diff --git a/kitty/config.py b/kitty/config.py
index 80a67e634..0261ad6eb 100644
--- a/kitty/config.py
+++ b/kitty/config.py
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 from . import fast_data_types as defines
 from .config_utils import (
-    init_config, parse_config_base, positive_float, positive_int, to_bool,
-    to_color, unit_float, load_config as _load_config
+    init_config, load_config as _load_config, merge_dicts, parse_config_base,
+    positive_float, positive_int, to_bool, to_color, unit_float
 )
 from .constants import cache_dir, defconf
 from .fast_data_types import CURSOR_BEAM, CURSOR_BLOCK, CURSOR_UNDERLINE
@@ -423,12 +423,6 @@ def merge_keys(ans, defaults, newvals):
     ans['sequence_map'] = {k: v for k, v in ans['sequence_map'].items() if v}
 
 
-def merge_dicts(defaults, newvals):
-    ans = defaults.copy()
-    ans.update(newvals)
-    return ans
-
-
 def merge_configs(defaults, vals):
     ans = {}
     for k, v in defaults.items():
diff --git a/kitty/config_utils.py b/kitty/config_utils.py
index d64ace164..742151e35 100644
--- a/kitty/config_utils.py
+++ b/kitty/config_utils.py
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ def create_options_class(keys):
     return ans
 
 
+def merge_dicts(defaults, newvals):
+    ans = defaults.copy()
+    ans.update(newvals)
+    return ans
+
+
 def load_config(Options, defaults, parse_config, merge_configs, *paths, overrides=None):
     ans = defaults._asdict()
     for path in paths: