diff --git a/src/dwarfs/inode_manager.cpp b/src/dwarfs/inode_manager.cpp
index 6bbd66c0..9dcb54be 100644
--- a/src/dwarfs/inode_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/dwarfs/inode_manager.cpp
@@ -161,56 +161,17 @@ class inode_manager_ : public inode_manager::impl {
 
   void order_inodes(std::shared_ptr<script> scr, file_order_mode file_order,
                     uint32_t first_inode,
-                    inode_manager::inode_cb const& fn) override {
-    switch (file_order) {
-    case file_order_mode::NONE:
-      log_.info() << "keeping inode order";
-      break;
+                    inode_manager::inode_cb const& fn) override;
 
-    case file_order_mode::PATH: {
-      log_.info() << "ordering " << count() << " inodes by path name...";
-      auto ti = log_.timed_info();
-      order_inodes_by_path();
-      ti << count() << " inodes ordered";
-      break;
-    }
-
-    case file_order_mode::SCRIPT: {
-      if (!scr->has_order()) {
-        throw std::runtime_error("script cannot order inodes");
-      }
-      log_.info() << "ordering " << count() << " inodes using script...";
-      auto ti = log_.timed_info();
-      scr->order(inodes_);
-      ti << count() << " inodes ordered";
-      break;
-    }
-
-    case file_order_mode::SIMILARITY: {
-      log_.info() << "ordering " << count() << " inodes by similarity...";
-      auto ti = log_.timed_info();
-      order_inodes_by_similarity();
-      ti << count() << " inodes ordered";
-      break;
-    }
-
-    case file_order_mode::NILSIMSA: {
-      log_.info() << "ordering " << count()
-                  << " inodes using nilsimsa similarity...";
-      auto ti = log_.timed_info();
-      order_inodes_by_nilsimsa(fn, first_inode);
-      ti << count() << " inodes ordered";
-      break;
-    }
-    }
-
-    if (file_order != file_order_mode::NILSIMSA) {
-      log_.info() << "assigning file inodes...";
-      number_inodes(first_inode);
-      for_each_inode(fn);
+  void
+  for_each_inode(std::function<void(std::shared_ptr<inode> const&)> const& fn)
+      const override {
+    for (const auto& ino : inodes_) {
+      fn(ino);
     }
   }
 
+ private:
   void order_inodes_by_path() {
     std::vector<std::string> paths;
     std::vector<size_t> index(inodes_.size());
@@ -250,93 +211,178 @@ class inode_manager_ : public inode_manager::impl {
   }
 
