diff --git a/backends/BackendPassesTest.hs b/backends/BackendPassesTest.hs
index a399921..079e453 100644
--- a/backends/BackendPassesTest.hs
+++ b/backends/BackendPassesTest.hs
@@ -26,11 +26,15 @@ import Test.HUnit hiding (State)
 
 import qualified AST as A
 import BackendPasses
+import Metadata
 import Pattern
 import TagAST
 import TestUtils
 import TreeUtils
 
+m :: Meta
+m = emptyMeta
+
 -- | Test WaitUntil guard (should be unchanged)
 testTransformWaitFor0 :: Test
 testTransformWaitFor0 = TestCase $ testPass "testTransformWaitFor0" orig (transformWaitFor orig) (return ())
diff --git a/checks/ArrayUsageCheckTest.hs b/checks/ArrayUsageCheckTest.hs
index 9ec5a1a..33aac6f 100644
--- a/checks/ArrayUsageCheckTest.hs
+++ b/checks/ArrayUsageCheckTest.hs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import Omega
 import ShowCode
 import TestFramework
 import TestHarness
-import TestUtils hiding (m)
+import TestUtils
 import UsageCheckUtils hiding (Var)
 import Utils
 
diff --git a/checks/RainUsageCheckTest.hs b/checks/RainUsageCheckTest.hs
index 3c4d163..de5c176 100644
--- a/checks/RainUsageCheckTest.hs
+++ b/checks/RainUsageCheckTest.hs
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ tvB = Var $ vB
 tvC = Var $ vC
 tvD = Var $ vD
 tvL = Var $ vL
+
+m = emptyMeta
    
 --These are all shorthand for some useful "building block" processes
 --The syntax is roughly: <variable list>_eq_<variable list>
diff --git a/common/TestUtils.hs b/common/TestUtils.hs
index 2e947fe..8e0cc72 100644
--- a/common/TestUtils.hs
+++ b/common/TestUtils.hs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ import Test.QuickCheck
 import qualified AST as A
 import CompState
 import Errors
-import Metadata (Meta,emptyMeta)
+import Metadata (emptyMeta)
 import Pass
 import Pattern
 import PrettyShow
@@ -116,12 +116,6 @@ timeTask label (low,med,high) test level
                     let mean = average times
                     return (label, mean, Just $ average (map (\x -> (x - mean) * (x - mean)) times))
   
-
-
--- | An abbreviation for using 'emptyMeta'.  TODO: This should really be removed (and all uses of it replaced with 'emptyMeta') for clarity.
-m :: Meta
-m = emptyMeta
-
 -- | Creates a 'A.Name' object with the given 'String' as 'A.nameName', and 'A.nameType' as 'A.VariableName'.
 simpleName :: String -> A.Name
 simpleName s = A.Name { A.nameName = s , A.nameMeta = emptyMeta , A.nameType = A.VariableName }
@@ -423,29 +417,29 @@ data ExprHelper =
   | EHTrue
 
 buildExprPattern :: ExprHelper -> Pattern
-buildExprPattern = (stopCaringPattern m) . mkPattern . buildExpr
+buildExprPattern = (stopCaringPattern emptyMeta) . mkPattern . buildExpr
 
 buildExpr :: ExprHelper -> A.Expression
-buildExpr (Dy lhs op rhs) = A.Dyadic m op (buildExpr lhs) (buildExpr rhs)
-buildExpr (Mon op rhs) = A.Monadic m op (buildExpr rhs)
-buildExpr (Cast ty rhs) = A.Conversion m A.DefaultConversion ty (buildExpr rhs)
-buildExpr (Var n) = A.ExprVariable m $ variable n
-buildExpr (DirVar dir n) = A.ExprVariable m $ (A.DirectedVariable m dir $ variable n)
+buildExpr (Dy lhs op rhs) = A.Dyadic emptyMeta op (buildExpr lhs) (buildExpr rhs)
+buildExpr (Mon op rhs) = A.Monadic emptyMeta op (buildExpr rhs)
+buildExpr (Cast ty rhs) = A.Conversion emptyMeta A.DefaultConversion ty (buildExpr rhs)
+buildExpr (Var n) = A.ExprVariable emptyMeta $ variable n
+buildExpr (DirVar dir n) = A.ExprVariable emptyMeta $ (A.DirectedVariable emptyMeta dir $ variable n)
 buildExpr (Lit e) = e
-buildExpr EHTrue = A.True m
+buildExpr EHTrue = A.True emptyMeta
 
