diff --git a/datafusion/sql/src/select.rs b/datafusion/sql/src/select.rs
index 4de3952dc7ea1..95a44dace31a8 100644
--- a/datafusion/sql/src/select.rs
+++ b/datafusion/sql/src/select.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use crate::planner::{
 };
 use crate::utils::{
     check_columns_satisfy_exprs, extract_aliases, rebase_expr, resolve_aliases_to_exprs,
-    resolve_columns, resolve_positions_to_exprs, transform_bottom_unnest,
+    resolve_columns, resolve_positions_to_exprs, transform_bottom_unnests,
 };
 
 use datafusion_common::tree_node::{TreeNode, TreeNodeRecursion};
@@ -318,20 +318,12 @@ impl<'a, S: ContextProvider> SqlToRel<'a, S> {
             // - unnest(struct_col) will be transformed into unnest(struct_col).field1, unnest(struct_col).field2
             // - unnest(array_col) will be transformed into unnest(array_col).element
             // - unnest(array_col) + 1 will be transformed into unnest(array_col).element +1
-            let outer_projection_exprs: Vec<Expr> = intermediate_select_exprs
-                .iter()
-                .map(|expr| {
-                    transform_bottom_unnest(
-                        &intermediate_plan,
-                        &mut unnest_columns,
-                        &mut inner_projection_exprs,
-                        expr,
-                    )
-                })
-                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?
-                .into_iter()
-                .flatten()
-                .collect();
+            let outer_projection_exprs = transform_bottom_unnests(
+                &intermediate_plan,
+                &mut unnest_columns,
+                &mut inner_projection_exprs,
+                &intermediate_select_exprs,
+            )?;
 
             // No more unnest is possible
             if unnest_columns.is_empty() {
@@ -417,20 +409,12 @@ impl<'a, S: ContextProvider> SqlToRel<'a, S> {
             let mut unnest_columns = vec![];
             let mut inner_projection_exprs = vec![];
 
-            let outer_projection_exprs: Vec<Expr> = intermediate_select_exprs
-                .iter()
-                .map(|expr| {
-                    transform_bottom_unnest(
-                        &intermediate_plan,
-                        &mut unnest_columns,
-                        &mut inner_projection_exprs,
-                        expr,
-                    )
-                })
-                .collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?
-                .into_iter()
-                .flatten()
-                .collect();
+            let outer_projection_exprs = transform_bottom_unnests(
+                &intermediate_plan,
+                &mut unnest_columns,
+                &mut inner_projection_exprs,
+                &intermediate_select_exprs,
+            )?;
 
             if unnest_columns.is_empty() {
                 break;
diff --git a/datafusion/sql/src/utils.rs b/datafusion/sql/src/utils.rs
index a9a782902ac95..3b044646e6cb2 100644
--- a/datafusion/sql/src/utils.rs
+++ b/datafusion/sql/src/utils.rs
@@ -287,6 +287,28 @@ pub(crate) fn value_to_string(value: &Value) -> Option<String> {
     }
 }
 
+pub(crate) fn transform_bottom_unnests(
+    input: &LogicalPlan,
+    unnest_placeholder_columns: &mut Vec<String>,
+    inner_projection_exprs: &mut Vec<Expr>,
+    original_exprs: &[Expr],
+) -> Result<Vec<Expr>> {
+    Ok(original_exprs
+        .iter()
+        .map(|expr| {
+            transform_bottom_unnest(
+                input,
+                unnest_placeholder_columns,
+                inner_projection_exprs,
+                expr,
+            )
+        })
+        .collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?
+        .into_iter()
+        .flatten()
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>())
+}
+
 /// The context is we want to rewrite unnest() into InnerProjection->Unnest->OuterProjection
 /// Given an expression which contains unnest expr as one of its children,
 /// Try transform depends on unnest type