diff --git a/xarray/core/parallel.py b/xarray/core/parallel.py
index c2473b9e3b2..c2b09c119ad 100644
--- a/xarray/core/parallel.py
+++ b/xarray/core/parallel.py
@@ -34,10 +34,6 @@
 T_DSorDA = TypeVar("T_DSorDA", DataArray, Dataset)
 
 
-def get_index_vars(obj: Union[DataArray, Dataset]) -> dict:
-    return {dim: obj[dim] for dim in obj.indexes}
-
-
 def to_object_array(iterable):
     npargs = np.empty((len(iterable),), dtype=np.object)
     for idx, item in enumerate(iterable):
@@ -247,7 +243,7 @@ def _wrapper(
         raise ValueError(f"Dimensions {missing_dimensions} missing on returned object.")
 
     # check that index lengths and values are as expected
-    for name, index in get_index_vars(result).items():
+    for name, index in result.indexes.items():
         if name in check_shapes:
             if len(index) != check_shapes[name]:
                 raise ValueError(
@@ -412,11 +408,11 @@ def map_blocks(
 
     # check that chunk sizes are compatible
     input_chunks = dict(npargs[0].chunks)
-    input_indexes = get_index_vars(npargs[0])
+    input_indexes = dict(npargs[0].indexes)
     for arg in npargs[1:][is_xarray[1:]]:
         assert_chunks_compatible(npargs[0], arg)
         input_chunks.update(arg.chunks)
-        input_indexes.update(get_index_vars(arg))
+        input_indexes.update(arg.indexes)
 
     if template is None:
         # infer template by providing zero-shaped arrays
@@ -425,7 +421,7 @@ def map_blocks(
         preserved_indexes = template_indexes & set(input_indexes)
         new_indexes = template_indexes - set(input_indexes)
         indexes = {dim: input_indexes[dim] for dim in preserved_indexes}
-        indexes.update({k: template[k] for k in new_indexes})
+        indexes.update({k: template.indexes[k] for k in new_indexes})
         output_chunks = {
             dim: input_chunks[dim] for dim in template.dims if dim in input_chunks
         }
@@ -433,7 +429,7 @@ def map_blocks(
     else:
         # template xarray object has been provided with proper sizes and chunk shapes
         indexes = input_indexes
-        indexes.update(get_index_vars(template))
+        indexes.update(template.indexes)
         if isinstance(template, DataArray):
             output_chunks = dict(zip(template.dims, template.chunks))  # type: ignore
         else: