diff --git a/lua/telekasten.lua b/lua/telekasten.lua
index c085a10..dfc0c81 100644
--- a/lua/telekasten.lua
+++ b/lua/telekasten.lua
@@ -158,29 +158,6 @@ local function defaultConfig(home)
     }
 end
 
-local function random_variable(length)
-    math.randomseed(os.clock() ^ 5)
-    local res = ""
-    for _ = 1, length do
-        res = res .. string.char(math.random(97, 122))
-    end
-    return res
-end
-
-local function get_uuid(opts)
-    opts.uuid_type = opts.uuid_type or M.Cfg.uuid_type
-
-    local uuid
-    if opts.uuid_type == "rand" then
-        uuid = random_variable(6)
-    elseif type(opts.uuid_type) == "function" then
-        uuid = opts.uuid_type()
-    else
-        uuid = os.date(opts.uuid_type)
-    end
-    return uuid
-end
-
 local function generate_note_filename(uuid, title)
     if M.Cfg.filename_space_subst ~= nil then
         title = title:gsub(" ", M.Cfg.filename_space_subst)
@@ -1999,8 +1976,9 @@ local function on_create_with_template(opts, title)
         or M.Cfg.close_after_yanking
     opts.new_note_location = opts.new_note_location or M.Cfg.new_note_location
     opts.template_handling = opts.template_handling or M.Cfg.template_handling
+    local uuid_type = opts.uuid_type or M.Cfg.uuid_type
 
-    local uuid = get_uuid(opts)
+    local uuid = fileutils.new_uuid(uuid_type)
     local pinfo = Pinfo:new({
         title = generate_note_filename(uuid, title),
         opts,
@@ -2069,12 +2047,13 @@ local function on_create(opts, title)
         or M.Cfg.close_after_yanking
     opts.new_note_location = opts.new_note_location or M.Cfg.new_note_location
     opts.template_handling = opts.template_handling or M.Cfg.template_handling
+    local uuid_type = opts.uuid_type or M.Cfg.uuid_type
 
     if title == nil then
         return
     end
 
-    local uuid = get_uuid(opts)
+    local uuid = fileutils.new_uuid(uuid_type)
     local pinfo = Pinfo:new({
         title = generate_note_filename(uuid, title),
         opts,
@@ -2143,6 +2122,7 @@ local function FollowLink(opts)
 
     opts.template_handling = opts.template_handling or M.Cfg.template_handling
     opts.new_note_location = opts.new_note_location or M.Cfg.new_note_location
+    local uuid_type = opts.uuid_type or M.Cfg.uuid_type
 
     if not global_dir_check() then
         return
@@ -2237,7 +2217,7 @@ local function FollowLink(opts)
             end
 
             if #pinfo.filepath > 0 then
-                local uuid = get_uuid(opts)
+                local uuid = fileutils.new_uuid(uuid_type)
                 create_note_from_template(
                     title,
                     uuid,
diff --git a/lua/telekasten/utils/files.lua b/lua/telekasten/utils/files.lua
index 3c0f22c..2296719 100644
--- a/lua/telekasten/utils/files.lua
+++ b/lua/telekasten/utils/files.lua
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ function M.file_exists(fname)
     end
 end
 
+-- Strips an extension from a file name, escaping "." properly, eg:
+-- strip_extension("path/Filename.md", ".md") -> "path/Filename"
+local function strip_extension(str, ext)
+    return str:gsub("(" .. ext:gsub("%.", "%%.") .. ")$", "")
+end
+
 -- Prompts the user for a note title
 function M.prompt_title(ext, defaultFile, callback)
     local canceledStr = "__INPUT_CANCELLED__"
@@ -39,4 +45,25 @@ function M.prompt_title(ext, defaultFile, callback)
     end)
 end
 
+local function random_variable(length)
+    math.randomseed(os.clock() ^ 5)
+    local res = ""
+    for _ = 1, length do
+        res = res .. string.char(math.random(97, 122))
+    end
+    return res
+end
+
+function M.new_uuid(uuid_style)
+    local uuid
+    if uuid_style == "rand" then
+        uuid = random_variable(6)
+    elseif type(uuid_style) == "function" then
+        uuid = uuid_style()
+    else
+        uuid = os.date(uuid_style)
+    end
+    return uuid
+end
+
 return M
diff --git a/lua/telekasten/utils/init.lua b/lua/telekasten/utils/init.lua
index 41e0e43..5186cb1 100644
--- a/lua/telekasten/utils/init.lua
+++ b/lua/telekasten/utils/init.lua
@@ -18,10 +18,4 @@ function M.strip(s, chars_to_remove)
     return s:gsub("[" .. M.escape(chars_to_remove) .. "]", "")
 end
 
--- strip an extension from a file name, escaping "." properly, eg:
--- strip_extension("path/Filename.md", ".md") -> "path/Filename"
-local function strip_extension(str, ext)
-    return str:gsub("(" .. ext:gsub("%.", "%%.") .. ")$", "")
-end
-
 return M