diff --git a/src/posthog-core.ts b/src/posthog-core.ts
index 0932048cf..27c9e2f53 100644
--- a/src/posthog-core.ts
+++ b/src/posthog-core.ts
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ export class PostHog {
         // isUndefined doesn't provide typehint here so wouldn't reduce bundle as we'd need to assign
         // eslint-disable-next-line posthog-js/no-direct-undefined-check
         if (config.bootstrap?.distinctID !== undefined) {
-            const uuid = this._create_device_id()
+            const uuid = this.config.get_device_id(uuidv7())
             const deviceID = config.bootstrap?.isIdentifiedID ? uuid : config.bootstrap.distinctID
             this.persistence.set_property(USER_STATE, config.bootstrap?.isIdentifiedID ? 'identified' : 'anonymous')
             this.register({
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ export class PostHog {
             // There is no need to set the distinct id
             // or the device id if something was already stored
             // in the persistence
-            const uuid = this._create_device_id()
+            const uuid = this.config.get_device_id(uuidv7())
 
             this.register_once(
                 {
@@ -2065,10 +2065,6 @@ export class PostHog {
         }
     }
 
-    private _create_device_id(): string {
-        return this.config.get_device_id(uuidv7())
-    }
-
     /**
      * Opt the user in to data capturing and cookies/localstorage for this PostHog instance
      * If the config.opt_out_persistence_by_default is set to false, the SDK persistence will be enabled.