diff --git a/elixir/filters/makefiledir.py b/elixir/filters/makefiledir.py
index 77a7e42..73015c7 100755
--- a/elixir/filters/makefiledir.py
+++ b/elixir/filters/makefiledir.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class MakefileDirFilter(Filter):
             if filedir != '/':
                 filedir += '/'
 
-            if ctx.query.query('exist', ctx.tag, filedir + m.group(1) + '/Makefile'):
+            if ctx.query.file_exists(ctx.tag, filedir + m.group(1) + '/Makefile'):
                 self.makefiledir.append(m.group(1))
                 return f'__KEEPMAKEFILEDIR__{ encode_number(len(self.makefiledir)) }/{ m.group(2) }'
             else:
diff --git a/elixir/filters/makefilefile.py b/elixir/filters/makefilefile.py
index 5cc27b0..be60bef 100755
--- a/elixir/filters/makefilefile.py
+++ b/elixir/filters/makefilefile.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class MakefileFileFilter(Filter):
             if filedir != '/':
                 filedir += '/'
 
-            if ctx.query.query('exist', ctx.tag, filedir + m.group(1)):
+            if ctx.query.file_exists(ctx.tag, filedir + m.group(1)):
                 self.makefilefile.append(m.group(1))
                 return f'__KEEPMAKEFILEFILE__{ encode_number(len(self.makefilefile)) }{ m.group(2) }'
             else:
diff --git a/elixir/filters/makefilesrctree.py b/elixir/filters/makefilesrctree.py
index d9caf00..4149439 100755
--- a/elixir/filters/makefilesrctree.py
+++ b/elixir/filters/makefilesrctree.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class MakefileSrcTreeFilter(Filter):
 
     def transform_raw_code(self, ctx, code: str) -> str:
         def keep_makefilesrctree(m):
-            if ctx.query.query('exist', ctx.tag, '/' + m.group(1)):
+            if ctx.query.file_exists(ctx.tag, '/' + m.group(1)):
                 self.makefilesrctree.append(m.group(1))
                 return f'__KEEPMAKEFILESRCTREE__{ encode_number(len(self.makefilesrctree)) }{ m.group(2) }'
             else:
diff --git a/elixir/query.py b/elixir/query.py
index ec44e75..8562a43 100755
--- a/elixir/query.py
+++ b/elixir/query.py
@@ -94,20 +94,7 @@ class Query:
         elif cmd == 'exist':
             version = args[0]
             path = args[1]
-
-            if version not in self.file_cache:
-                version_cache = set()
-                last_dir = None
-                for _, path in self.db.vers.get(version).iter():
-                    dirname, filename = os.path.split(path)
-                    if dirname != last_dir:
-                        last_dir = dirname
-                        version_cache.add(dirname)
-                    version_cache.add(path)
-
-                self.file_cache[version] = version_cache
-
-            return path.strip('/') in self.file_cache[version]
+            return self.file_exists(version, path)
 
         elif cmd == 'dir':
             version = args[0]
@@ -178,6 +165,21 @@ class Query:
         else:
             return 'Unknown subcommand: ' + cmd + '\n'
 
+    # Returns True if file exists
+    def file_exists(self, version, path):
+        if version not in self.file_cache:
+            version_cache = set()
+            last_dir = None
+            for _, path in self.db.vers.get(version).iter():
+                dirname, filename = os.path.split(path)
+                if dirname != last_dir:
+                    last_dir = dirname
+                    version_cache.add(dirname)
+                version_cache.add(path)
+
+            self.file_cache[version] = version_cache
+
+        return path.strip('/') in self.file_cache[version]
 
     # Returns the contents of the specified file
     # Tokens are marked for further processing