@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 from typing import Any, Literal
 
 import matplotlib
-import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 import numpy as np
 import pandas as pd
 import spatialdata as sd
@@ -1211,25 +1210,3 @@ def _maybe_set_colors(
 
 def _get_linear_colormap(colors: list[str], background: str) -> list[LinearSegmentedColormap]:
     return [LinearSegmentedColormap.from_list(c, [background, c], N=256) for c in colors]
-
-
-def set_zero_in_cmap_to_transparent(cmap: Colormap | str, steps: int | None = None) -> ListedColormap:
-    """
-    Modify colormap so that 0s are transparent.
-
-    Parameters
-    ----------
-    cmap (Colormap | str): A matplotlib Colormap instance or a colormap name string.
-    steps (int): The number of steps in the colormap.
-
-    Returns
-    -------
-    ListedColormap: A new colormap instance with modified alpha values.
-    """
-    if isinstance(cmap, str):
-        cmap = plt.get_cmap(cmap)
-
-    colors = cmap(np.arange(steps or cmap.N))
-    colors[0, :] = [1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0]
-
-    return ListedColormap(colors)
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from matplotlib.axes import Axes
 from matplotlib.collections import PatchCollection
 from matplotlib.colors import (
+    Colormap,
     ListedColormap,
 )
 from matplotlib.figure import Figure
@@ -1209,6 +1210,28 @@ def _resolve_measure_table(sdata: SpatialData, element_name: str, table_name: st
     return str(annotators[0])
 
 
+def set_zero_in_cmap_to_transparent(cmap: Colormap | str, steps: int | None = None) -> ListedColormap:
+    """
+    Modify colormap so that 0s are transparent.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    cmap (Colormap | str): A matplotlib Colormap instance or a colormap name string.
+    steps (int): The number of steps in the colormap.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    ListedColormap: A new colormap instance with modified alpha values.
+    """
+    if isinstance(cmap, str):
+        cmap = plt.get_cmap(cmap)
+
+    colors = cmap(np.arange(steps or cmap.N))
+    colors[0, :] = [1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0]
+
+    return ListedColormap(colors)
+
+
 def measure_obs(
     sdata: SpatialData,
     element: str | None = None,
 
@@ -18,10 +18,8 @@
     _datashader_map_aggregate_to_color,
 )
 from spatialdata_plot.pl.render_params import Color, ColorLike
-from spatialdata_plot.pl._color import (
-    _set_outline,
-    set_zero_in_cmap_to_transparent,
-)
+from spatialdata_plot.pl._color import _set_outline
+from spatialdata_plot.pl.utils import set_zero_in_cmap_to_transparent
 from tests.conftest import DPI, PlotTester, PlotTesterMeta
 
 sc.pl.set_rcParams_defaults()