diff --git a/misc/output_test.py b/misc/output_test.py
index cba3ff02fa..b82664c3d7 100755
--- a/misc/output_test.py
+++ b/misc/output_test.py
@@ -213,6 +213,27 @@ def test_tool_inputs(self) -> None:
 out2
 ''')
 
+        # Verify that results are shell-escaped by default.
+        # Also verify that phony outputs are never part of the results.
+        quote = '"' if platform.system() == "Windows" else "'"
+
+        plan = '''
+rule cat
+  command = cat $in $out
+build out1 : cat in1
+build out$ 2 : cat out1
+build out$ 3 : phony out$ 2
+build all: phony out$ 3
+'''
+
+        self.assertEqual(run(plan, flags='-t inputs all'),
+f'''{quote}out 2{quote}
+in1
+out1
+''')
+
+
+
     def test_explain_output(self):
         b = BuildDir('''\
             build .FORCE: phony
diff --git a/src/graph.cc b/src/graph.cc
index 072e3d1365..f04ffb47c8 100644
--- a/src/graph.cc
+++ b/src/graph.cc
@@ -496,28 +496,6 @@ std::string EdgeEnv::MakePathList(const Node* const* const span,
   return result;
 }
 
-void Edge::CollectInputs(bool shell_escape,
-                         std::vector<std::string>* out) const {
-  for (std::vector<Node*>::const_iterator it = inputs_.begin();
-       it != inputs_.end(); ++it) {
-    std::string path = (*it)->PathDecanonicalized();
-    if (shell_escape) {
-      std::string unescaped;
-      unescaped.swap(path);
-#ifdef _WIN32
-      GetWin32EscapedString(unescaped, &path);
-#else
-      GetShellEscapedString(unescaped, &path);
-#endif
-    }
-#if __cplusplus >= 201103L
-    out->push_back(std::move(path));
-#else
-    out->push_back(path);
-#endif
-  }
-}
-
 std::string Edge::EvaluateCommand(const bool incl_rsp_file) const {
   string command = GetBinding("command");
   if (incl_rsp_file) {
diff --git a/src/graph.h b/src/graph.h
index 5af85a27a7..806260e5d7 100644
--- a/src/graph.h
+++ b/src/graph.h
@@ -201,9 +201,6 @@ struct Edge {
 
   void Dump(const char* prefix="") const;
 
-  // Append all edge explicit inputs to |*out|. Possibly with shell escaping.
-  void CollectInputs(bool shell_escape, std::vector<std::string>* out) const;
-
   // critical_path_weight is the priority during build scheduling. The
   // "critical path" between this edge's inputs and any target node is
   // the path which maximises the sum oof weights along that path.
diff --git a/src/graph_test.cc b/src/graph_test.cc
index 2b858f5716..6c654eeb32 100644
--- a/src/graph_test.cc
+++ b/src/graph_test.cc
@@ -215,39 +215,6 @@ TEST_F(GraphTest, RootNodes) {
   }
 }
 
-TEST_F(GraphTest, CollectInputs) {
-  ASSERT_NO_FATAL_FAILURE(AssertParse(
-      &state_,
-      "build out$ 1: cat in1 in2 in$ with$ space | implicit || order_only\n"));
-
-  std::vector<std::string> inputs;
-  Edge* edge = GetNode("out 1")->in_edge();
-
-  // Test without shell escaping.
-  inputs.clear();
-  edge->CollectInputs(false, &inputs);
-  EXPECT_EQ(5u, inputs.size());
-  EXPECT_EQ("in1", inputs[0]);
-  EXPECT_EQ("in2", inputs[1]);
-  EXPECT_EQ("in with space", inputs[2]);
-  EXPECT_EQ("implicit", inputs[3]);
-  EXPECT_EQ("order_only", inputs[4]);
-
-  // Test with shell escaping.
-  inputs.clear();
-  edge->CollectInputs(true, &inputs);
-  EXPECT_EQ(5u, inputs.size());
-  EXPECT_EQ("in1", inputs[0]);
-  EXPECT_EQ("in2", inputs[1]);
-#ifdef _WIN32
-  EXPECT_EQ("\"in with space\"", inputs[2]);
-#else
-  EXPECT_EQ("'in with space'", inputs[2]);
-#endif
-  EXPECT_EQ("implicit", inputs[3]);
-  EXPECT_EQ("order_only", inputs[4]);
-}
-
 TEST_F(GraphTest, InputsCollector) {
   // Build plan for the following graph:
   //
diff --git a/src/ninja.cc b/src/ninja.cc
index 2902359f15..cb4f5865df 100644
--- a/src/ninja.cc
+++ b/src/ninja.cc
@@ -761,27 +761,12 @@ int NinjaMain::ToolCommands(const Options* options, int argc, char* argv[]) {
   return 0;
 }
 
-void CollectInputs(Edge* edge, std::set<Edge*>* seen,
-                   std::vector<std::string>* result) {
-  if (!edge)
-    return;
-  if (!seen->insert(edge).second)
-    return;
-
-  for (vector<Node*>::iterator in = edge->inputs_.begin();
-       in != edge->inputs_.end(); ++in)
-    CollectInputs((*in)->in_edge(), seen, result);
-
-  if (!edge->is_phony()) {
-    edge->CollectInputs(true, result);
-  }
-}
-
 int NinjaMain::ToolInputs(const Options* options, int argc, char* argv[]) {
   // The inputs tool uses getopt, and expects argv[0] to contain the name of
   // the tool, i.e. "inputs".
   argc++;
   argv--;
+
   optind = 1;
   int opt;
   const option kLongOptions[] = { { "help", no_argument, NULL, 'h' },
@@ -794,8 +779,9 @@ int NinjaMain::ToolInputs(const Options* options, int argc, char* argv[]) {
       printf(
 "Usage '-t inputs [options] [targets]\n"
 "\n"
-"List all inputs used for a set of targets. Note that this includes\n"
-"explicit, implicit and order-only inputs, but not validation ones.\n\n"
+"List all inputs used for a set of targets.\n"
+"Note that results are shell escaped, and sorted alphabetically,\n"
+"and never include validation target paths.\n\n"
 "Options:\n"
 "  -h, --help   Print this message.\n");
       // clang-format on
@@ -805,24 +791,22 @@ int NinjaMain::ToolInputs(const Options* options, int argc, char* argv[]) {
   argv += optind;
   argc -= optind;
 
-  vector<Node*> nodes;
-  string err;
+  std::vector<Node*> nodes;
+  std::string err;
   if (!CollectTargetsFromArgs(argc, argv, &nodes, &err)) {
     Error("%s", err.c_str());
     return 1;
   }
 
-  std::set<Edge*> seen;
-  std::vector<std::string> result;
-  for (vector<Node*>::iterator in = nodes.begin(); in != nodes.end(); ++in)
-    CollectInputs((*in)->in_edge(), &seen, &result);
+  InputsCollector collector;
+  for (const Node* node : nodes)
+    collector.VisitNode(node);
 
-  // Make output deterministic by sorting then removing duplicates.
-  std::sort(result.begin(), result.end());
-  result.erase(std::unique(result.begin(), result.end()), result.end());
+  std::vector<std::string> inputs = collector.GetInputsAsStrings(true);
+  std::sort(inputs.begin(), inputs.end());
 
-  for (size_t n = 0; n < result.size(); ++n)
-    puts(result[n].c_str());
+  for (const std::string& input : inputs)
+    puts(input.c_str());
 
   return 0;
 }