diff --git a/hgext/sparse.py b/hgext/sparse.py
--- a/hgext/sparse.py
+++ b/hgext/sparse.py
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ def _setupupdates(ui):
             for file, flags, msg in actions:
                 dirstate.normal(file)
 
-        profiles = repo.getactiveprofiles()
+        profiles = sparse.activeprofiles(repo)
         changedprofiles = profiles & files
         # If an active profile changed during the update, refresh the checkout.
         # Don't do this during a branch merge, since all incoming changes should
@@ -517,17 +517,6 @@ def _wraprepo(ui, repo):
 
             return result
 
-        def getactiveprofiles(self):
-            revs = [self.changelog.rev(node) for node in
-                    self.dirstate.parents() if node != nullid]
-
-            activeprofiles = set()
-            for rev in revs:
-                _, _, profiles = sparse.patternsforrev(self, rev)
-                activeprofiles.update(profiles)
-
-            return activeprofiles
-
         def writesparseconfig(self, include, exclude, profiles):
             raw = '%s[include]\n%s\n[exclude]\n%s\n' % (
                 ''.join(['%%include %s\n' % p for p in sorted(profiles)]),
diff --git a/mercurial/sparse.py b/mercurial/sparse.py
--- a/mercurial/sparse.py
+++ b/mercurial/sparse.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 from .i18n import _
+from .node import nullid
 from . import (
     error,
 )
@@ -115,3 +116,13 @@ def patternsforrev(repo, rev):
         includes.add('.hg*')
 
     return includes, excludes, profiles
+
+def activeprofiles(repo):
+    revs = [repo.changelog.rev(node) for node in
+            repo.dirstate.parents() if node != nullid]
+
+    profiles = set()
+    for rev in revs:
+        profiles.update(patternsforrev(repo, rev)[2])
+
+    return profiles