diff --git a/src/python/cram/__main__.py b/src/python/cram/__main__.py
index 74a438d..c34f418 100644
--- a/src/python/cram/__main__.py
+++ b/src/python/cram/__main__.py
@@ -194,6 +194,10 @@ def load_state(statefile: Path) -> Vfs:
     return oldfs
 
 
+def remove_all(l, it):
+    return [i for i in l if i != it]
+
+
 def simplify(old_fs: Vfs, new_fs: Vfs, /, exec_idempotent=True) -> Vfs:
     """Try to reduce a new VFS using diff from the original VFS."""
 
@@ -202,15 +206,12 @@ def simplify(old_fs: Vfs, new_fs: Vfs, /, exec_idempotent=True) -> Vfs:
     initial_new_steps = len(new_fs._log)
 
     # Scrub anything in the new log that's in the old log
-    for txn in list(old_fs._log):
+    for txn in old_fs._log:
         # Except for execs which are stateful
         if txn[0] == "exec" and not exec_idempotent:
             continue
 
-        try:
-            new_fs._log.remove(txn)
-        except ValueError:
-            pass
+        new_fs._log = remove_all(new_fs._log, txn)
 
     # Dedupe the new log while preserving order.
     keys = set()
@@ -220,6 +221,7 @@ def simplify(old_fs: Vfs, new_fs: Vfs, /, exec_idempotent=True) -> Vfs:
         if key not in keys:
             keys.add(key)
             deduped.append(op)
+
     new_fs._log = deduped
 
     log.info(f"Optimized out {initial_new_steps - len(new_fs._log)} steps")
diff --git a/src/python/cram/common.py b/src/python/cram/common.py
index f7f47ae..ced876b 100644
--- a/src/python/cram/common.py
+++ b/src/python/cram/common.py
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ def stow(fs: Vfs, src_dir: Path, dest_dir: Path, skip=[]):
 
         dest = dest_root / src.relative_to(src_root)
         if src.is_symlink():
-
             fs.link(src.readlink().resolve(), dest)
+
         elif src.is_dir():
             fs.mkdir(dest)
             fs.chmod(dest, src.stat().st_mode)