   void order_inodes_by_nilsimsa(inode_manager::inode_cb const& fn,
-                                uint32_t inode_no) {
-    auto finalize_inode = [&](auto& ino) {
-      ino->set_num(inode_no++);
-      fn(ino);
+                                uint32_t inode_no);
+
+  void number_inodes(size_t first_no) {
+    for (auto& i : inodes_) {
+      i->set_num(first_no++);
+    }
+  }
+
+  std::vector<std::shared_ptr<inode>> inodes_;
+  log_proxy<LoggerPolicy> log_;
+};
+
+template <typename LoggerPolicy>
+void inode_manager_<LoggerPolicy>::order_inodes(
+    std::shared_ptr<script> scr, file_order_mode file_order,
+    uint32_t first_inode, inode_manager::inode_cb const& fn) {
+  switch (file_order) {
+  case file_order_mode::NONE:
+    log_.info() << "keeping inode order";
+    break;
+
+  case file_order_mode::PATH: {
+    log_.info() << "ordering " << count() << " inodes by path name...";
+    auto ti = log_.timed_info();
+    order_inodes_by_path();
+    ti << count() << " inodes ordered";
+    break;
+  }
+
+  case file_order_mode::SCRIPT: {
+    if (!scr->has_order()) {
+      throw std::runtime_error("script cannot order inodes");
+    }
+    log_.info() << "ordering " << count() << " inodes using script...";
+    auto ti = log_.timed_info();
+    scr->order(inodes_);
+    ti << count() << " inodes ordered";
+    break;
+  }
+
+  case file_order_mode::SIMILARITY: {
+    log_.info() << "ordering " << count() << " inodes by similarity...";
+    auto ti = log_.timed_info();
+    order_inodes_by_similarity();
+    ti << count() << " inodes ordered";
+    break;
+  }
+
+  case file_order_mode::NILSIMSA: {
+    log_.info() << "ordering " << count()
+                << " inodes using nilsimsa similarity...";
+    auto ti = log_.timed_info();
+    order_inodes_by_nilsimsa(fn, first_inode);
+    ti << count() << " inodes ordered";
+    break;
+  }
+  }
+
+  if (file_order != file_order_mode::NILSIMSA) {
+    log_.info() << "assigning file inodes...";
+    number_inodes(first_inode);
+    for_each_inode(fn);
+  }
+}
+
+template <typename LoggerPolicy>
+void inode_manager_<LoggerPolicy>::order_inodes_by_nilsimsa(
+    inode_manager::inode_cb const& fn, uint32_t inode_no) {
+  auto finalize_inode = [&](auto& ino) {
+    ino->set_num(inode_no++);
+    fn(ino);
+  };
+
+  auto count = inodes_.size();
+
+  // skip all empty inodes (this is at most one)
+  auto beg = std::partition(inodes_.begin(), inodes_.end(),
+                            [](auto const& p) { return p->size() == 0; });
+
+  for (auto it = inodes_.begin(); it != beg; ++it) {
+    finalize_inode(*it);
+  }
+
+  // find the largest inode
+  std::nth_element(beg, beg, inodes_.end(), [](auto const& a, auto const& b) {
+    return (a->size() > b->size() ||
+            (a->size() == b->size() && a->any()->path() < b->any()->path()));
+  });
+
+  finalize_inode(*beg);
+
+  // build a cache for the remaining inodes
+  std::vector<nilsimsa_cache_entry> cache;
+  std::deque<uint32_t> index;
+  index.resize(std::distance(beg + 1, inodes_.end()));
+  std::iota(index.begin(), index.end(), 0);
+  cache.reserve(index.size());
+
+  for (auto it = beg + 1; it != inodes_.end(); ++it) {
+    cache.emplace_back(std::move(*it));
+  }
+
+  assert(index.size() == cache.size());
+
+  // and temporarily remove from the original array
+  inodes_.erase(beg + 1, inodes_.end());
+
+  while (!index.empty()) {
+    // compare reference inode with all remaining inodes
+    auto* ref_hash = inodes_.back()->nilsimsa_similarity_hash().data();
+    for (auto& d : cache) {
+      d.similarity = dwarfs::nilsimsa_similarity(ref_hash, d.hash);
+    }
+
+    auto cmp = [&cache](uint32_t a, uint32_t b) {
+      auto& da = cache[a];
+      auto& db = cache[b];
+      return da.similarity > db.similarity ||
+             (da.similarity == db.similarity &&
+              (da.size > db.size || (da.size == db.size && da.path < db.path)));
     };
 
-    auto count = inodes_.size();
+    size_t depth = 0;
+    size_t depth_thresh;
+    const int sim_thresh_depth = 16;
+    const int sim_thresh = 0;
+    const size_t max_depth = 2000;
+    const size_t depth_step = 500;
 
