diff --git a/datafusion/physical-expr/src/sort_properties.rs b/datafusion/physical-expr/src/sort_properties.rs
index f3d158c1a002..7b003f320846 100644
--- a/datafusion/physical-expr/src/sort_properties.rs
+++ b/datafusion/physical-expr/src/sort_properties.rs
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ impl ExprOrdering {
     /// Creates a new [`ExprOrdering`] with [`SortProperties::Unordered`] states
     /// for `expr` and its children.
     pub fn new(expr: Arc<dyn PhysicalExpr>) -> Self {
-        let children = PhysicalExpr::children(expr.as_ref());
+        let children = expr.children();
         Self {
             expr,
             state: Default::default(),
diff --git a/datafusion/physical-expr/src/utils/mod.rs b/datafusion/physical-expr/src/utils/mod.rs
index fc59e716487b..35a1cec7c49e 100644
--- a/datafusion/physical-expr/src/utils/mod.rs
+++ b/datafusion/physical-expr/src/utils/mod.rs
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ pub struct ExprTreeNode<T> {
 
 impl<T> ExprTreeNode<T> {
     pub fn new(expr: Arc<dyn PhysicalExpr>) -> Self {
-        let children = PhysicalExpr::children(expr.as_ref());
+        let children = expr.children();
         ExprTreeNode {
             expr,
             data: None,