diff --git a/lua/symbols-outline.lua b/lua/symbols-outline.lua
index 83d3572..43acff3 100644
--- a/lua/symbols-outline.lua
+++ b/lua/symbols-outline.lua
@@ -22,12 +22,11 @@ end
 -------------------------
 M.state = {
   outline_items = {},
-  flattened_outline_items = {},
   code_win = 0,
 }
 
 local function wipe_state()
-  M.state = { outline_items = {}, flattened_outline_items = {}, code_win = 0 }
+  M.state = { outline_items = {}, code_win = 0 }
 end
 
 local function __refresh()
@@ -41,9 +40,8 @@ local function __refresh()
 
       M.state.code_win = vim.api.nvim_get_current_win()
       M.state.outline_items = items
-      M.state.flattened_outline_items = parser.flatten(items)
 
-      writer.parse_and_write(M.view.bufnr, M.state.flattened_outline_items)
+      writer.parse_and_write(M.view.bufnr, M.state.outline_items)
     end
 
     providers.request_symbols(refresh_handler)
@@ -54,7 +52,7 @@ M._refresh = utils.debounce(__refresh, 100)
 
 local function goto_location(change_focus)
   local current_line = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(M.view.winnr)[1]
-  local node = M.state.flattened_outline_items[current_line]
+  local node = M.state.outline_items[current_line]
   vim.api.nvim_win_set_cursor(
     M.state.code_win,
     { node.line + 1, node.character }
@@ -95,7 +93,7 @@ function M._highlight_current_item(winnr)
   local hovered_line = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(win)[1] - 1
 
   local nodes = {}
-  for index, value in ipairs(M.state.flattened_outline_items) do
+  for index, value in ipairs(M.state.outline_items) do
     if
       value.line == hovered_line
       or (hovered_line > value.range_start and hovered_line < value.range_end)
@@ -175,9 +173,8 @@ local function handler(response)
   local items = parser.parse(response)
 
   M.state.outline_items = items
-  M.state.flattened_outline_items = parser.flatten(items)
 
-  writer.parse_and_write(M.view.bufnr, M.state.flattened_outline_items)
+  writer.parse_and_write(M.view.bufnr, M.state.outline_items)
 
   M._highlight_current_item(M.state.code_win)
 end
diff --git a/lua/symbols-outline/code_action.lua b/lua/symbols-outline/code_action.lua
index 36f8b69..72e7228 100644
--- a/lua/symbols-outline/code_action.lua
+++ b/lua/symbols-outline/code_action.lua
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ end
 
 function M.show_code_actions()
   local current_line = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(main.state.outline_win)[1]
-  local node = main.state.flattened_outline_items[current_line]
+  local node = main.state.outline_items[current_line]
 
   local params = get_action_params(node, main.state.code_win)
   vim.lsp.buf_request(
diff --git a/lua/symbols-outline/hover.lua b/lua/symbols-outline/hover.lua
index 27f2a01..a6e68aa 100644
--- a/lua/symbols-outline/hover.lua
+++ b/lua/symbols-outline/hover.lua
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ end
 -- handler yoinked from the default implementation
 function M.show_hover()
   local current_line = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(so.view.winnr)[1]
-  local node = so.state.flattened_outline_items[current_line]
+  local node = so.state.outline_items[current_line]
 
   local hover_params = get_hover_params(node, so.state.code_win)
 
diff --git a/lua/symbols-outline/parser.lua b/lua/symbols-outline/parser.lua
index 251711e..6470b9c 100644
--- a/lua/symbols-outline/parser.lua
+++ b/lua/symbols-outline/parser.lua
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ local function parse_result(result, depth, hierarchy)
       -- whether this node is the last in its group
       local isLast = index == #result
 
-      local children = nil
+      local children = {}
       if value.children ~= nil then
         -- copy by value because we dont want it messing with the hir table
         local child_hir = t_utils.array_copy(hir)
@@ -54,11 +54,15 @@ local function parse_result(result, depth, hierarchy)
         character = selectionRange.start.character,
         range_start = range.start.line,
         range_end = range['end'].line,
-        children = children,
+        -- children = children,
         depth = level,
         isLast = isLast,
         hierarchy = hir,
       })
+
+      for _, node in pairs(children) do
+        table.insert(ret, node)
+      end
     end
   end
   return ret
@@ -139,25 +143,11 @@ function M.parse(response)
   return parse_result(sorted, nil, nil)
 end
 
-function M.flatten(outline_items)
-  local ret = {}
-  for _, value in ipairs(outline_items) do
-    table.insert(ret, value)
-    if value.children ~= nil then
-      local inner = M.flatten(value.children)
-      for _, value_inner in ipairs(inner) do
-        table.insert(ret, value_inner)
-      end
-    end
-  end
-  return ret
-end
-
-function M.get_lines(flattened_outline_items)
+function M.get_lines(outline_items)
   local lines = {}
   local hl_info = {}
 
-  for node_line, node in ipairs(flattened_outline_items) do
+  for node_line, node in ipairs(outline_items) do
     local line = t_utils.str_to_table(string.rep(' ', node.depth))
     local running_length = 1
 
@@ -224,9 +214,9 @@ function M.get_lines(flattened_outline_items)
   return lines, hl_info
 end
 
-function M.get_details(flattened_outline_items)
+function M.get_details(outline_items)
   local lines = {}
-  for _, value in ipairs(flattened_outline_items) do
+  for _, value in ipairs(outline_items) do
     table.insert(lines, value.detail or '')
   end
   return lines
diff --git a/lua/symbols-outline/preview.lua b/lua/symbols-outline/preview.lua
index 95da7ec..8b384dd 100644
--- a/lua/symbols-outline/preview.lua
+++ b/lua/symbols-outline/preview.lua
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ end
 
 local function get_hovered_node()
   local hovered_line = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(main.state.outline_win)[1]
-  local node = main.state.flattened_outline_items[hovered_line]
+  local node = main.state.outline_items[hovered_line]
   return node
 end
 
diff --git a/lua/symbols-outline/rename.lua b/lua/symbols-outline/rename.lua
index b9d413d..1378eee 100644
--- a/lua/symbols-outline/rename.lua
+++ b/lua/symbols-outline/rename.lua
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ end
 
 function M.rename()
   local current_line = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(so.view.winnr)[1]
-  local node = so.state.flattened_outline_items[current_line]
+  local node = so.state.outline_items[current_line]
 
   local params = get_rename_params(node, so.state.code_win)
 
diff --git a/lua/symbols-outline/writer.lua b/lua/symbols-outline/writer.lua
index 69c6fd8..8b16308 100644
--- a/lua/symbols-outline/writer.lua
+++ b/lua/symbols-outline/writer.lua
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ end
 
 -- runs the whole writing routine where the text is cleared, new data is parsed
 -- and then written
-function M.parse_and_write(bufnr, flattened_outline_items)
-  local lines, hl_info = parser.get_lines(flattened_outline_items)
+function M.parse_and_write(bufnr, outline_items)
+  local lines, hl_info = parser.get_lines(outline_items)
   M.write_outline(bufnr, lines)
 
   clear_virt_text(bufnr)
-  local details = parser.get_details(flattened_outline_items)
+  local details = parser.get_details(outline_items)
   M.add_highlights(bufnr, hl_info)
   M.write_details(bufnr, details)
 end