diff --git a/influxdb_iox/src/commands/compactor/generate.rs b/influxdb_iox/src/commands/compactor/generate.rs
index ec7be2f365..4307496f1f 100644
--- a/influxdb_iox/src/commands/compactor/generate.rs
+++ b/influxdb_iox/src/commands/compactor/generate.rs
@@ -109,8 +109,13 @@ pub async fn run(config: Config) -> Result<()> {
     let spec_in_root = root_dir.join(&spec_location);
 
     for file_id in 0..config.num_files.get() {
-        write_data_generation_spec(file_id, Arc::clone(&object_store), &config, &spec_location)
-            .await?;
+        write_data_generation_spec(
+            file_id,
+            Arc::clone(&object_store),
+            config.num_columns.get(),
+            &spec_location,
+        )
+        .await?;
         generate_data(&spec_in_root, &lp_dir)?;
     }
 
@@ -152,13 +157,13 @@ pub type Result<T, E = Error> = std::result::Result<T, E>;
 async fn write_data_generation_spec(
     file_id: usize,
     object_store: Arc<DynObjectStore>,
-    config: &Config,
+    num_columns: usize,
     spec_location: &str,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let object_store_spec_path =
         object_store::path::Path::parse(spec_location).context(ObjectStorePathParsingSnafu)?;
 
-    let contents = data_generation_spec_contents(file_id, 1, config.num_columns.get());
+    let contents = data_generation_spec_contents(file_id, 1, num_columns);
     let data = Bytes::from(contents);
 
     object_store