diff --git a/add.go b/add.go
index 959626c03..d82b586e3 100644
--- a/add.go
+++ b/add.go
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@ func CidVersion(version int) AddOpts {
 func (s *Shell) Add(r io.Reader, options ...AddOpts) (string, error) {
 	fr := files.NewReaderFile(r)
 	slf := files.NewSliceDirectory([]files.DirEntry{files.FileEntry("", fr)})
-	err := s.loadRemoteVersion()
+
+	fileReader, err := s.newMultiFileReader(slf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	fileReader := files.NewMultiFileReader(slf, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion))
 
 	var out object
 	rb := s.Request("add")
@@ -95,11 +95,10 @@ func (s *Shell) AddLink(target string) (string, error) {
 	link := files.NewLinkFile(target, nil)
 	slf := files.NewSliceDirectory([]files.DirEntry{files.FileEntry("", link)})
 
-	err := s.loadRemoteVersion()
+	reader, err := s.newMultiFileReader(slf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	reader := files.NewMultiFileReader(slf, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion))
 
 	var out object
 	return out.Hash, s.Request("add").Body(reader).Exec(context.Background(), &out)
@@ -118,13 +117,11 @@ func (s *Shell) AddDir(dir string, options ...AddOpts) (string, error) {
 	}
 	slf := files.NewSliceDirectory([]files.DirEntry{files.FileEntry(filepath.Base(dir), sf)})
 
-	err = s.loadRemoteVersion()
+	reader, err := s.newMultiFileReader(slf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
-	reader := files.NewMultiFileReader(slf, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion))
-
 	rb := s.Request("add").Option("recursive", true)
 	for _, option := range options {
 		option(rb)
diff --git a/dag.go b/dag.go
index 0e482209a..e1ac73418 100644
--- a/dag.go
+++ b/dag.go
@@ -147,11 +147,5 @@ func (s *Shell) dagToFilesReader(data interface{}) (*files.MultiFileReader, erro
 
 	fr := files.NewReaderFile(r)
 	slf := files.NewSliceDirectory([]files.DirEntry{files.FileEntry("", fr)})
-	err := s.loadRemoteVersion()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	fileReader := files.NewMultiFileReader(slf, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion))
-
-	return fileReader, nil
+	return s.newMultiFileReader(slf)
 }
diff --git a/key.go b/key.go
index fdffbf04b..7c496d9ee 100644
--- a/key.go
+++ b/key.go
@@ -118,11 +118,10 @@ func (keyImportOpt) AllowAnyKeyType(allow bool) KeyImportOpt {
 func (s *Shell) KeyImport(ctx context.Context, name string, key io.Reader, options ...KeyImportOpt) error {
 	fr := files.NewReaderFile(key)
 	slf := files.NewSliceDirectory([]files.DirEntry{files.FileEntry("", fr)})
-	err := s.loadRemoteVersion()
+	fileReader, err := s.newMultiFileReader(slf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	fileReader := files.NewMultiFileReader(slf, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion))
 
 	rb := s.Request("key/import", name)
 	for _, opt := range options {
diff --git a/mfs.go b/mfs.go
index fa68b0fbc..3b0394446 100644
--- a/mfs.go
+++ b/mfs.go
@@ -338,11 +338,10 @@ func (s *Shell) FilesStat(ctx context.Context, path string, options ...FilesOpt)
 func (s *Shell) FilesWrite(ctx context.Context, path string, data io.Reader, options ...FilesOpt) error {
 	fr := files.NewReaderFile(data)
 	slf := files.NewSliceDirectory([]files.DirEntry{files.FileEntry("", fr)})
-	err := s.loadRemoteVersion()
+	fileReader, err := s.newMultiFileReader(slf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	fileReader := files.NewMultiFileReader(slf, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion))
 
 	rb := s.Request("files/write", path)
 	for _, opt := range options {
diff --git a/shell.go b/shell.go
index 47022cf57..710eed02c 100644
--- a/shell.go
+++ b/shell.go
@@ -150,6 +150,15 @@ func (s *Shell) loadRemoteVersion() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (s *Shell) newMultiFileReader(dir files.Directory) (*files.MultiFileReader, error) {
+	err := s.loadRemoteVersion()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return files.NewMultiFileReader(dir, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion)), nil
+}
+
 func (s *Shell) SetTimeout(d time.Duration) {
 	s.httpcli.Timeout = d
 }
@@ -561,11 +570,11 @@ func (s *Shell) PubSubSubscribe(topic string) (*PubSubSubscription, error) {
 func (s *Shell) PubSubPublish(topic, data string) (err error) {
 	fr := files.NewReaderFile(bytes.NewReader([]byte(data)))
 	slf := files.NewSliceDirectory([]files.DirEntry{files.FileEntry("", fr)})
-	err = s.loadRemoteVersion()
+
+	fileReader, err := s.newMultiFileReader(slf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	fileReader := files.NewMultiFileReader(slf, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion))
 
 	encoder, _ := mbase.EncoderByName("base64url")
 	resp, err := s.Request("pubsub/pub", encoder.Encode([]byte(topic))).
diff --git a/shell_test.go b/shell_test.go
index 08a52c404..2726a9de8 100644
--- a/shell_test.go
+++ b/shell_test.go
@@ -484,7 +484,6 @@ func TestDagImportWithOpts(t *testing.T) {
 func TestDagImportMultipleCARs(t *testing.T) {
 	is := is.New(t)
 	s := NewShell(shellUrl)
-	is.Nil(s.loadRemoteVersion())
 
 	carFile1, err := os.ReadFile("./tests/cars/1.car")
 	is.Nil(err)
@@ -497,8 +496,11 @@ func TestDagImportMultipleCARs(t *testing.T) {
 		files.FileEntry("", files.NewReaderFile(bytes.NewReader(carFile2))),
 	})
 
+	fileReader, err := s.newMultiFileReader(slf)
+	is.Nil(err)
+
 	dagImported, err := s.DagImportWithOpts(
-		files.NewMultiFileReader(slf, true, s.version.LT(encodedAbsolutePathVersion)),
+		fileReader,
 		options.Dag.Stats(true),
 		options.Dag.Silent(false),
 	)