diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/operations/generate_metadata.py b/src/pip/_internal/operations/generate_metadata.py
index 4d06ca7af..9123c2bc7 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/operations/generate_metadata.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/operations/generate_metadata.py
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@
 import logging
 import os
 
+from pip._internal.exceptions import InstallationError
 from pip._internal.utils.misc import ensure_dir
 from pip._internal.utils.setuptools_build import make_setuptools_shim_args
 from pip._internal.utils.subprocess import call_subprocess
 from pip._internal.utils.typing import MYPY_CHECK_RUNNING
+from pip._internal.vcs import vcs
 
 if MYPY_CHECK_RUNNING:
     from typing import Callable, List
@@ -30,6 +32,61 @@ def get_metadata_generator(install_req):
     return _generate_metadata
 
 
+def find_egg_info(install_req):
+    # type: (InstallRequirement) -> str
+
+    def looks_like_virtual_env(path):
+        return (
+            os.path.lexists(os.path.join(path, 'bin', 'python')) or
+            os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, 'Scripts', 'Python.exe'))
+        )
+
+    def locate_editable_egg_info(base):
+        candidates = []
+        for root, dirs, files in os.walk(base):
+            for dir_ in vcs.dirnames:
+                if dir_ in dirs:
+                    dirs.remove(dir_)
+            # Iterate over a copy of ``dirs``, since mutating
+            # a list while iterating over it can cause trouble.
+            # (See https://github.com/pypa/pip/pull/462.)
+            for dir_ in list(dirs):
+                if looks_like_virtual_env(os.path.join(root, dir_)):
+                    dirs.remove(dir_)
+                # Also don't search through tests
+                elif dir_ == 'test' or dir_ == 'tests':
+                    dirs.remove(dir_)
+            candidates.extend(os.path.join(root, dir_) for dir_ in dirs)
+        return [f for f in candidates if f.endswith('.egg-info')]
+
+    def depth_of_directory(dir_):
+        return (
+            dir_.count(os.path.sep) +
+            (os.path.altsep and dir_.count(os.path.altsep) or 0)
+        )
+
+    if install_req.editable:
+        base = install_req.source_dir
+        filenames = locate_editable_egg_info(base)
+    else:
+        dir_ = install_req.unpacked_source_directory
+        base = os.path.join(dir_, 'pip-egg-info')
+        filenames = os.listdir(base)
+
+    if not filenames:
+        raise InstallationError(
+            "Files/directories not found in %s" % base
+        )
+
+    # If we have more than one match, we pick the toplevel one.  This
+    # can easily be the case if there is a dist folder which contains
+    # an extracted tarball for testing purposes.
+    if len(filenames) > 1:
+        filenames.sort(key=depth_of_directory)
+
+    return os.path.join(base, filenames[0])
+
+
 def _generate_metadata_legacy(install_req):
     # type: (InstallRequirement) -> str
     req_details_str = install_req.name or "from {}".format(install_req.link)
@@ -63,8 +120,8 @@ def _generate_metadata_legacy(install_req):
             command_desc='python setup.py egg_info',
         )
 
-    # Return the metadata directory.
-    return install_req.find_egg_info()
+    # Return the .egg-info directory.
+    return find_egg_info(install_req)
 
 
 def _generate_metadata(install_req):
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/req/req_install.py b/src/pip/_internal/req/req_install.py
index c59a4166e..5f1fdb74b 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/req/req_install.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/req/req_install.py
@@ -613,58 +613,6 @@ class InstallRequirement(object):
 
         return os.path.join(metadata_dir, distinfo_dir)
 
-    def find_egg_info(self):
-        # type: () -> str
-        def looks_like_virtual_env(path):
-            return (
-                os.path.lexists(os.path.join(path, 'bin', 'python')) or
-                os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, 'Scripts', 'Python.exe'))
-            )
-
-        def locate_editable_egg_info(base):
-            candidates = []
-            for root, dirs, files in os.walk(base):
-                for dir_ in vcs.dirnames:
-                    if dir_ in dirs:
-                        dirs.remove(dir_)
-                # Iterate over a copy of ``dirs``, since mutating
-                # a list while iterating over it can cause trouble.
-                # (See https://github.com/pypa/pip/pull/462.)
-                for dir_ in list(dirs):
-                    if looks_like_virtual_env(os.path.join(root, dir_)):
-                        dirs.remove(dir_)
-                    # Also don't search through tests
-                    elif dir_ == 'test' or dir_ == 'tests':
-                        dirs.remove(dir_)
-                candidates.extend(os.path.join(root, dir_) for dir_ in dirs)
-            return [f for f in candidates if f.endswith('.egg-info')]
-
-        def depth_of_directory(dir_):
-            return (
-                dir_.count(os.path.sep) +
-                (os.path.altsep and dir_.count(os.path.altsep) or 0)
-            )
-
-        if self.editable:
-            base = self.source_dir
-            filenames = locate_editable_egg_info(base)
-        else:
-            base = os.path.join(self.unpacked_source_directory, 'pip-egg-info')
-            filenames = os.listdir(base)
-
-        if not filenames:
-            raise InstallationError(
-                "Files/directories not found in %s" % base
-            )
-
-        # If we have more than one match, we pick the toplevel one.  This
-        # can easily be the case if there is a dist folder which contains
-        # an extracted tarball for testing purposes.
-        if len(filenames) > 1:
-            filenames.sort(key=depth_of_directory)
-
-        return os.path.join(base, filenames[0])
-
     @property
     def metadata(self):
         # type: () -> Any