diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/diagnostics.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/diagnostics.lua
index 3daee7bc..ef59ff70 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/diagnostics.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/diagnostics.lua
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ local HL_POSITION = require("nvim-tree.enum").HL_POSITION
 local ICON_PLACEMENT = require("nvim-tree.enum").ICON_PLACEMENT
 
 local Decorator = require("nvim-tree.renderer.decorator")
+local DirectoryNode = require("nvim-tree.node.directory")
 
 -- highlight groups by severity
 local HG_ICON = {
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ function DecoratorDiagnostics:calculate_highlight(node)
   end
 
   local group
-  if node.nodes then
+  if node:is(DirectoryNode) then
     group = HG_FOLDER[diag_value]
   else
     group = HG_FILE[diag_value]
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/hidden.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/hidden.lua
index 1df68c48..000d8446 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/hidden.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/hidden.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 local HL_POSITION = require("nvim-tree.enum").HL_POSITION
 local ICON_PLACEMENT = require("nvim-tree.enum").ICON_PLACEMENT
+
 local Decorator = require("nvim-tree.renderer.decorator")
+local DirectoryNode = require("nvim-tree.node.directory")
 
 ---@class (exact) DecoratorHidden: Decorator
 ---@field icon HighlightedString?
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@ function DecoratorHidden:calculate_highlight(node)
     return nil
   end
 
-  if node.nodes then
+  if node:is(DirectoryNode) then
     return "NvimTreeHiddenFolderHL"
   else
     return "NvimTreeHiddenFileHL"
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/modified.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/modified.lua
index 4665343f..0cd2d55c 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/modified.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/renderer/decorator/modified.lua
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ local HL_POSITION = require("nvim-tree.enum").HL_POSITION
 local ICON_PLACEMENT = require("nvim-tree.enum").ICON_PLACEMENT
 
 local Decorator = require("nvim-tree.renderer.decorator")
+local DirectoryNode = require("nvim-tree.node.directory")
 
 ---@class (exact) DecoratorModified: Decorator
 ---@field icon HighlightedString|nil
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ function DecoratorModified:calculate_highlight(node)
     return nil
   end
 
-  if node.nodes then
+  if node:is(DirectoryNode) then
     return "NvimTreeModifiedFolderHL"
   else
     return "NvimTreeModifiedFileHL"