diff --git a/cmd/olliesrv/server.go b/cmd/olliesrv/server.go
index 2d55bbc..5a9a2fa 100644
--- a/cmd/olliesrv/server.go
+++ b/cmd/olliesrv/server.go
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 type (
-	FileTree = fs.FileTree
-
 	syntheticFileInfo = fs.SyntheticFileInfo
 )
 
@@ -157,22 +155,6 @@ func (s *Server) checkPerm(uname, path string, mode uint8) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func readFile(s FileTree, name string) ([]byte, error) {
-	e, err := s.Open(name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return e.Read()
-}
-
-func writeFile(s FileTree, name string, data []byte) error {
-	e, err := s.Open(name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return e.Write(data)
-}
-
 const readTimeout = 10 * time.Second
 
 func (s *Server) Serve(conn net.Conn) {
@@ -673,7 +655,11 @@ func (s *Server) clunk(cs *connState, fc *plan9.Fcall) *plan9.Fcall {
 	cs.mu.Unlock()
 	if writable {
 		input := strings.TrimSpace(string(data))
-		if err := writeFile(s.rootTree, path[1:], []byte(input)); err != nil {
+		e, err := s.rootTree.Open(path[1:])
+		if err != nil {
+			return errFcall(fc, err.Error())
+		}
+		if err := e.Write([]byte(input)); err != nil {
 			return errFcall(fc, err.Error())
 		}
 	}