diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
index 1197312c..842700ba 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/legacy.lua
@@ -2,6 +2,22 @@ local notify = require("nvim-tree.notify")
 
 local M = {}
 
+--- Create empty sub-tables if not present
+---@param tbl table to create empty inside of
+---@param path string dot separated string of sub-tables
+---@return table deepest sub-table
+local function create(tbl, path)
+  local t = tbl
+  for s in string.gmatch(path, "([^%.]+)%.*") do
+    if t[s] == nil then
+      t[s] = {}
+    end
+    t = t[s]
+  end
+
+  return t
+end
+
 --- Move a value from src to dst if value is nil on dst.
 --- Remove value from src
 ---@param src table to copy from
@@ -24,7 +40,7 @@ local function move(src, src_path, src_pos, dst, dst_path, dst_pos, remove)
     return
   end
 
-  dst = M.table_create_missing(dst, dst_path)
+  dst = create(dst, dst_path)
   if dst[dst_pos] == nil then
     dst[dst_pos] = src_val
   end
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
index 825e3ec4..b51e29ac 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/utils.lua
@@ -361,22 +361,6 @@ function M.escape_special_chars(path)
   return M.is_windows and escape_special_char_for_windows(path) or path
 end
 
---- Create empty sub-tables if not present
----@param tbl table to create empty inside of
----@param path string dot separated string of sub-tables
----@return table deepest sub-table
-function M.table_create_missing(tbl, path)
-  local t = tbl
-  for s in string.gmatch(path, "([^%.]+)%.*") do
-    if t[s] == nil then
-      t[s] = {}
-    end
-    t = t[s]
-  end
-
-  return t
-end
-
 local function round(value)
   -- Amount of digits to round to after floating point.
   local digits = 2