diff --git a/plugins/mason.lua b/plugins/mason.lua
index b202fef..6566f34 100644
--- a/plugins/mason.lua
+++ b/plugins/mason.lua
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@ return {
     -- overrides `require("mason-lspconfig").setup(...)`
     opts = function(_, opts)
       -- add more things to the ensure_installed table protecting against community packs modifying it
-      if not opts.ensure_installed then opts.ensure_installed = {} end
-      require("astronvim.utils").list_insert_unique(opts.ensure_installed, {
+      opts.ensure_installed = require("astronvim.utils").list_insert_unique(opts.ensure_installed, {
         -- "lua_ls",
       })
     end,
@@ -18,8 +17,7 @@ return {
     -- overrides `require("mason-null-ls").setup(...)`
     opts = function(_, opts)
       -- add more things to the ensure_installed table protecting against community packs modifying it
-      if not opts.ensure_installed then opts.ensure_installed = {} end
-      require("astronvim.utils").list_insert_unique(opts.ensure_installed, {
+      opts.ensure_installed = require("astronvim.utils").list_insert_unique(opts.ensure_installed, {
         -- "prettier",
         -- "stylua",
       })
@@ -30,8 +28,7 @@ return {
     -- overrides `require("mason-nvim-dap").setup(...)`
     opts = function(_, opts)
       -- add more things to the ensure_installed table protecting against community packs modifying it
-      if not opts.ensure_installed then opts.ensure_installed = {} end
-      require("astronvim.utils").list_insert_unique(opts.ensure_installed, {
+      opts.ensure_installed = require("astronvim.utils").list_insert_unique(opts.ensure_installed, {
         -- "python",
       })
     end,
diff --git a/plugins/treesitter.lua b/plugins/treesitter.lua
index acffc4e..18c6da6 100644
--- a/plugins/treesitter.lua
+++ b/plugins/treesitter.lua
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@ return {
   "nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter",
   opts = function(_, opts)
     -- add more things to the ensure_installed table protecting against community packs modifying it
-    if not opts.ensure_installed then opts.ensure_installed = {} end
-    require("astronvim.utils").list_insert_unique(opts.ensure_installed, {
+    opts.ensure_installed = require("astronvim.utils").list_insert_unique(opts.ensure_installed, {
       -- "lua"
     })
   end,