diff --git a/builtin-read-tree.c b/builtin-read-tree.c
index 480e6ed372..00cdb5a6d9 100644
--- a/builtin-read-tree.c
+++ b/builtin-read-tree.c
@@ -30,7 +30,17 @@ static int merge_size = 0;
 
 static struct object_list *trees = NULL;
 
-static struct cache_entry df_conflict_entry = { 
+static struct cache_entry df_conflict_entry = {
+};
+
+struct tree_entry_list {
+	struct tree_entry_list *next;
+	unsigned directory : 1;
+	unsigned executable : 1;
+	unsigned symlink : 1;
+	unsigned int mode;
+	const char *name;
+	const unsigned char *sha1;
 };
 
 static struct tree_entry_list df_conflict_list = {
@@ -40,6 +50,39 @@ static struct tree_entry_list df_conflict_list = {
 
 typedef int (*merge_fn_t)(struct cache_entry **src);
 
+static struct tree_entry_list *create_tree_entry_list(struct tree *tree)
+{
+	struct tree_desc desc;
+	struct tree_entry_list *ret = NULL;
+	struct tree_entry_list **list_p = &ret;
+
+	desc.buf = tree->buffer;
+	desc.size = tree->size;
+
+	while (desc.size) {
+		unsigned mode;
+		const char *path;
+		const unsigned char *sha1;
+		struct tree_entry_list *entry;
+
+		sha1 = tree_entry_extract(&desc, &path, &mode);
+		update_tree_entry(&desc);
+
+		entry = xmalloc(sizeof(struct tree_entry_list));
+		entry->name = path;
+		entry->sha1 = sha1;
+		entry->mode = mode;
+		entry->directory = S_ISDIR(mode) != 0;
+		entry->executable = (mode & S_IXUSR) != 0;
+		entry->symlink = S_ISLNK(mode) != 0;
+		entry->next = NULL;
+
+		*list_p = entry;
+		list_p = &entry->next;
+	}
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static int entcmp(const char *name1, int dir1, const char *name2, int dir2)
 {
 	int len1 = strlen(name1);
diff --git a/tree.c b/tree.c
index 47318ef890..fb18724259 100644
--- a/tree.c
+++ b/tree.c
@@ -201,48 +201,6 @@ int parse_tree_buffer(struct tree *item, void *buffer, unsigned long size)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-struct tree_entry_list *create_tree_entry_list(struct tree *tree)
-{
-	struct tree_desc desc;
-	struct tree_entry_list *ret = NULL;
-	struct tree_entry_list **list_p = &ret;
-
-	desc.buf = tree->buffer;
-	desc.size = tree->size;
-
-	while (desc.size) {
-		unsigned mode;
-		const char *path;
-		const unsigned char *sha1;
-		struct tree_entry_list *entry;
-
-		sha1 = tree_entry_extract(&desc, &path, &mode);
-		update_tree_entry(&desc);
-
-		entry = xmalloc(sizeof(struct tree_entry_list));
-		entry->name = path;
-		entry->sha1 = sha1;
-		entry->mode = mode;
-		entry->directory = S_ISDIR(mode) != 0;
-		entry->executable = (mode & S_IXUSR) != 0;
-		entry->symlink = S_ISLNK(mode) != 0;
-		entry->next = NULL;
-
-		*list_p = entry;
-		list_p = &entry->next;
-	}
-	return ret;
-}
-
-void free_tree_entry_list(struct tree_entry_list *list)
-{
-	while (list) {
-		struct tree_entry_list *next = list->next;
-		free(list);
-		list = next;
-	}
-}
-
 int parse_tree(struct tree *item)
 {
 	 char type[20];
diff --git a/tree.h b/tree.h
index 6a875464b0..dd25c539ef 100644
--- a/tree.h
+++ b/tree.h
@@ -5,25 +5,12 @@
 
 extern const char *tree_type;
 
-struct tree_entry_list {
-	struct tree_entry_list *next;
-	unsigned directory : 1;
-	unsigned executable : 1;
-	unsigned symlink : 1;
-	unsigned int mode;
-	const char *name;
-	const unsigned char *sha1;
-};
-
 struct tree {
 	struct object object;
 	void *buffer;
 	unsigned long size;
 };
 
-struct tree_entry_list *create_tree_entry_list(struct tree *);
-void free_tree_entry_list(struct tree_entry_list *);
-
 struct tree *lookup_tree(const unsigned char *sha1);
 
 int parse_tree_buffer(struct tree *item, void *buffer, unsigned long size);