diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/explorer.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/explorer.rs
index 6e654f6e..026dd4e3 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/explorer.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/explorer.rs
@@ -144,7 +144,6 @@ struct State {
     open: bool,
     current_root: PathBuf,
     area_width: u16,
-    filter: String,
 }
 
 impl State {
@@ -154,7 +153,6 @@ impl State {
             current_root,
             open: true,
             area_width: 0,
-            filter: "".to_string(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -258,7 +256,7 @@ impl Explorer {
                 .map(|c| c.as_os_str().to_string_lossy().to_string())
                 .collect::<Vec<_>>()
         };
-        self.tree.reveal_item(segments, &self.state.filter)?;
+        self.tree.reveal_item(segments)?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
@@ -489,8 +487,7 @@ impl Explorer {
             area.width.into(),
             title_style,
         );
-        self.tree
-            .render(area.clip_top(1), surface, cx, &self.state.filter);
+        self.tree.render(area.clip_top(1), surface, cx);
     }
 
     pub fn render_embed(
@@ -786,9 +783,8 @@ fn close_documents(current_item_path: PathBuf, cx: &mut Context) -> Result<()> {
 impl Component for Explorer {
     /// Process input events, return true if handled.
     fn handle_event(&mut self, event: &Event, cx: &mut Context) -> EventResult {
-        let filter = self.state.filter.clone();
         if self.tree.prompting() {
-            return self.tree.handle_event(event, cx, &mut self.state, &filter);
+            return self.tree.handle_event(event, cx, &mut self.state);
         }
         let key_event = match event {
             Event::Key(event) => event,
@@ -823,7 +819,7 @@ impl Component for Explorer {
                 ctrl!('t') => self.toggle_preview(),
                 _ => {
                     self.tree
-                        .handle_event(&Event::Key(*key_event), cx, &mut self.state, &filter);
+                        .handle_event(&Event::Key(*key_event), cx, &mut self.state);
                 }
             };
             Ok(())
@@ -942,7 +938,7 @@ mod test_explorer {
     }
 
     fn render(explorer: &mut Explorer) -> String {
-        explorer.tree.render_to_string(Rect::new(0, 0, 50, 10), "")
+        explorer.tree.render_to_string(Rect::new(0, 0, 50, 10))
     }
 
     fn new_explorer(name: &str) -> (PathBuf, Explorer) {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/tree.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/tree.rs
index 73542430..9892282c 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/tree.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/tree.rs
@@ -373,8 +373,8 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem> TreeView<T> {
     ///
     ///    vec!["helix-term", "src", "ui", "tree.rs"]
     ///
-    pub fn reveal_item(&mut self, segments: Vec<String>, filter: &str) -> Result<()> {
-        self.refresh_with_filter(filter)?;
+    pub fn reveal_item(&mut self, segments: Vec<String>) -> Result<()> {
+        self.refresh()?;
 
         // Expand the tree
         let root = self.tree.item.name();
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem> TreeView<T> {
                     {
                         Some(tree) => {
                             if !tree.is_opened {
-                                tree.open(filter)?;
+                                tree.open(&self.filter)?;
                             }
                             Ok(tree)
                         }
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ fn render_tree<T: TreeViewItem>(
 }
 
 impl<T: TreeViewItem + Clone> TreeView<T> {
-    pub fn render(&mut self, area: Rect, surface: &mut Surface, cx: &mut Context, filter: &str) {
+    pub fn render(&mut self, area: Rect, surface: &mut Surface, cx: &mut Context) {
         let style = cx.editor.theme.get(&self.tree_symbol_style);
 
         let filter_prompt_area = area.with_height(1);
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem + Clone> TreeView<T> {
         let ancestor_style = cx.editor.theme.get("ui.text.focus");
 
         let area = area.clip_top(2);
-        let iter = self.render_lines(area, filter).into_iter().enumerate();
+        let iter = self.render_lines(area).into_iter().enumerate();
 
         for (index, line) in iter {
             let area = Rect::new(area.x, area.y.saturating_add(index as u16), area.width, 1);
@@ -855,8 +855,8 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem + Clone> TreeView<T> {
     }
 
     #[cfg(test)]
-    pub fn render_to_string(&mut self, area: Rect, filter: &str) -> String {
-        let lines = self.render_lines(area, filter);
+    pub fn render_to_string(&mut self, area: Rect) -> String {
+        let lines = self.render_lines(area);
         lines
             .into_iter()
             .map(|line| {
@@ -873,7 +873,7 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem + Clone> TreeView<T> {
             .join("\n")
     }
 
-    fn render_lines(&mut self, area: Rect, filter: &str) -> Vec<RenderedLine> {
+    fn render_lines(&mut self, area: Rect) -> Vec<RenderedLine> {
         if let Some(pre_render) = self.pre_render.take() {
             pre_render(self, area);
         }
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem + Clone> TreeView<T> {
             prefix: &"".to_string(),
             level: 0,
             selected: self.selected,
-            filter,
+            filter: &self.filter,
         };
 
         let lines = render_tree(params);
@@ -1003,7 +1003,6 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem + Clone> TreeView<T> {
         event: &Event,
         cx: &mut Context,
         params: &mut T::Params,
-        filter: &str,
     ) -> EventResult {
         let key_event = match event {
             Event::Key(event) => event,
@@ -1024,6 +1023,8 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem + Clone> TreeView<T> {
         }
 
         let count = std::mem::replace(&mut self.count, 0);
+
+        let filter = self.filter.clone();
         (|| -> Result<EventResult> {
             match key_event {
                 key!(i @ '0'..='9') => {
@@ -1040,10 +1041,10 @@ impl<T: TreeViewItem + Clone> TreeView<T> {
                     }));
                 }
                 key!('h') | key!(Left) => self.move_to_parent()?,
-                key!('l') | key!(Right) => self.move_to_children(filter)?,
+                key!('l') | key!(Right) => self.move_to_children(&filter)?,
                 shift!('H') => self.move_left(1),
                 shift!('L') => self.move_right(1),
-                key!(Enter) | key!('o') => self.on_enter(cx, params, self.selected, filter)?,
+                key!(Enter) | key!('o') => self.on_enter(cx, params, self.selected, &filter)?,
                 ctrl!('d') => self.move_down_half_page(),
                 ctrl!('u') => self.move_up_half_page(),
                 key!('g') => {
@@ -1275,7 +1276,7 @@ mod test_tree_view {
     }
 
     fn render(view: &mut TreeView<Item>) -> String {
-        view.render_to_string(dummy_area(), "")
+        view.render_to_string(dummy_area())
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -1626,7 +1627,7 @@ mod test_tree_view {
         let mut view = dummy_tree_view();
 
         fn render(view: &mut TreeView<Item>) -> String {
-            view.render_to_string(dummy_area().with_width(20), "")
+            view.render_to_string(dummy_area().with_width(20))
         }
 
         assert_eq!(
@@ -2145,7 +2146,7 @@ krabby_patty
         }
 
         fn render(view: &mut TreeView<Item<'_>>) -> String {
-            view.render_to_string(dummy_area().with_height(3), "")
+            view.render_to_string(dummy_area().with_height(3))
         }
 
         let mut view = TreeView::new(