diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
index 9c4ccd55..449cb221 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-local utils = require("nvim-tree.utils")
 local view = require("nvim-tree.view")
 local core = require("nvim-tree.core")
 local diagnostics = require("nvim-tree.diagnostics")
@@ -36,7 +35,7 @@ end
 ---@param skip_gitignored boolean? default false
 local function move(explorer, where, what, skip_gitignored)
   local first_node_line = core.get_nodes_starting_line()
-  local nodes_by_line = utils.get_nodes_by_line(explorer.nodes, first_node_line)
+  local nodes_by_line = explorer:get_nodes_by_line(first_node_line)
   local iter_start, iter_end, iter_step, cur, first, nex
 
   local cursor = explorer:get_cursor_position()
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/init.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/init.lua
index fbf33518..db1961a8 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/init.lua
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ function Explorer:get_node_at_cursor()
     return self
   end
 
-  return utils.get_nodes_by_line(self.nodes, core.get_nodes_starting_line())[cursor[1]]
+  return self:get_nodes_by_line(core.get_nodes_starting_line())[cursor[1]]
 end
 
 function Explorer:place_cursor_on_node()
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ function Explorer:find_node_line(node)
   end
 
   local first_node_line = core.get_nodes_starting_line()
-  local nodes_by_line = utils.get_nodes_by_line(self.nodes, first_node_line)
+  local nodes_by_line = self:get_nodes_by_line(first_node_line)
   local iter_start, iter_end = first_node_line, #nodes_by_line
 
   for line = iter_start, iter_end, 1 do
@@ -646,6 +646,29 @@ function Explorer:find_node(fn)
   return node, i
 end
 
+--- Return visible nodes indexed by line
+---@param line_start number
+---@return table
+function Explorer:get_nodes_by_line(line_start)
+  local nodes_by_line = {}
+  local line = line_start
+
+  Iterator.builder(self.nodes)
+    :applier(function(node)
+      if node.group_next then
+        return
+      end
+      nodes_by_line[line] = node
+      line = line + 1
+    end)
+    :recursor(function(node)
+      return node.group_next and { node.group_next } or (node.open and #node.nodes > 0 and node.nodes)
+    end)
+    :iterate()
+
+  return nodes_by_line
+end
+
 ---Api.tree.get_nodes
 ---@return nvim_tree.api.Node
 function Explorer:get_nodes()
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
index 78ca7815..b98301e6 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-local Iterator = require("nvim-tree.iterators.node-iterator")
-
 local M = {
   debouncers = {},
 }
@@ -149,30 +147,6 @@ M.default_format_hidden_count = function(hidden_count, simple)
   return nil
 end
 
---- Return visible nodes indexed by line
----@param nodes_all Node[]
----@param line_start number
----@return table
-function M.get_nodes_by_line(nodes_all, line_start)
-  local nodes_by_line = {}
-  local line = line_start
-
-  Iterator.builder(nodes_all)
-    :applier(function(node)
-      if node.group_next then
-        return
-      end
-      nodes_by_line[line] = node
-      line = line + 1
-    end)
-    :recursor(function(node)
-      return node.group_next and { node.group_next } or (node.open and #node.nodes > 0 and node.nodes)
-    end)
-    :iterate()
-
-  return nodes_by_line
-end
-
 function M.rename_loaded_buffers(old_path, new_path)
   -- delete new if it exists
   for _, buf in pairs(vim.api.nvim_list_bufs()) do