diff --git a/internal/testutils/simulator/repository_simulator_setup.go b/internal/testutils/simulator/repository_simulator_setup.go
index 70abae98..18b75dfb 100644
--- a/internal/testutils/simulator/repository_simulator_setup.go
+++ b/internal/testutils/simulator/repository_simulator_setup.go
@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@ func InitLocalEnv() error {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	if err = os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(tmpDir,metadataPath), 0750); err != nil {
+	if err = os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(tmpDir, metadataPath), 0750); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("Repository simulator: failed to create dir", "err", err)
 	}
 
-	if err = os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(tmpDir,targetsPath), 0750); err != nil {
+	if err = os.Mkdir(filepath.Join(tmpDir, targetsPath), 0750); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("Repository simulator: failed to create dir", "err", err)
 	}
 
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ func InitMetadataDir() (*RepositorySimulator, string, string, error) {
 		slog.Error("Failed to create root", "err", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
+	defer f.Close()
 
 	if _, err = f.Write(sim.SignedRoots[0]); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("Repository simulator setup: failed to write signed roots", "err", err)
diff --git a/metadata/updater/updater.go b/metadata/updater/updater.go
index e082c563..7d723dfa 100644
--- a/metadata/updater/updater.go
+++ b/metadata/updater/updater.go
@@ -579,38 +579,6 @@ func (update *Updater) preOrderDepthFirstWalk(targetFilePath string) (*metadata.
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("target %s not found", targetFilePath)
 }
 
-func moveFile(source, destination string) (err error) {
-	// can only safely rename on any OS if source and destination are in the same directory
-	if filepath.Dir(source) == filepath.Dir(destination) {
-		return os.Rename(source, destination)
-	}
-
-	inputFile, err := os.Open(source)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("couldn't open source file: %s", err)
-	}
-	defer inputFile.Close()
-	outputFile, err := os.Create(destination)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("couldn't open dest file: %s", err)
-	}
-	defer outputFile.Close()
-	c, err := io.Copy(outputFile, inputFile)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("writing to output file failed: %s", err)
-	}
-	if c <= 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("nothing copied to output file")
-	}
-	inputFile.Close()
-	// The copy was successful, so now delete the original file
-	err = os.Remove(source)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed removing original file: %s", err)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // persistMetadata writes metadata to disk atomically to avoid data loss
 func (update *Updater) persistMetadata(roleName string, data []byte) error {
 	log := metadata.GetLogger()
@@ -620,12 +588,8 @@ func (update *Updater) persistMetadata(roleName string, data []byte) error {
 	}
 	// caching enabled, proceed with persisting the metadata locally
 	fileName := filepath.Join(update.cfg.LocalMetadataDir, fmt.Sprintf("%s.json", url.QueryEscape(roleName)))
-	cwd, err := os.Getwd()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	// create a temporary file
-	file, err := os.CreateTemp(cwd, "tuf_tmp")
+	file, err := os.CreateTemp(update.cfg.LocalMetadataDir, "tuf_tmp")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -642,9 +606,12 @@ func (update *Updater) persistMetadata(roleName string, data []byte) error {
 	}
 
 	// can't move/rename an open file on windows, so close it first
-	file.Close()
+	err = file.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// if all okay, rename the temporary file to the desired one
-	err = moveFile(file.Name(), fileName)
+	err = os.Rename(file.Name(), fileName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}