diff --git a/pkg/aa/profile.go b/pkg/aa/profile.go
index 55488bfb1..5296d0221 100644
--- a/pkg/aa/profile.go
+++ b/pkg/aa/profile.go
@@ -7,9 +7,7 @@ package aa
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"maps"
-	"reflect"
 	"slices"
-	"sort"
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -125,96 +123,18 @@ func (p *Profile) Kind() Kind {
 	return PROFILE
 }
 
-// Merge merge similar rules together.
-// Steps:
-//   - Remove identical rules
-//   - Merge rule access. Eg: for same path, 'r' and 'w' becomes 'rw'
-//
-// Note: logs.regCleanLogs helps a lot to do a first cleaning
 func (p *Profile) Merge() {
-	for i := 0; i < len(p.Rules); i++ {
-		for j := i + 1; j < len(p.Rules); j++ {
-			typeOfI := reflect.TypeOf(p.Rules[i])
-			typeOfJ := reflect.TypeOf(p.Rules[j])
-			if typeOfI != typeOfJ {
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// If rules are identical, merge them
-			if p.Rules[i].Equals(p.Rules[j]) {
-				p.Rules = append(p.Rules[:j], p.Rules[j+1:]...)
-				j--
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// File rule
-			if typeOfI == reflect.TypeFor[*File]() && typeOfJ == reflect.TypeFor[*File]() {
-				// Merge access
-				fileI := p.Rules[i].(*File)
-				fileJ := p.Rules[j].(*File)
-				if fileI.Path == fileJ.Path {
-					fileI.Access = append(fileI.Access, fileJ.Access...)
-					slices.SortFunc(fileI.Access, cmpFileAccess)
-					fileI.Access = slices.Compact(fileI.Access)
-					p.Rules = append(p.Rules[:j], p.Rules[j+1:]...)
-					j--
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}
+	slices.Sort(p.Flags)
+	p.Flags = slices.Compact(p.Flags)
+	p.Rules = p.Rules.Merge()
 }
 
-// Sort the rules in a profile.
-// Follow: https://apparmor.pujol.io/development/guidelines/#guidelines
 func (p *Profile) Sort() {
-	sort.Slice(p.Rules, func(i, j int) bool {
-		typeOfI := reflect.TypeOf(p.Rules[i])
-		typeOfJ := reflect.TypeOf(p.Rules[j])
-		if typeOfI != typeOfJ {
-			valueOfI := typeToValue(typeOfI)
-			valueOfJ := typeToValue(typeOfJ)
-			if typeOfI == reflect.TypeFor[*Include]() && p.Rules[i].(*Include).IfExists {
-				valueOfI = "include_if_exists"
-			}
-			if typeOfJ == reflect.TypeFor[*Include]() && p.Rules[j].(*Include).IfExists {
-				valueOfJ = "include_if_exists"
-			}
-			return ruleWeights[valueOfI] < ruleWeights[valueOfJ]
-		}
-		return p.Rules[i].Less(p.Rules[j])
-	})
+	p.Rules = p.Rules.Sort()
 }
 
-// Format the profile for better readability before printing it.
-// Follow: https://apparmor.pujol.io/development/guidelines/#the-file-block
 func (p *Profile) Format() {
-	const prefixOwner = "      "
-
-	hasOwnerRule := false
-	for i := len(p.Rules) - 1; i > 0; i-- {
-		j := i - 1
-		typeOfI := reflect.TypeOf(p.Rules[i])
-		typeOfJ := reflect.TypeOf(p.Rules[j])
-
-		// File rule
-		if typeOfI == reflect.TypeFor[*File]() && typeOfJ == reflect.TypeFor[*File]() {
-			letterI := getLetterIn(fileAlphabet, p.Rules[i].(*File).Path)
-			letterJ := getLetterIn(fileAlphabet, p.Rules[j].(*File).Path)
-
-			// Add prefix before rule path to align with other rule
-			if p.Rules[i].(*File).Owner {
-				hasOwnerRule = true
-			} else if hasOwnerRule {
-				p.Rules[i].(*File).Prefix = prefixOwner
-			}
-
-			if letterI != letterJ {
-				// Add a new empty line between Files rule of different type
-				hasOwnerRule = false
-				p.Rules = append(p.Rules[:i], append(Rules{nil}, p.Rules[i:]...)...)
-			}
-		}
-	}
+	p.Rules = p.Rules.Format()
 }
 
