diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Extensions/ContentExtensions.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Extensions/ContentExtensions.cs
index 8385de5e70..daca62926a 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Extensions/ContentExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Extensions/ContentExtensions.cs
@@ -3,15 +3,15 @@
 
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Globalization;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Xml.Linq;
+using Umbraco.Cms.Core;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.IO;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Models;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Models.Membership;
-using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Models.PublishedContent;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.PropertyEditors;
-using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Serialization;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Services;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Strings;
 
@@ -165,7 +165,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Extensions
             return ContentStatus.Unpublished;
         }
 
-
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets a collection containing the ids of all ancestors.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="content"><see cref="IContent"/> to retrieve ancestors for</param>
+        /// <returns>An Enumerable list of integer ids</returns>
+        public static IEnumerable<int> GetAncestorIds(this IContent content) =>
+            content.Path.Split(Constants.CharArrays.Comma)
+                .Where(x => x != Constants.System.RootString && x != content.Id.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture)).Select(s =>
+                    int.Parse(s, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture));
 
         #endregion
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Services/Implement/ContentService.cs b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Services/Implement/ContentService.cs
index 15490bcd04..21c365dd8e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Services/Implement/ContentService.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Services/Implement/ContentService.cs
@@ -531,18 +531,20 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Core.Services.Implement
         public IEnumerable<IContent> GetAncestors(IContent content)
         {
             //null check otherwise we get exceptions
-            if (content.Path.IsNullOrWhiteSpace()) return Enumerable.Empty<IContent>();
-
-            var rootId = Cms.Core.Constants.System.RootString;
-            var ids = content.Path.Split(Constants.CharArrays.Comma)
-                .Where(x => x != rootId && x != content.Id.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture)).Select(s =>
-                    int.Parse(s, CultureInfo.InvariantCulture)).ToArray();
-            if (ids.Any() == false)
-                return new List<IContent>();
-
-            using (var scope = ScopeProvider.CreateScope(autoComplete: true))
+            if (content.Path.IsNullOrWhiteSpace())
             {
-                scope.ReadLock(Cms.Core.Constants.Locks.ContentTree);
+                return Enumerable.Empty<IContent>();
+            }
+
+            var ids = content.GetAncestorIds().ToArray();
+            if (ids.Any() == false)
+            {
+                return new List<IContent>();
+            }
+
+            using (IScope scope = ScopeProvider.CreateScope(autoComplete: true))
+            {
+                scope.ReadLock(Constants.Locks.ContentTree);
                 return _documentRepository.GetMany(ids);
             }
         }