diff --git a/modules.scm b/modules.scm
index 6a01325..d78c125 100644
--- a/modules.scm
+++ b/modules.scm
@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@
 	let-opt)    ; :optional
   (files format-net))
 	
+(define-interface sunet-utilities-interface
+  (export host-name-or-empty))
+
+(define-structure sunet-utilities sunet-utilities-interface
+  (open scsh
+	scheme
+	handle-fatal-error)
+  (files sunet-utilities))
 
 (define-interface smtp-interface
   (export sendmail %sendmail
@@ -685,13 +693,3 @@
     (define (eval-safely exp)
       (ignore-errors (lambda () (eval exp (new-safe-package)))))))
 
-(define-structure sunet-utilities (export host-name-or-empty)
-  (open scsh
-	scheme
-	handle-fatal-error)
-  (begin
-    (define (host-name-or-empty addr)
-      (with-fatal-error-handler
-       (lambda (condition more)
-	 "")
-       (host-info:name (host-info addr))))))
diff --git a/sunet-utilities.scm b/sunet-utilities.scm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b57f139
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sunet-utilities.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+; some useful utilities
+
+(define (host-name-or-empty addr)
+      (with-fatal-error-handler
+       (lambda (condition more)
+	 "")
+       (host-info:name (host-info addr))))
\ No newline at end of file