diff --git a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/fixes/SuggestedFixes.java b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/fixes/SuggestedFixes.java
index df6e43ce2c3..f448941037b 100644
--- a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/fixes/SuggestedFixes.java
+++ b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/fixes/SuggestedFixes.java
@@ -745,17 +745,14 @@ public Void visitMemberSelect(MemberSelectTree tree, Void unused) {
 
   /** Be warned, only changes method name at the declaration. */
   public static SuggestedFix renameMethod(MethodTree tree, String replacement, VisitorState state) {
-    // Search tokens from beginning of method tree to beginning of method body.
-    int basePos = getStartPosition(tree);
+    // Search tokens from end of return type tree to beginning of method body.
+    int basePos = state.getEndPosition(tree.getReturnType());
     int endPos =
         tree.getBody() != null ? getStartPosition(tree.getBody()) : state.getEndPosition(tree);
     List<ErrorProneToken> methodTokens = state.getOffsetTokens(basePos, endPos);
 
-    int returnTypeEndPos = state.getEndPosition(tree.getReturnType());
     for (ErrorProneToken token : methodTokens) {
-      if (token.kind() == TokenKind.IDENTIFIER
-          && token.pos() > returnTypeEndPos
-          && token.name().equals(tree.getName())) {
+      if (token.kind() == TokenKind.IDENTIFIER && token.name().equals(tree.getName())) {
         return SuggestedFix.replace(token.pos(), token.endPos(), replacement);
       }
     }