diff --git a/cli/src/commands/backout.rs b/cli/src/commands/backout.rs
index 1538b848e..ba74d8546 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/backout.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/backout.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 use jj_lib::object_id::ObjectId;
-use jj_lib::rewrite::back_out_commit;
+use jj_lib::rewrite::merge_commit_trees;
 use tracing::instrument;
 
 use crate::cli_util::{CommandHelper, RevisionArg};
@@ -47,12 +47,18 @@ pub(crate) fn cmd_backout(
         parents.push(destination);
     }
     let mut tx = workspace_command.start_transaction();
-    back_out_commit(
-        command.settings(),
-        tx.mut_repo(),
-        &commit_to_back_out,
-        &parents,
-    )?;
+    let old_base_tree = commit_to_back_out.parent_tree(tx.mut_repo())?;
+    let new_base_tree = merge_commit_trees(tx.mut_repo(), &parents)?;
+    let old_tree = commit_to_back_out.tree()?;
+    let new_tree = new_base_tree.merge(&old_tree, &old_base_tree)?;
+    let new_parent_ids = parents.iter().map(|commit| commit.id().clone()).collect();
+    tx.mut_repo()
+        .new_commit(command.settings(), new_parent_ids, new_tree.id())
+        .set_description(format!(
+            "backout of commit {}",
+            &commit_to_back_out.id().hex()
+        ))
+        .write()?;
     tx.finish(
         ui,
         format!("back out commit {}", commit_to_back_out.id().hex()),
diff --git a/lib/src/rewrite.rs b/lib/src/rewrite.rs
index 5c48c4ec6..dd700e075 100644
--- a/lib/src/rewrite.rs
+++ b/lib/src/rewrite.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ use crate::commit_builder::CommitBuilder;
 use crate::index::Index;
 use crate::matchers::{Matcher, Visit};
 use crate::merged_tree::{MergedTree, MergedTreeBuilder};
-use crate::object_id::ObjectId;
 use crate::repo::{MutableRepo, Repo};
 use crate::repo_path::RepoPath;
 use crate::settings::UserSettings;
@@ -320,27 +319,6 @@ pub fn rebase_to_dest_parent(
     }
 }
 
-pub fn back_out_commit(
-    settings: &UserSettings,
-    mut_repo: &mut MutableRepo,
-    old_commit: &Commit,
-    new_parents: &[Commit],
-) -> BackendResult<Commit> {
-    let old_base_tree = old_commit.parent_tree(mut_repo)?;
-    let new_base_tree = merge_commit_trees(mut_repo, new_parents)?;
-    let old_tree = old_commit.tree()?;
-    let new_tree = new_base_tree.merge(&old_tree, &old_base_tree)?;
-    let new_parent_ids = new_parents
-        .iter()
-        .map(|commit| commit.id().clone())
-        .collect();
-    // TODO: i18n the description based on repo language
-    mut_repo
-        .new_commit(settings, new_parent_ids, new_tree.id())
-        .set_description(format!("backout of commit {}", &old_commit.id().hex()))
-        .write()
-}
-
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Default, PartialEq, Eq, Debug)]
 pub enum EmptyBehaviour {
     /// Always keep empty commits