diff --git a/test/test_YoutubeDL.py b/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
index bc3b63233d..4348cac6f0 100644
--- a/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ def test(tmpl, expected, *, info=None, **params):
             ydl._num_downloads = 1
             self.assertEqual(ydl.validate_outtmpl(tmpl), None)
 
-            out = ydl.evaluate_outtmpl_for_filename(tmpl, info or self.outtmpl_info)
+            out = ydl.evaluate_outtmpl(tmpl, info or self.outtmpl_info, trim_filename=True)
             fname = ydl.prepare_filename(info or self.outtmpl_info)
 
             if not isinstance(expected, (list, tuple)):
diff --git a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
index 54cd2b66ab..2e95039ed0 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -1425,12 +1425,11 @@ def create_key(outer_mobj):
 
         return EXTERNAL_FORMAT_RE.sub(create_key, outtmpl), TMPL_DICT
 
-    def evaluate_outtmpl(self, outtmpl, info_dict, *args, **kwargs):
+    def evaluate_outtmpl(self, outtmpl, info_dict, *args, trim_filename=False, **kwargs):
         outtmpl, info_dict = self.prepare_outtmpl(outtmpl, info_dict, *args, **kwargs)
-        return self.escape_outtmpl(outtmpl) % info_dict
+        if not trim_filename:
+            return self.escape_outtmpl(outtmpl) % info_dict
 
-    def evaluate_outtmpl_for_filename(self, outtmpl, info_dict, *args, **kwargs):
-        outtmpl, info_dict = self.prepare_outtmpl(outtmpl, info_dict, *args, **kwargs)
         ext_suffix = '.%(ext\x00s)s'  # not sure why this has null char
         suffix = ''
         if outtmpl.endswith(ext_suffix):
@@ -1491,7 +1490,7 @@ def _prepare_filename(self, info_dict, *, outtmpl=None, tmpl_type=None):
             outtmpl = self.params['outtmpl'].get(tmpl_type or 'default', self.params['outtmpl']['default'])
         try:
             outtmpl = self._outtmpl_expandpath(outtmpl)
-            filename = self.evaluate_outtmpl_for_filename(outtmpl, info_dict, True)
+            filename = self.evaluate_outtmpl(outtmpl, info_dict, True, trim_filename=True)
             if not filename:
                 return None