diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 9387b5d56..190f24271 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
         "@types/lodash": "^4.14.202",
         "@types/node": "^20.10.3",
         "@types/qs": "^6.9.15",
+        "@types/tmp": "^0.2.6",
         "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^6.21.0",
         "ajv": "^8.13.0",
         "ajv-errors": "^3.0.0",
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@
         "lodash": "^4.17.21",
         "qs": "^6.12.1",
         "smile-js": "^0.7.0",
+        "tmp": "^0.2.3",
         "ts-jest": "^29.1.2",
         "ts-node": "^10.9.1",
         "typescript": "<5.4.0",
@@ -2296,6 +2298,11 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/stack-utils/-/stack-utils-2.0.3.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-9aEbYZ3TbYMznPdcdr3SmIrLXwC/AKZXQeCf9Pgao5CKb8CyHuEX5jzWPTkvregvhRJHcpRO6BFoGW9ycaOkYw=="
     },
+    "node_modules/@types/tmp": {
+      "version": "0.2.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/tmp/-/tmp-0.2.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-chhaNf2oKHlRkDGt+tiKE2Z5aJ6qalm7Z9rlLdBwmOiAAf09YQvvoLXjWK4HWPF1xU/fqvMgfNfpVoBscA/tKA=="
+    },
     "node_modules/@types/yargs": {
       "version": "17.0.32",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/yargs/-/yargs-17.0.32.tgz",
@@ -7684,6 +7691,14 @@
         "node": ">=0.12"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/tmp": {
+      "version": "0.2.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tmp/-/tmp-0.2.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-nZD7m9iCPC5g0pYmcaxogYKggSfLsdxl8of3Q/oIbqCqLLIO9IAF0GWjX1z9NZRHPiXv8Wex4yDCaZsgEw0Y8w==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=14.14"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/tmpl": {
       "version": "1.0.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tmpl/-/tmpl-1.0.5.tgz",
@@ -10030,6 +10045,11 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/stack-utils/-/stack-utils-2.0.3.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-9aEbYZ3TbYMznPdcdr3SmIrLXwC/AKZXQeCf9Pgao5CKb8CyHuEX5jzWPTkvregvhRJHcpRO6BFoGW9ycaOkYw=="
     },
+    "@types/tmp": {
+      "version": "0.2.6",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/tmp/-/tmp-0.2.6.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-chhaNf2oKHlRkDGt+tiKE2Z5aJ6qalm7Z9rlLdBwmOiAAf09YQvvoLXjWK4HWPF1xU/fqvMgfNfpVoBscA/tKA=="
+    },
     "@types/yargs": {
       "version": "17.0.32",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/yargs/-/yargs-17.0.32.tgz",
@@ -13778,6 +13798,11 @@
         "next-tick": "^1.1.0"
       }
     },
+    "tmp": {
+      "version": "0.2.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tmp/-/tmp-0.2.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-nZD7m9iCPC5g0pYmcaxogYKggSfLsdxl8of3Q/oIbqCqLLIO9IAF0GWjX1z9NZRHPiXv8Wex4yDCaZsgEw0Y8w=="
+    },
     "tmpl": {
       "version": "1.0.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tmpl/-/tmpl-1.0.5.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d433bb108..b574d42df 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -30,13 +30,15 @@
     "@types/lodash": "^4.14.202",
     "@types/node": "^20.10.3",
     "@types/qs": "^6.9.15",
+    "@types/tmp": "^0.2.6",
     "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^6.21.0",
+    "ajv": "^8.13.0",
     "ajv-errors": "^3.0.0",
     "ajv-formats": "^3.0.1",
-    "ajv": "^8.13.0",
     "axios": "^1.7.1",
     "cbor": "^9.0.2",
     "commander": "^12.0.0",
+    "eslint": "^8.57.0",
     "eslint-config-standard-with-typescript": "^43.0.1",
     "eslint-plugin-eslint-comments": "^3.2.0",
     "eslint-plugin-import": "^2.29.1",
@@ -44,13 +46,13 @@
     "eslint-plugin-n": "^16.6.2",
     "eslint-plugin-promise": "^6.1.1",
     "eslint-plugin-yml": "^1.14.0",
-    "eslint": "^8.57.0",
     "globals": "^15.0.0",
     "json-diff-ts": "^4.0.1",
     "json-schema-to-typescript": "^14.0.4",
     "lodash": "^4.17.21",
     "qs": "^6.12.1",
     "smile-js": "^0.7.0",
+    "tmp": "^0.2.3",
     "ts-jest": "^29.1.2",
     "ts-node": "^10.9.1",
     "typescript": "<5.4.0",
diff --git a/tools/src/helpers.ts b/tools/src/helpers.ts
index 579f11388..3d5ef2e40 100644
--- a/tools/src/helpers.ts
+++ b/tools/src/helpers.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,23 @@ export function sort_array_by_keys (values: any[], priorities: string[] = []): s
   })
 }
 
