diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency.lua
index 3b0f18c..a79ed48 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency.lua
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ local path          = require('telescope.path')
 local pickers       = require "telescope.pickers"
 local sorters       = require "telescope.sorters"
 local utils         = require('telescope.utils')
-local frecency_utils = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.util")
 
 local os_home       = vim.loop.os_homedir()
 local os_path_sep   = utils.get_separator()
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ local frecency = function(opts)
       filename = utils.path_shorten(filename)
     else -- check relative to home/current
       filename = path.make_relative(filename, cwd)
-      if frecency_utils.string_starts(filename, os_home) then
+      if vim.startswith(filename, os_home) then
         filename = "~/" ..  path.make_relative(filename, os_home)
       elseif filename ~= original_filename then
         filename = "./" .. filename
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/db_client.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/db_client.lua
index 7a0e97f..d7583f1 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/db_client.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/db_client.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 local sqlwrap = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.sql_wrapper")
 local util    = require("telescope._extensions.frecency.util")
-local conf    = require('telescope.config').values
-
 local MAX_TIMESTAMPS = 10
 local DB_REMOVE_SAFETY_THRESHOLD = 10
 
@@ -79,7 +77,6 @@ end
 
 local function init(config_ignore_patterns)
   if sql_wrapper then return end
-
   sql_wrapper = sqlwrap:new()
   local first_run = sql_wrapper:bootstrap()
   validate_db()
@@ -126,14 +123,14 @@ end
 local function filter_workspace(filelist, workspace_path)
   local res = {}
   for _, entry in pairs(filelist) do
-    if util.string_starts(entry.path, workspace_path) then
+    if vim.startwith(entry.path, workspace_path) then
       table.insert(res, entry)
     end
   end
   return res
 end
 
-local function get_file_scores(opts)
+local function get_file_scores(opts) -- TODO: no need to pass in all opts here
   if not sql_wrapper then return {} end
 
   local queries = sql_wrapper.queries
diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/util.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/util.lua
index 0f74a82..134d488 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/util.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/frecency/util.lua
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@ util.string_isempty = function(str)
   return str == nil or str == ''
 end
 
-util.string_starts = function(str, token)
-  return str:sub(1, token:len()) == token
-end
-
 util.string_ends = function(str, token)
   return str:sub(str:len() - token:len() + 1, -1) == token
 end