{public_issue.to_reference}"
-
-        issue.referenced_mentionables(current_user, text)
+        issue.title = "#{private_issue.to_reference(project)} and #{public_issue.to_reference}"
+        issue.referenced_mentionables(current_user)
       end
 
       context 'when the current user can see the issue' do
diff --git a/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb b/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
index 9d7be2429ed..c29364466f0 100644
--- a/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/merge_request_spec.rb
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ describe MergeRequest, models: true do
   end
 
   it_behaves_like 'an editable mentionable' do
-    subject { create(:merge_request) }
+    subject { create(:merge_request, :simple) }
 
     let(:backref_text) { "merge request #{subject.to_reference}" }
     let(:set_mentionable_text) { ->(txt){ subject.description = txt } }
diff --git a/spec/support/mentionable_shared_examples.rb b/spec/support/mentionable_shared_examples.rb
index e876d44c166..f57c82809a6 100644
--- a/spec/support/mentionable_shared_examples.rb
+++ b/spec/support/mentionable_shared_examples.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ shared_context 'mentionable context' do
   let(:author)  { subject.author }
 
   let(:mentioned_issue)  { create(:issue, project: project) }
-  let!(:mentioned_mr)     { create(:merge_request, :simple, source_project: project) }
+  let!(:mentioned_mr)     { create(:merge_request, source_project: project) }
   let(:mentioned_commit) { project.commit("HEAD~1") }
 
   let(:ext_proj)   { create(:project, :public) }
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ shared_examples 'an editable mentionable' do
 
   it 'creates new cross-reference notes when the mentionable text is edited' do
     subject.save
+    subject.create_cross_references!
 
     new_text = <<-MSG.strip_heredoc
       These references already existed:
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ shared_examples 'an editable mentionable' do
     end
 
     # These two issues are new and should receive reference notes
+    # In the case of MergeRequests remember that cannot mention commits included in the MergeRequest
     new_issues.each do |newref|
       expect(SystemNoteService).to receive(:cross_reference).
         with(newref, subject.local_reference, author)