+export function delete_matching_keys(obj: any, condition: (obj: any) => boolean): string[] {
+  let removed: string[] = []
+  for (const key in obj) {
+    var item = obj[key]
+    if (_.isObject(item)) {
+      if (condition(item)) {
+        removed.push(key)
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-dynamic-delete
+        delete obj[key]
+      } else {
+        removed = _.concat(removed, delete_matching_keys(item, condition))
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return removed
+}
+
 export function ensure_parent_dir (file_path: string): void {
   fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(file_path), { recursive: true })
 }
diff --git a/tools/src/merger/OpenApiMerger.ts b/tools/src/merger/OpenApiMerger.ts
index b914c3be7..800c636c2 100644
--- a/tools/src/merger/OpenApiMerger.ts
+++ b/tools/src/merger/OpenApiMerger.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import { type OpenAPIV3 } from 'openapi-types'
 import fs from 'fs'
 import _, { isEmpty } from 'lodash'
-import { read_yaml, write_yaml } from '../helpers'
+import { delete_matching_keys, read_yaml, write_yaml } from '../helpers'
 import SupersededOpsGenerator from './SupersededOpsGenerator'
 import GlobalParamsGenerator from './GlobalParamsGenerator'
 import { Logger } from '../Logger'
@@ -82,10 +82,10 @@ export default class OpenApiMerger {
 
   // Remove any refs that are x-version-added/removed incompatible with the target server version.
   #remove_refs_per_semver() : void {
-    this.#remove_per_semver(this._spec.paths)
+    this.#remove_keys_not_matching_semver(this._spec.paths)
 
     // parameters
-    const removed_params = this.#remove_per_semver(this._spec.components.parameters)
+    const removed_params = this.#remove_keys_not_matching_semver(this._spec.components.parameters)
     const removed_parameter_refs = _.map(removed_params, (ref) => `#/components/parameters/${ref}`)
     Object.entries(this._spec.paths as Document).forEach(([_path, path_item]) => {
       Object.entries(path_item as Document).forEach(([_method, method_item]) => {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export default class OpenApiMerger {
     })
 
     // responses
-    const removed_responses = this.#remove_per_semver(this._spec.components.responses)
+    const removed_responses = this.#remove_keys_not_matching_semver(this._spec.components.responses)
     const removed_response_refs = _.map(removed_responses, (ref) => `#/components/responses/${ref}`)
     Object.entries(this._spec.paths as Document).forEach(([_path, path_item]) => {
       Object.entries(path_item as Document).forEach(([_method, method_item]) => {
@@ -121,23 +121,9 @@ export default class OpenApiMerger {
   }
 
   // Remove any elements that are x-version-added/removed incompatible with the target server version.
-  #remove_per_semver(obj: any): string[] {
-    let removed: string[] = []
-    if (this.target_version === undefined) return removed
-
-    for (const key in obj) {
-      if (_.isObject(obj[key])) {
-        if (this.#exclude_per_semver(obj[key])) {
-          removed.push(key)
-          // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-dynamic-delete
-          delete obj[key]
-        } else {
-          removed = _.concat(removed, this.#remove_per_semver(obj[key]))
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    return removed
+  #remove_keys_not_matching_semver(obj: any): string[] {
+    if (this.target_version === undefined) return []
+    return delete_matching_keys(obj, this.#exclude_per_semver.bind(this))
   }
 
   // Redirect schema references in namespace files to local references in single-file spec.
diff --git a/tools/tests/helpers.test.ts b/tools/tests/helpers.test.ts
index 60480af32..5268b55eb 100644
--- a/tools/tests/helpers.test.ts
+++ b/tools/tests/helpers.test.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 * compatible open source license.
 */
 
