diff --git a/core/storage/btree.rs b/core/storage/btree.rs
index 7e2b2b566..6869cf298 100644
--- a/core/storage/btree.rs
+++ b/core/storage/btree.rs
@@ -4567,7 +4567,7 @@ fn fill_cell_payload(
         }
 
         // we still have bytes to add, we will need to allocate new overflow page
-        let overflow_page = allocate_overflow_page(pager.clone());
+        let overflow_page = pager.allocate_overflow_page();
         overflow_pages.push(overflow_page.clone());
         {
             let id = overflow_page.get().id as u32;
@@ -4590,20 +4590,6 @@ fn fill_cell_payload(
     assert_eq!(cell_size, cell_payload.len());
 }
 
-/// Allocate a new overflow page.
-/// This is done when a cell overflows and new space is needed.
-fn allocate_overflow_page(pager: Rc<Pager>) -> PageRef {
-    let page = pager.allocate_page().unwrap();
-    tracing::debug!("allocate_overflow_page(id={})", page.get().id);
-
-    // setup overflow page
-    let contents = page.get().contents.as_mut().unwrap();
-    let buf = contents.as_ptr();
-    buf.fill(0);
-
-    page
-}
-
 /// Returns the maximum payload size (X) that can be stored directly on a b-tree page without spilling to overflow pages.
 ///
 /// For table leaf pages: X = usable_size - 35
diff --git a/core/storage/pager.rs b/core/storage/pager.rs
index 9d7affa95..47dc5451c 100644
--- a/core/storage/pager.rs
+++ b/core/storage/pager.rs
@@ -217,6 +217,20 @@ impl Pager {
         id as u32
     }
 
+    /// Allocate a new overflow page.
+    /// This is done when a cell overflows and new space is needed.
+    pub fn allocate_overflow_page(&self) -> PageRef {
+        let page = self.allocate_page().unwrap();
+        tracing::debug!("Pager::allocate_overflow_page(id={})", page.get().id);
+
+        // setup overflow page
+        let contents = page.get().contents.as_mut().unwrap();
+        let buf = contents.as_ptr();
+        buf.fill(0);
+
+        page
+    }
+
     /// Allocate a new page to the btree via the pager.
     /// This marks the page as dirty and writes the page header.
     pub fn do_allocate_page(&self, page_type: PageType, offset: usize) -> PageRef {