-    // skip all empty inodes (this is at most one)
-    auto beg = std::partition(inodes_.begin(), inodes_.end(),
-                              [](auto const& p) { return p->size() == 0; });
-
-    for (auto it = inodes_.begin(); it != beg; ++it) {
-      finalize_inode(*it);
-    }
-
-    // find the largest inode
-    std::nth_element(beg, beg, inodes_.end(), [](auto const& a, auto const& b) {
-      return (a->size() > b->size() ||
-              (a->size() == b->size() && a->any()->path() < b->any()->path()));
-    });
-
-    finalize_inode(*beg);
-
-    // build a cache for the remaining inodes
-    std::vector<nilsimsa_cache_entry> cache;
-    std::deque<uint32_t> index;
-    index.resize(std::distance(beg + 1, inodes_.end()));
-    std::iota(index.begin(), index.end(), 0);
-    cache.reserve(index.size());
-
-    for (auto it = beg + 1; it != inodes_.end(); ++it) {
-      cache.emplace_back(std::move(*it));
-    }
-
-    assert(index.size() == cache.size());
-
-    // and temporarily remove from the original array
-    inodes_.erase(beg + 1, inodes_.end());
-
-    while (!index.empty()) {
-      // compare reference inode with all remaining inodes
-      auto* ref_hash = inodes_.back()->nilsimsa_similarity_hash().data();
-      for (auto& d : cache) {
-        d.similarity = dwarfs::nilsimsa_similarity(ref_hash, d.hash);
-      }
-
-      auto cmp = [&cache](uint32_t a, uint32_t b) {
-        auto& da = cache[a];
-        auto& db = cache[b];
-        return da.similarity > db.similarity ||
-               (da.similarity == db.similarity &&
-                (da.size > db.size ||
-                 (da.size == db.size && da.path < db.path)));
-      };
-
-      size_t depth = 0;
-      size_t depth_thresh;
-      const int sim_thresh_depth = 16;
-      const int sim_thresh = 0;
-      const size_t max_depth = 2000;
-      const size_t depth_step = 500;
-
-      if (index.size() > max_depth) {
-        while (depth < max_depth && depth + depth_step < index.size()) {
-          std::partial_sort(index.begin() + depth,
-                            index.begin() + depth + depth_step, index.end(),
-                            cmp);
-          depth += depth_step;
-          if (cache[index[0]].similarity - cache[index[depth - 1]].similarity >
-              sim_thresh_depth) {
-            do {
-              --depth;
-            } while (cache[index[0]].similarity -
-                         cache[index[depth - 1]].similarity >
-                     sim_thresh_depth);
-            break;
-          }
+    if (index.size() > max_depth) {
+      while (depth < max_depth && depth + depth_step < index.size()) {
+        std::partial_sort(index.begin() + depth,
+                          index.begin() + depth + depth_step, index.end(), cmp);
+        depth += depth_step;
+        if (cache[index[0]].similarity - cache[index[depth - 1]].similarity >
+            sim_thresh_depth) {
+          do {
+            --depth;
+          } while (cache[index[0]].similarity -
+                       cache[index[depth - 1]].similarity >
+                   sim_thresh_depth);
+          break;
         }
-        depth_thresh = depth / 2;
-      } else {
-        std::sort(index.begin(), index.end(), cmp);
-        depth = index.size();
-        depth_thresh = 0;
+      }
+      depth_thresh = depth / 2;
+    } else {
+      std::sort(index.begin(), index.end(), cmp);
+      depth = index.size();
+      depth_thresh = 0;
+    }
+
+    auto sim = cache[index.front()].similarity;
+
+    while (!index.empty() && depth > depth_thresh &&
+           sim - cache[index.front()].similarity <= sim_thresh) {
+      inodes_.push_back(std::move(cache[index.front()].ino));
+      finalize_inode(inodes_.back());
+      index.pop_front();
+      --depth;
+    }
+
+    while (depth > depth_thresh) {
+      ref_hash = inodes_.back()->nilsimsa_similarity_hash().data();
+      for (size_t i = 0; i < depth; ++i) {
+        cache[index[i]].similarity =
+            dwarfs::nilsimsa_similarity(ref_hash, cache[index[i]].hash);
       }
 
-      auto sim = cache[index.front()].similarity;
+      std::partial_sort(index.begin(), index.begin() + (depth - depth_thresh),
+                        index.begin() + depth, cmp);
+
+      sim = cache[index.front()].similarity;
 
       while (!index.empty() && depth > depth_thresh &&
              sim - cache[index.front()].similarity <= sim_thresh) {
@@ -345,52 +391,13 @@ class inode_manager_ : public inode_manager::impl {
         index.pop_front();
         --depth;
       }
-
-      while (depth > depth_thresh) {
-        ref_hash = inodes_.back()->nilsimsa_similarity_hash().data();
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < depth; ++i) {
-          cache[index[i]].similarity =
-              dwarfs::nilsimsa_similarity(ref_hash, cache[index[i]].hash);
-        }
-
-        std::partial_sort(index.begin(), index.begin() + (depth - depth_thresh),
-                          index.begin() + depth, cmp);
-
-        sim = cache[index.front()].similarity;
-
-        while (!index.empty() && depth > depth_thresh &&
-               sim - cache[index.front()].similarity <= sim_thresh) {
-          inodes_.push_back(std::move(cache[index.front()].ino));
-          finalize_inode(inodes_.back());
-          index.pop_front();
-          --depth;
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    if (count != inodes_.size()) {
-      throw std::runtime_error("internal error: nilsimsa ordering failed");
     }
   }
 
-  void number_inodes(size_t first_no) {
-    for (auto& i : inodes_) {
-      i->set_num(first_no++);
-    }
+  if (count != inodes_.size()) {
+    throw std::runtime_error("internal error: nilsimsa ordering failed");
   }
-
-  void
-  for_each_inode(std::function<void(std::shared_ptr<inode> const&)> const& fn)
-      const override {
-    for (const auto& ino : inodes_) {
-      fn(ino);
-    }
-  }
-
- private:
-  std::vector<std::shared_ptr<inode>> inodes_;
-  log_proxy<LoggerPolicy> log_;
-};
+}
 
 inode_manager::inode_manager(logger& lgr)
     : impl_(make_unique_logging_object<impl, inode_manager_, logger_policies>(