-import { sort_array_by_keys, to_json, to_ndjson } from '../src/helpers'
+import _ from 'lodash'
+import { delete_matching_keys, sort_array_by_keys, to_json, to_ndjson } from '../src/helpers'
 
 describe('helpers', () => {
   describe('sort_array_by_keys', () => {
@@ -36,4 +37,90 @@ describe('helpers', () => {
     expect(to_ndjson([{ x: 1 }])).toEqual("{\"x\":1}\n")
     expect(to_ndjson([{ x: 1 }, { y: 'z' }])).toEqual("{\"x\":1}\n{\"y\":\"z\"}\n")
   })
+
+  describe('delete_matching_keys', () => {
+    test('empty collection', () => {
+      var obj = {}
+      expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_obj) => false)).toEqual([])
+      expect(obj).toEqual({})
+    })
+
+    describe('an object', () => {
+      var obj: object
+
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        obj = {
+          foo: {
+            bar1: {
+              x: 1
+            }
+          },
+          zar: {
+            bar2: {
+              y: 2
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      })
+
+      test('removes all keys', () => {
+        expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_item) => true)).toEqual(['foo', 'zar'])
+        expect(obj).toStrictEqual({})
+      })
+
+      test('removes no keys', () => {
+        const obj2 = _.cloneDeep(obj)
+        expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_item) => false)).toEqual([])
+        expect(obj).toStrictEqual(obj2)
+      })
+
+      test('removes a value from a key', () => {
+        expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_item: any) => _item.x == 1)).toEqual(['bar1'])
+        expect(obj).toStrictEqual({ foo: {}, zar: { bar2: { y: 2 } } })
+      })
+
+      test('removes multiple values from a key', () => {
+        expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_item: any) => _item.x == 1 || _item.y == 2)).toEqual(['bar1', 'bar2'])
+        expect(obj).toStrictEqual({ foo: {}, zar: {} })
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('an object with arrays', () => {
+      var obj: object
+
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        obj = {
+          foo: [{
+            bar1: {
+              x: 1
+            },
+            bar2: {
+              y: 2
+            }
+          }],
+        }
+      })
+
+      test('removes all keys', () => {
+        expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_item) => true)).toEqual(['foo'])
+        expect(obj).toStrictEqual({})
+      })
+
+      test('removes no keys', () => {
+        const obj2 = _.cloneDeep(obj)
+        expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_item) => false)).toEqual([])
+        expect(obj).toStrictEqual(obj2)
+      })
+
+      test('removes a value from a key', () => {
+        expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_item: any) => _item.x == 1)).toEqual(['bar1'])
+        expect(obj).toStrictEqual({ foo: [{ bar2: { y: 2 } }] })
+      })
+
+      test('removes multiple values from a key', () => {
+        expect(delete_matching_keys(obj, (_item: any) => _item.x == 1 || _item.y == 2)).toEqual(['bar1', 'bar2'])
+        expect(obj).toStrictEqual({ foo: [{}] })
+      })
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/tools/tests/merger/OpenApiMerger.test.ts b/tools/tests/merger/OpenApiMerger.test.ts
index 2b5904ed6..60f5bcee5 100644
--- a/tools/tests/merger/OpenApiMerger.test.ts
+++ b/tools/tests/merger/OpenApiMerger.test.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 import OpenApiMerger from 'merger/OpenApiMerger'
 import fs from 'fs'
+import tmp, { file } from 'tmp'
 
 describe('OpenApiMerger', () => {
   var merger: OpenApiMerger
@@ -29,27 +30,46 @@ describe('OpenApiMerger', () => {
     })
 
     describe('write_to()', () => {
-      afterAll(() => {
-        fs.unlinkSync('./tools/tests/merger/opensearch-openapi.yaml')
+      var temp: tmp.DirResult
+      var filename: string 
+      
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        temp = tmp.dirSync()
+        filename = `${temp.name}/opensearch-openapi.yaml`
+      })
+
+      afterEach(() => {
+        fs.unlinkSync(filename)
+        temp.removeCallback()
       })
 
