diff --git a/include/version.hpp b/include/version.hpp
index 17c8de5..f0e18c9 100644
--- a/include/version.hpp
+++ b/include/version.hpp
@@ -1 +1 @@
-static const char *VERSION = "4";
+static const char *VERSION = "5";
diff --git a/src/generator.cpp b/src/generator.cpp
index ec5bacf..32c322e 100644
--- a/src/generator.cpp
+++ b/src/generator.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,40 @@ static uint64_t fnv1a_64(const void* data, size_t len) {
     return h;
 }
 
+// Helper function to output the _recreate_file_ utility function
+static void output_recreate_file_utility(std::ofstream& cpp) {
+    cpp << R"cpp(
+// Utility function to recreate a file with proper permissions
+static bool _recreate_file_(const std::filesystem::path& outpath, uint64_t file_hash, std::filesystem::perms file_perms, const unsigned char* filedata, size_t filedata_len) {
+    namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+    uint64_t existing_hash = 0;
+    if (fs::exists(outpath)) {
+        std::ifstream in(outpath, std::ios::binary);
+        std::ostringstream oss;
+        oss << in.rdbuf();
+        std::string data = oss.str();
+        existing_hash = fnv1a_64(data.data(), data.size());
+    }
+    bool needs_write = !fs::exists(outpath) || existing_hash != file_hash;
+    if (needs_write) {
+        fs::create_directories(outpath.parent_path());
+        std::ofstream out(outpath, std::ios::binary);
+        out.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(filedata), filedata_len);
+        out.close();
+        // Set the file permissions
+        fs::permissions(outpath, file_perms);
+    }
+    
+    if (!fs::exists(outpath)) {
+        std::cout << "[dehydrate] " << outpath.filename() << ": created\n";
+    } else if (needs_write) {
+        std::cout << "[dehydrate] " << outpath.filename() << ": updated (hash changed)\n";
+    }
+    return needs_write;
+}
+)cpp";
+}
+
 
 void generate_file_code(const std::string& source, const std::string& destfolder, bool silent) {
     fs::path src(source);
@@ -64,6 +98,10 @@ static uint64_t fnv1a_64(const void* data, size_t len) {
 )cpp";
     cpp << "#include \"" << hppname << "\"\n";
     cpp << "namespace " << ns << " {\n";
+    
+    // Output the recreate_file utility function
+    output_recreate_file_utility(cpp);
+    
     // Embed file data
     cpp << "static const unsigned char filedata[] = {";
     for (size_t i = 0; i < filedata.size(); ++i) {
@@ -81,29 +119,7 @@ static uint64_t fnv1a_64(const void* data, size_t len) {
 bool recreate_file(std::string destination_folder) {
     namespace fs = std::filesystem;
     fs::path outpath = fs::path(destination_folder) / ")cpp" << src.filename().string() << R"cpp(";
-    uint64_t existing_hash;
-    if (fs::exists(outpath)) {
-        std::ifstream in(outpath, std::ios::binary);
-        std::ostringstream oss;
-        oss << in.rdbuf();
-        std::string data = oss.str();
-        existing_hash = fnv1a_64(data.data(), data.size());
-    }
-    bool needs_write = !fs::exists(outpath) || existing_hash != file_hash;
-    if (needs_write) {
-        std::ofstream out(outpath, std::ios::binary);
-        out.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(filedata), filedata_len);
-        out.close();
-        // Set the file permissions
-        fs::permissions(outpath, file_perms);
-    }
-    
-    if (!fs::exists(outpath)) {
-        std::cout << "[dehydrate] " << outpath.filename() << ": created\n";
-    } else if (needs_write) {
-        std::cout << "[dehydrate] " << outpath.filename() << ": updated (hash changed)\n";
-    }
-    return needs_write;
+    return _recreate_file_(outpath, file_hash, file_perms, filedata, filedata_len);
 }
 )cpp";
     cpp << "}\n";
@@ -190,6 +206,9 @@ static uint64_t fnv1a_64(const void* data, size_t len) {
 
 )cpp";
 
+    // Output the recreate_file utility function
+    output_recreate_file_utility(cpp);
+
     // Embed all files
     for (const auto& file : files) {
         std::ifstream in(file, std::ios::binary);
@@ -216,7 +235,7 @@ static uint64_t fnv1a_64(const void* data, size_t len) {
         cpp << "static const char* rel_" << var << " = \"" << rel << "\";\n";
         cpp << "static std::filesystem::perms perms_" << var << " = std::filesystem::perms(" << static_cast<unsigned>(file_perms) << ");\n";
     }
-    // Write recreate_tree using heredoc style
+    // Write recreate_tree using the utility function
     cpp << R"cpp(
 bool recreate_tree(std::string destination_folder) {
     namespace fs = std::filesystem;
@@ -227,29 +246,8 @@ bool recreate_tree(std::string destination_folder) {
         std::string var = sanitize(rel);
         cpp << R"cpp(    {
         fs::path outpath = fs::path(destination_folder) / )cpp" << "rel_" << var << R"cpp(;
-        fs::create_directories(outpath.parent_path());
-        uint64_t existing_hash;
-        if (fs::exists(outpath)) {
-            std::ifstream in(outpath, std::ios::binary);
-            std::ostringstream oss; oss << in.rdbuf();
-            std::string data = oss.str();
-            existing_hash = fnv1a_64(data.data(), data.size());
-        }
-        bool needs_write = !fs::exists(outpath) || existing_hash != )cpp" << "hash_" << var << R"cpp(;
-        if (needs_write) {
-            std::ofstream out(outpath, std::ios::binary);
-            out.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>()cpp" << "data_" << var << R"cpp(), )cpp" << "len_" << var << R"cpp();
-            out.close();
-            // Set the file permissions
-            fs::permissions(outpath, )cpp" << "perms_" << var << R"cpp();
-        }
-
-        if (!fs::exists(outpath)) {
-            std::cout << "[dehydrate] " << outpath.filename() << ": created\n";
-        } else if (needs_write) {
-            std::cout << "[dehydrate] " << outpath.filename() << ": updated (hash changed)\n";
-        }
-        any_written = any_written || needs_write;
+        bool file_written = _recreate_file_(outpath, )cpp" << "hash_" << var << ", perms_" << var << ", data_" << var << ", len_" << var << R"cpp();
+        any_written = any_written || file_written;
     }
 )cpp";
     }