 // GetAttachments return a nested attachment string
diff --git a/pkg/aa/rules.go b/pkg/aa/rules.go
index 79db32e07..bc0f847cf 100644
--- a/pkg/aa/rules.go
+++ b/pkg/aa/rules.go
@@ -133,6 +133,105 @@ func (r Rules) GetIncludes() []*Include {
 	return res
 }
 
+// Merge merge similar rules together.
+// Steps:
+//   - Remove identical rules
+//   - Merge rule access. Eg: for same path, 'r' and 'w' becomes 'rw'
+//
+// Note: logs.regCleanLogs helps a lot to do a first cleaning
+func (r Rules) Merge() Rules {
+	for i := 0; i < len(r); i++ {
+		for j := i + 1; j < len(r); j++ {
+			typeOfI := r[i].Kind()
+			typeOfJ := r[j].Kind()
+			if typeOfI != typeOfJ {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// If rules are identical, merge them
+			if r[i].Equals(r[j]) {
+				r = r.Delete(j)
+				j--
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// File rule
+			if typeOfI == FILE && typeOfJ == FILE {
+				// Merge access
+				fileI := r[i].(*File)
+				fileJ := r[j].(*File)
+				if fileI.Path == fileJ.Path {
+					fileI.Access = append(fileI.Access, fileJ.Access...)
+					slices.SortFunc(fileI.Access, cmpFileAccess)
+					fileI.Access = slices.Compact(fileI.Access)
+					r = r.Delete(j)
+					j--
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return r
+}
+
+// Sort the rules according to the guidelines:
+// https://apparmor.pujol.io/development/guidelines/#guidelines
+func (r Rules) Sort() Rules {
+	slices.SortFunc(r, func(a, b Rule) int {
+		kindOfA := a.Kind()
+		kindOfB := b.Kind()
+		if kindOfA != kindOfB {
+			if kindOfA == INCLUDE && a.(*Include).IfExists {
+				kindOfA = "include_if_exists"
+			}
+			if kindOfB == INCLUDE && b.(*Include).IfExists {
+				kindOfB = "include_if_exists"
+			}
+			return ruleWeights[kindOfA] - ruleWeights[kindOfB]
+		}
+		if a.Equals(b) {
+			return 0
+		}
+		if a.Less(b) {
+			return -1
+		}
+		return 1
+	})
+	return r
+}
+
+// Format the rules for better readability before printing it.
+// Follow: https://apparmor.pujol.io/development/guidelines/#the-file-block
+func (r Rules) Format() Rules {
+	const prefixOwner = "      "
+
+	hasOwnerRule := false
+	for i := len(r) - 1; i > 0; i-- {
+		j := i - 1
+		typeOfI := r[i].Kind()
+		typeOfJ := r[j].Kind()
+
+		// File rule
+		if typeOfI == FILE && typeOfJ == FILE {
+			letterI := getLetterIn(fileAlphabet, r[i].(*File).Path)
+			letterJ := getLetterIn(fileAlphabet, r[j].(*File).Path)
+
+			// Add prefix before rule path to align with other rule
+			if r[i].(*File).Owner {
+				hasOwnerRule = true
+			} else if hasOwnerRule {
+				r[i].(*File).Prefix = prefixOwner
+			}
+
+			if letterI != letterJ {
+				// Add a new empty line between Files rule of different type
+				hasOwnerRule = false
+				r = r.Insert(i, nil)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return r
+}
+
 // Must is a helper that wraps a call to a function returning (any, error) and
 // panics if the error is non-nil.
 func Must[T any](v T, err error) T {