diff --git a/app/helpers/issuables_helper.rb b/app/helpers/issuables_helper.rb
index e5bb8b93e76..03354c235eb 100644
--- a/app/helpers/issuables_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/issuables_helper.rb
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ module IssuablesHelper
     ]
   end
 
+  def issuable_reference(issuable)
+    @show_full_reference ? issuable.to_reference(full: true) : issuable.to_reference(@group || @project)
+  end
+
   def issuable_filter_present?
     issuable_filter_params.any? { |k| params.key?(k) }
   end
diff --git a/app/views/projects/issues/_issue.html.haml b/app/views/projects/issues/_issue.html.haml
index 6173d9e21f6..f3be343daae 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/issues/_issue.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/projects/issues/_issue.html.haml
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@
           = note_count
 
   .issue-info
-    = @show_full_reference ? issue.to_reference(full: true) : issue.to_reference(@group || @project)
-    ·
+    #{issuable_reference(issue)} ·
     opened #{time_ago_with_tooltip(issue.created_at, placement: 'bottom')}
     by #{link_to_member(@project, issue.author, avatar: false)}
     - if issue.milestone
diff --git a/app/views/projects/merge_requests/_merge_request.html.haml b/app/views/projects/merge_requests/_merge_request.html.haml
index a1e6d09612c..513f0818169 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/merge_requests/_merge_request.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/projects/merge_requests/_merge_request.html.haml
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@
           = note_count
 
   .merge-request-info
-    = @show_full_reference ? merge_request.to_reference(full: true) : merge_request.to_reference(@group || @project)
-    ·
+    #{issuable_reference(merge_request)} ·
     opened #{time_ago_with_tooltip(merge_request.created_at, placement: 'bottom')}
     by #{link_to_member(@project, merge_request.author, avatar: false)}
     - if merge_request.target_project.default_branch != merge_request.target_branch
diff --git a/spec/helpers/issuables_helper_spec.rb b/spec/helpers/issuables_helper_spec.rb
index a4f08dc4af0..df71680e44c 100644
--- a/spec/helpers/issuables_helper_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/helpers/issuables_helper_spec.rb
@@ -115,6 +115,46 @@ describe IssuablesHelper do
     end
   end
 
+  describe '#issuable_reference' do
+    context 'when show_full_reference truthy' do
+      it 'display issuable full reference' do
+        assign(:show_full_reference, true)
+        issue = build_stubbed(:issue)
+
+        expect(helper.issuable_reference(issue)).to eql(issue.to_reference(full: true))
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when show_full_reference falsey' do
+      context 'when @group present' do
+        it 'display issuable reference to @group' do
+          project = build_stubbed(:project)
+
+          assign(:show_full_reference, nil)
+          assign(:group, project.namespace)
+
+          issue = build_stubbed(:issue)
+
+          expect(helper.issuable_reference(issue)).to eql(issue.to_reference(project.namespace))
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'when @project present' do
+        it 'display issuable reference to @project' do
+          project = build_stubbed(:project)
+
+          assign(:show_full_reference, nil)
+          assign(:group, nil)
+          assign(:project, project)
+
+          issue = build_stubbed(:issue)
+
+          expect(helper.issuable_reference(issue)).to eql(issue.to_reference(project))
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe '#issuable_filter_present?' do
     it 'returns true when any key is present' do
       allow(helper).to receive(:params).and_return(