diff --git a/frame/3/gemm/bli_gemm_md.c b/frame/3/gemm/bli_gemm_md.c
index 0f82b15f3..c9450a26c 100644
--- a/frame/3/gemm/bli_gemm_md.c
+++ b/frame/3/gemm/bli_gemm_md.c
@@ -172,14 +172,12 @@ mddm_t bli_gemm_md_ccr
 	// that computation datatype to query the corresponding ukernel output
 	// preference.
 	const num_t dt = BLIS_REAL | bli_obj_comp_prec( c );
-	const bool  row_pref
-	      = bli_cntx_l3_nat_ukr_prefers_rows_dt( dt, BLIS_GEMM_UKR, *cntx );
 
 	// We can only perform this case of mixed-domain gemm, C += A*B where
 	// B is real, if the microkernel prefers column output. If it prefers
 	// row output, we must induce a transposition and perform C += A*B
 	// where A (formerly B) is real.
-	if ( row_pref )
+	if ( bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_dislikes_storage_of_md( c, dt, BLIS_GEMM_UKR, *cntx ) )
 	{
 		bli_obj_swap( a, b );
 
@@ -273,14 +271,12 @@ mddm_t bli_gemm_md_crc
 	// that computation datatype to query the corresponding ukernel output
 	// preference.
 	const num_t dt = BLIS_REAL | bli_obj_comp_prec( c );
-	const bool  col_pref
-	      = bli_cntx_l3_nat_ukr_prefers_cols_dt( dt, BLIS_GEMM_UKR, *cntx );
 
 	// We can only perform this case of mixed-domain gemm, C += A*B where
 	// A is real, if the microkernel prefers row output. If it prefers
 	// column output, we must induce a transposition and perform C += A*B
 	// where B (formerly A) is real.
-	if ( col_pref )
+	if ( bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_dislikes_storage_of_md( c, dt, BLIS_GEMM_UKR, *cntx ) )
 	{
 		bli_obj_swap( a, b );
 
diff --git a/frame/base/bli_cntx.h b/frame/base/bli_cntx.h
index 3715d70c9..fcef4738f 100644
--- a/frame/base/bli_cntx.h
+++ b/frame/base/bli_cntx.h
@@ -601,6 +601,27 @@ BLIS_INLINE bool bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_dislikes_storage_of( obj_t* obj, l3ukr_t uk
 	       !bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_prefers_storage_of( obj, ukr_id, cntx );
 }
 
+BLIS_INLINE bool bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_prefers_storage_of_md( obj_t* obj, num_t dt, l3ukr_t ukr_id, cntx_t* cntx )
+{
+	// we use the computation datatype, which may differ from the
+	// storage datatype of C
+	const bool  ukr_prefers_rows
+	                  = bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_prefers_rows_dt( dt, ukr_id, cntx );
+	const bool  ukr_prefers_cols
+	                  = bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_prefers_cols_dt( dt, ukr_id, cntx );
+	bool        r_val = FALSE;
+
+	if      ( bli_obj_is_row_stored( obj ) && ukr_prefers_rows ) r_val = TRUE;
+	else if ( bli_obj_is_col_stored( obj ) && ukr_prefers_cols ) r_val = TRUE;
+	return r_val;
+}
+
+BLIS_INLINE bool bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_dislikes_storage_of_md( obj_t* obj, num_t dt, l3ukr_t ukr_id, cntx_t* cntx )
+{
+	return ( bool )
+	       !bli_cntx_l3_vir_ukr_prefers_storage_of_md( obj, dt, ukr_id, cntx );
+}
+
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 BLIS_INLINE bool bli_cntx_l3_sup_thresh_is_met( obj_t* a, obj_t* b, obj_t* c, cntx_t* cntx )
 {