diff --git a/compile/interface/src/main/scala/xsbt/Compat.scala b/compile/interface/src/main/scala/xsbt/Compat.scala
index 8849430e8..17a1a8f6b 100644
--- a/compile/interface/src/main/scala/xsbt/Compat.scala
+++ b/compile/interface/src/main/scala/xsbt/Compat.scala
@@ -4,8 +4,39 @@ import scala.tools.nsc.Global
 import scala.tools.nsc.symtab.Flags
 
 /**
- *  Collection of hacks that make it possible for the compiler interface
- *  to stay source compatible with Scala compiler 2.9, 2.10 and 2.11.
+ * Collection of hacks that make it possible for the compiler interface
+ * to stay source compatible with Scala compiler 2.9, 2.10 and 2.11.
+ *
+ * One common technique used in `Compat` class is use of implicit conversions to deal
+ * with methods that got renamed or moved between different Scala compiler versions.
+ *
+ * Let's pick a specific example. In Scala 2.9 and 2.10 there was a method called `toplevelClass`
+ * defined on `Symbol`. In 2.10 that method has been deprecated and `enclosingTopLevelClass`
+ * method has been introduce as a replacement. In Scala 2.11 the old `toplevelClass` method has
+ * been removed. How can we pick the right version based on availability of those two methods?
+ *
+ * We define an implicit conversion from Symbol to a class that contains both method definitions:
+ *
+ *   implicit def symbolCompat(sym: Symbol): SymbolCompat = new SymbolCompat(sym)
+ *   class SymbolCompat(sym: Symbol) {
+ *     def enclosingTopLevelClass: Symbol = sym.toplevelClass
+ *     def toplevelClass: Symbol =
+ *       throw new RuntimeException("For source compatibility only: should not get here.")
+ *   }
+ *
+ * We assume that client code (code in compiler interface) should always call `enclosingTopLevelClass`
+ * method. If we compile that code against 2.11 it will just directly link against method provided by
+ * Symbol. However, if we compile against 2.9 or 2.10 `enclosingTopLevelClass` won't be found so the
+ * implicit conversion defined above will kick in. That conversion will provide `enclosingTopLevelClass`
+ * that simply forwards to the old `toplevelClass` method that is available in 2.9 and 2.10 so that
+ * method will be called in the end. There's one twist: since `enclosingTopLevelClass` forwards to
+ * `toplevelClass` which doesn't exist in 2.11! Therefore, we need to also define `toplevelClass`
+ * that will be provided by an implicit conversion as well. However, we should never reach that method
+ * at runtime if either `enclosingTopLevelClass` or `toplevelClass` is available on Symbol so this
+ * is purely source compatibility stub.
+ *
+ * The technique described above is used in several places below.
+ *
  */
 abstract class Compat
 {
@@ -39,10 +70,13 @@ abstract class Compat
 		def unapply(t: Type): Option[Type] = None
 	}
 
-	// before 2.10, sym.moduleSuffix doesn't exist, but genJVM.moduleSuffix does
-	private[this] implicit def symbolCompat(sym: Symbol): SymbolCompat = new SymbolCompat(sym)
-	private[this] final class SymbolCompat(sym: Symbol) {
+	protected implicit def symbolCompat(sym: Symbol): SymbolCompat = new SymbolCompat(sym)
+	protected final class SymbolCompat(sym: Symbol) {
+		// before 2.10, sym.moduleSuffix doesn't exist, but genJVM.moduleSuffix does
 		def moduleSuffix = global.genJVM.moduleSuffix(sym)
+
+		def enclosingTopLevelClass: Symbol = sym.toplevelClass
+		def toplevelClass: Symbol = sourceCompatibilityOnly
 	}
 
 
diff --git a/compile/interface/src/main/scala/xsbt/Dependency.scala b/compile/interface/src/main/scala/xsbt/Dependency.scala
index 535a6b822..edb33197f 100644
--- a/compile/interface/src/main/scala/xsbt/Dependency.scala
+++ b/compile/interface/src/main/scala/xsbt/Dependency.scala
@@ -156,9 +156,7 @@ final class Dependency(val global: CallbackGlobal) extends LocateClassFile
 		val traverser = new ExtractDependenciesByMemberRefTraverser
 		traverser.traverse(unit.body)
 		val dependencies = traverser.dependencies
-		// we capture enclosing classes only because that's what CompilationUnit.depends does and we don't want
-		// to deviate from old behaviour too much for now
-		dependencies.map(_.toplevelClass)
+		dependencies.map(enclosingTopLevelClass)
 	}
 
 	/** Copied straight from Scala 2.10 as it does not exist in Scala 2.9 compiler */
@@ -184,7 +182,15 @@ final class Dependency(val global: CallbackGlobal) extends LocateClassFile
 		val traverser = new ExtractDependenciesByInheritanceTraverser
 		traverser.traverse(unit.body)
 		val dependencies = traverser.dependencies
-		dependencies.map(_.toplevelClass)
+		dependencies.map(enclosingTopLevelClass)
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * We capture enclosing classes only because that's what CompilationUnit.depends does and we don't want
+	 * to deviate from old behaviour too much for now.
+	 */
+	private def enclosingTopLevelClass(sym: Symbol): Symbol =
+		// for Scala 2.8 and 2.9 this method is provided through SymbolCompat
+		sym.enclosingTopLevelClass
+
 }