diff --git a/test/boost/mutation_reader_test.cc b/test/boost/mutation_reader_test.cc
index 7c50885e8b..56ffb58c4e 100644
--- a/test/boost/mutation_reader_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/mutation_reader_test.cc
@@ -669,27 +669,6 @@ SEASTAR_THREAD_TEST_CASE(test_sm_fast_forwarding_combining_reader_with_galloping
     assertions.produces_end_of_stream();
 }
 
-struct sst_factory {
-    sstables::test_env& env;
-    schema_ptr s;
-    unsigned gen;
-    uint32_t level;
-
-    sst_factory(sstables::test_env& env, schema_ptr s, unsigned gen, int level)
-        : env(env)
-        , s(s)
-        , gen(gen)
-        , level(level)
-    {}
-
-    sstables::shared_sstable operator()() {
-        auto sst = env.make_sstable(s, gen);
-        sst->set_sstable_level(level);
-
-        return sst;
-    }
-};
-
 SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(combined_mutation_reader_test) {
   return sstables::test_env::do_with_async([] (sstables::test_env& env) {
     simple_schema s;
@@ -730,13 +709,18 @@ SEASTAR_TEST_CASE(combined_mutation_reader_test) {
     const mutation expexted_mutation_4 = sstable_level_0_0_mutations[2] + sstable_level_2_0_mutations[1];
     const mutation expexted_mutation_5 = sstable_level_2_1_mutations[0];
 
-    unsigned gen{0};
+    auto sst_factory = [&, s = s.schema()] (uint32_t level) {
+        auto sst = env.make_sstable(s);
+        sst->set_sstable_level(level);
+        return sst;
+    };
+
     std::vector<sstables::shared_sstable> sstable_list = {
-            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(env, s.schema(), ++gen, 0), std::move(sstable_level_0_0_mutations)),
-            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(env, s.schema(), ++gen, 1), std::move(sstable_level_1_0_mutations)),
-            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(env, s.schema(), ++gen, 1), std::move(sstable_level_1_1_mutations)),
-            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(env, s.schema(), ++gen, 2), std::move(sstable_level_2_0_mutations)),
-            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(env, s.schema(), ++gen, 2), std::move(sstable_level_2_1_mutations)),
+            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(0), std::move(sstable_level_0_0_mutations)),
+            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(1), std::move(sstable_level_1_0_mutations)),
+            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(1), std::move(sstable_level_1_1_mutations)),
+            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(2), std::move(sstable_level_2_0_mutations)),
+            make_sstable_containing(sst_factory(2), std::move(sstable_level_2_1_mutations)),
     };
 
     auto cs = sstables::make_compaction_strategy(sstables::compaction_strategy_type::leveled, {});