       test('writes a spec', () => {
-        merger.write_to('./tools/tests/merger/opensearch-openapi.yaml')
+        merger.write_to(filename)
         expect(fs.readFileSync('./tools/tests/merger/fixtures/expected_2.0.yaml', 'utf8'))
-          .toEqual(fs.readFileSync('./tools/tests/merger/opensearch-openapi.yaml', 'utf8'))
+          .toEqual(fs.readFileSync(filename, 'utf8'))
       })
     })
   })
 
   describe('1.3', () => {
+    var temp: tmp.DirResult
+    var filename: string 
+    
     beforeEach(() => {
       merger = new OpenApiMerger('./tools/tests/merger/fixtures/spec/', '1.3')
+      temp = tmp.dirSync()
+      filename = `${temp.name}/opensearch-openapi.yaml`
+    })
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      fs.unlinkSync(filename)
+      temp.removeCallback()
     })
 
     test('writes a spec', () => {
-      merger.write_to('./tools/tests/merger/opensearch-openapi.yaml')
+      merger.write_to(filename)
       expect(fs.readFileSync('./tools/tests/merger/fixtures/expected_1.3.yaml', 'utf8'))
-        .toEqual(fs.readFileSync('./tools/tests/merger/opensearch-openapi.yaml', 'utf8'))
+        .toEqual(fs.readFileSync(filename, 'utf8'))
     })
   })
 })
diff --git a/tools/tests/merger/opensearch-openapi.yaml b/tools/tests/merger/opensearch-openapi.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index d75111c45..000000000
--- a/tools/tests/merger/opensearch-openapi.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,118 +0,0 @@
-openapi: 3.1.0
-info:
-  title: OpenSearch API
-  description: OpenSearch API
-  version: 1.0.0
-paths:
-  /{index}:
-    post:
-      parameters:
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/indices.create::path.index'
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/indices.create::query.pretty'
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/_global::query.human'
-      requestBody:
-        $ref: '#/components/requestBodies/indices.create'
-      responses:
-        '200':
-          $ref: '#/components/responses/indices.create@200'
-  /adopt/{animal}/dockets/{docket}:
-    get:
-      operationId: adopt.0
-      parameters:
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/adopt::path.animal'
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/adopt::path.docket'
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/_global::query.human'
-      responses:
-        '200':
-          $ref: '#/components/responses/adopt@200'
-    post:
-      operationId: adopt.1
-      parameters:
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/adopt::path.animal'
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/adopt::path.docket'
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/_global::query.human'
-      requestBody:
-        $ref: '#/components/requestBodies/adopt'
-      responses:
-        '200':
-          $ref: '#/components/responses/adopt@200'
-  /replaced/adopting/{animal}/something/{docket}:
-    get:
-      operationId: adopt.0_superseded
-      parameters:
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/adopt::path.animal'
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/adopt::path.docket'
-        - $ref: '#/components/parameters/_global::query.human'
-      responses:
-        '200':
-          $ref: '#/components/responses/adopt@200'
-      deprecated: true
-      x-ignorable: true
-components:
-  parameters:
-    _global::query.human:
-      name: human
-      in: query
-      description: Whether to return human readable values for statistics.
-      schema:
-        type: boolean
-      default: true
-      x-global: true
-    adopt::path.animal:
-      name: animal
-      in: path
-      schema:
-        $ref: '#/components/schemas/animals:Animal'
-    adopt::path.docket:
-      name: docket
-      in: path
-      schema:
-        type: number
-    indices.create::path.index:
-      name: index
-      in: path
-      schema:
-        type: string
-    indices.create::query.pretty:
-      name: pretty
-      in: query
-      schema:
-        type: boolean
-  requestBodies:
-    adopt: {}
-    indices.create: {}
-  responses:
-    adopt@200:
-      description: ''
-      application/json:
-        schema:
-          type: object
-    indices.create@200:
-      description: ''
-      application/json:
-        schema:
-          type: object
-    indices.create@201:
-      description: Added in 2.0.
-      application/json:
-        schema:
-          type: object
-  schemas:
-    actions:Bark:
-      type: string
-    actions:Meow:
-      type: string
-    animals:Animal:
-      oneOf:
-        - $ref: '#/components/schemas/animals:Dog'
-        - $ref: '#/components/schemas/animals:Cat'
-    animals:Cat:
-      type: object
-      properties:
-        meow:
-          $ref: '#/components/schemas/actions:Meow'
-    animals:Dog:
-      type: object
-      properties:
-        bark:
-          $ref: '#/components/schemas/actions:Bark'