 -- | A simple definition of a variable
 simpleDef :: String -> A.SpecType -> A.NameDef
-simpleDef n sp = A.NameDef {A.ndMeta = m, A.ndName = n, A.ndOrigName = n, A.ndNameType = A.VariableName,
+simpleDef n sp = A.NameDef {A.ndMeta = emptyMeta, A.ndName = n, A.ndOrigName = n, A.ndNameType = A.VariableName,
                             A.ndType = sp, A.ndAbbrevMode = A.Original, A.ndPlacement = A.Unplaced}
 
 -- | A simple definition of a declared variable
 simpleDefDecl :: String -> A.Type -> A.NameDef
-simpleDefDecl n t = simpleDef n (A.Declaration m t Nothing)
+simpleDefDecl n t = simpleDef n (A.Declaration emptyMeta t Nothing)
 
 -- | A simple definition of a declared variable
 simpleDefDeclInit :: String -> A.Type -> Maybe A.Expression -> A.NameDef
-simpleDefDeclInit n t init = simpleDef n (A.Declaration m t init)
+simpleDefDeclInit n t init = simpleDef n (A.Declaration emptyMeta t init)
 
 -- | A pattern that will match simpleDef, with a different abbreviation mode
 simpleDefPattern :: String -> A.AbbrevMode -> Pattern -> Pattern
diff --git a/frontends/ParseRainTest.hs b/frontends/ParseRainTest.hs
index 43e11af..97dbe2d 100644
--- a/frontends/ParseRainTest.hs
+++ b/frontends/ParseRainTest.hs
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ fail x = ExpFail x
 pat :: Data a => a -> Pattern
 pat = (stopCaringPattern emptyMeta) . mkPattern
 
+m :: Meta
+m = emptyMeta
+
 -- | Runs a parse test, given a tuple of: (source text, parser function, assertion)
 -- There will be success if the parser succeeds, and the output succeeds against the given assertion.
 testParsePass :: Show a => (String, RP.RainParser a , (a -> Assertion)) -> Assertion
diff --git a/frontends/RainPassesTest.hs b/frontends/RainPassesTest.hs
index c256717..f7cefce 100644
--- a/frontends/RainPassesTest.hs
+++ b/frontends/RainPassesTest.hs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import Test.HUnit hiding (State)
 import qualified AST as A
 import CompState
 import Errors
+import Metadata
 import Pattern
 import RainPasses
 import RainTypes
@@ -45,6 +46,9 @@ import TagAST
 import TestUtils
 import TreeUtils
 
+m :: Meta
+m = emptyMeta
+
 -- | A helper function that returns a simple A.Structured A.Process item (A.Only m $ A.Skip m).
 skipP :: A.Structured A.Process
 skipP = A.Only m (A.Skip m)
diff --git a/frontends/RainTypesTest.hs b/frontends/RainTypesTest.hs
index 12ea33d..36de955 100644
--- a/frontends/RainTypesTest.hs
+++ b/frontends/RainTypesTest.hs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import Test.HUnit hiding (State)
 import qualified AST as A
 import CompState
 import Errors
+import Metadata
 import Pass
 import Pattern
 import RainTypes
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@ import TreeUtils
 import Types
 import Utils
 
+m :: Meta
+m = emptyMeta
+
 -- | Tests that constants in expressions are folded properly.  TODO these tests could do with a lot of expanding.
 -- It may even be easiest to use QuickCheck for the testing.
 constantFoldTest :: Test
diff --git a/transformations/PassTest.hs b/transformations/PassTest.hs
index c866cac..ac3b31b 100644
--- a/transformations/PassTest.hs
+++ b/transformations/PassTest.hs
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ import TagAST
 import TestUtils
 import TreeUtils
 
+m :: Meta
+m = emptyMeta
+
 -- | A handy typed version of Nothing for use with A.Declaration
 noInit :: Maybe A.Expression
 noInit = Nothing