diff --git a/handlers.c b/handlers.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa76a77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/handlers.c
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include "comms.h"
+
+char *handler_associate(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+	if(argc < 6) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "not enough arguments\n");
+		exit(1);
+	}
+	char *plug_addr = argv[1];
+	char *ssid = argv[3];
+	char *password = argv[4];
+	char *key_type = argv[5];
+
+	errno = 0;
+	char *endptr;
+	int key_type_num = (int)strtol(key_type, &endptr, 10);
+	if(errno || endptr == key_type) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "invalid key type: %s\n", key_type);
+		exit(1);
+	}
+
+	const char *template =
+		"{\"netif\":{\"set_stainfo\":{\"ssid\":\"%s\",\"password\":"
+		"\"%s\",\"key_type\":%d}}}";
+
+	size_t len = snprintf(NULL, 0, template, ssid, password,
+				key_type_num);
+	len++;	// snprintf does not count the null terminator
+
+	char *msg = calloc(1, len);
+	snprintf(msg, len, template, ssid, password, key_type_num);
+
+	char *response = hs100_send(plug_addr, msg);
+
+	return response;
+}
+
+char *handler_set_server(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+	if(argc < 4) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "not enough arguments\n");
+		exit(1);
+	}
+	char *plug_addr = argv[1];
+	char *server = argv[3];
+
+	const char *template =
+		"{\"cnCloud\":{\"set_server_url\":{\"server\":\"%s\"}}}";
+
+	size_t len = snprintf(NULL, 0, template, server);
+	len++;	// snprintf does not count the null terminator
+
+	char *msg = calloc(1, len);
+	snprintf(msg, len, template, server);
+
+	char *response = hs100_send(plug_addr, msg);
+
+	return response;
+}
diff --git a/hs100.c b/hs100.c
index 3d7b4ec..9fc7278 100644
--- a/hs100.c
+++ b/hs100.c
@@ -6,64 +6,9 @@
 #include "version.h"
 #include "comms.h"
 
-char *handler_associate(int argc, char *argv[])
-{
-	if(argc < 6) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "not enough arguments\n");
-		exit(1);
-	}
-	char *plug_addr = argv[1];
-	char *ssid = argv[3];
-	char *password = argv[4];
-	char *key_type = argv[5];
-
-	errno = 0;
-	char *endptr;
-	int key_type_num = (int)strtol(key_type, &endptr, 10);
-	if(errno || endptr == key_type) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "invalid key type: %s\n", key_type);
-		exit(1);
-	}
-
-	const char *template =
-		"{\"netif\":{\"set_stainfo\":{\"ssid\":\"%s\",\"password\":"
-		"\"%s\",\"key_type\":%d}}}";
-
-	size_t len = snprintf(NULL, 0, template, ssid, password,
-				key_type_num);
-	len++;	// snprintf does not count the null terminator
-
-	char *msg = calloc(1, len);
-	snprintf(msg, len, template, ssid, password, key_type_num);
-
-	char *response = hs100_send(plug_addr, msg);
-
-	return response;
-}
-
-char *handler_set_server(int argc, char *argv[])
-{
-	if(argc < 4) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "not enough arguments\n");
-		exit(1);
-	}
-	char *plug_addr = argv[1];
-	char *server = argv[3];
-
-	const char *template =
-		"{\"cnCloud\":{\"set_server_url\":{\"server\":\"%s\"}}}";
-
-	size_t len = snprintf(NULL, 0, template, server);
-	len++;	// snprintf does not count the null terminator
-
-	char *msg = calloc(1, len);
-	snprintf(msg, len, template, server);
-
-	char *response = hs100_send(plug_addr, msg);
-
-	return response;
-}
-
+// handlers for more complicated commands
+extern char *handler_associate(int argc, char *argv[]);
+extern char *handler_set_server(int argc, char *argv[]);
 
 struct cmd_s {
 	char *command;