diff --git a/packages/constraint-solver/resolver.js b/packages/constraint-solver/resolver.js
index 9166c4be01..d7fa36b3ab 100644
--- a/packages/constraint-solver/resolver.js
+++ b/packages/constraint-solver/resolver.js
@@ -418,17 +418,11 @@ ConstraintSolver.Constraint.prototype.isSatisfied = function (
       throw Error("Unknown constraint type: " + currConstraint.type);
     }
 
-    // If you are asking for a pre-release, you need to get a
-    // pre-release on the same release that has higher precendence.
-    if (/-/.test(currConstraint.version)) {
-      return PackageVersion.prereleaseLessThan(
-        currConstraint.version, candidateUV.version);
-    }
-
     // If you're not asking for a pre-release (and you are not in pre-releases-OK
     // mode), you'll only get it if it was a top level explicit mention (eg, in
     // the release).
-    if (/-/.test(candidateUV.version) && !resolveContext.useRCsOK) {
+    if (!/-/.test(currConstraint.version) &&
+        /-/.test(candidateUV.version) && !resolveContext.useRCsOK) {
       if (currConstraint.version === candidateUV.version)
         return true;
       if (!_.has(resolveContext.topLevelPrereleases, self.name) ||
diff --git a/tools/package-version-parser.js b/tools/package-version-parser.js
index 2c4588cb74..0374c4d9a8 100644
--- a/tools/package-version-parser.js
+++ b/tools/package-version-parser.js
@@ -337,15 +337,3 @@ PV.invalidFirstFormatConstraint = function (validConstraint) {
   return (/_/.test(validConstraint) ||
           /\|/.test(validConstraint));
 };
-
-// Returns true if both v1 and v2 represent pre-releases off of the
-// same base release, and v2 >= v1
-PV.prereleaseLessThan = function (v1, v2) {
-  if (!/-/.test(v1) || !/-/.test(v2))
-    return false;
-
-  if (v1.split('-')[0] !== v2.split('-')[0])
-    return false;
-
-  return PV.lessThan(v1, v2);
-};