diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index de16d8b1..4c5c20f4 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ awesome_SOURCES = \
 	layout.c layout.h \
 	awesome.c awesome.h \
 	tag.c tag.h \
-	util.c util.h \
+	common/util.c common/util.h \
 	xutil.c xutil.h \
 	config.c config.h \
 	screen.c screen.h \
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ awesome_SOURCES = \
 	awesome-client-common.c \
 	widget.c widget.h \
 	ewmh.c ewmh.h \
-	list.h structs.h
+	common/list.h structs.h
 awesome_SOURCES += $(LAYOUTS)
 awesome_SOURCES += $(WIDGETS)
 awesome_LDADD = $(XFT_LIBS) $(X_LIBS) $(CAIRO_LIBS) $(CONFUSE_LIBS) $(XRANDR_LIBS) $(XINERAMA_LIBS)
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ AM_INSTALLCHECK_STD_OPTIONS_EXEMPT = awesome-client$(EXEEXT)
 awesome_client_SOURCES = \
 	awesome-client.c awesome-client.h \
 	awesome-client-common.c \
-	util.c util.h
+	common/util.c common/util.h
 
 
 EXTRA_DIST += awesome.1.txt
diff --git a/awesome-client-common.c b/awesome-client-common.c
index 2dfb0eca..2c4fc964 100644
--- a/awesome-client-common.c
+++ b/awesome-client-common.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 #include <sys/un.h>
 
 #include "awesome-client.h"
-#include "util.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 #define CONTROL_UNIX_SOCKET_PATH ".awesome_ctl."
 
diff --git a/awesome-client.c b/awesome-client.c
index 8c4866ab..8cc8f20f 100644
--- a/awesome-client.c
+++ b/awesome-client.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #include <sys/un.h>
 
 #include "awesome-client.h"
-#include "util.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 /* GNU/Hurd workaround */
 #ifndef MSG_NOSIGNAL
diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 45bc5553..d02328c4 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@
 #include "event.h"
 #include "layout.h"
 #include "screen.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "statusbar.h"
 #include "uicb.h"
 #include "window.h"
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "ewmh.h"
 #include "awesome-client.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 static int (*xerrorxlib) (Display *, XErrorEvent *);
 static Bool running = True;
diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 770fcbe2..0bcf981b 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 #include "client.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "rules.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "window.h"
 #include "focus.h"
diff --git a/list.h b/common/list.h
similarity index 100%
rename from list.h
rename to common/list.h
diff --git a/util.c b/common/util.c
similarity index 100%
rename from util.c
rename to common/util.c
diff --git a/util.h b/common/util.h
similarity index 100%
rename from util.h
rename to common/util.h
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 3ba5fb72..bcf03fb7 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 
 #include "statusbar.h"
 #include "tag.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "rules.h"
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "widget.h"
@@ -35,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "ewmh.h"
 #include "defconfig.h"
 #include "layouts/tile.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 #define AWESOME_CONFIG_FILE ".awesomerc" 
 
diff --git a/draw.c b/draw.c
index 7d467d19..a98eb350 100644
--- a/draw.c
+++ b/draw.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #include <cairo-ft.h>
 #include <cairo-xlib.h>
 #include <math.h>
-#include "util.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 #include "config.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
diff --git a/event.c b/event.c
index 9ece2088..9f1eee72 100644
--- a/event.c
+++ b/event.c
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include "event.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "statusbar.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "window.h"
 #include "mouse.h"
 #include "ewmh.h"
@@ -39,6 +38,7 @@
 #include "rules.h"
 #include "layouts/tile.h"
 #include "layouts/floating.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/ewmh.c b/ewmh.c
index 5bd044ee..0f484bcd 100644
--- a/ewmh.c
+++ b/ewmh.c
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@
 #include <X11/Xmd.h>
 
 #include "ewmh.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "widget.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/focus.c b/focus.c
index 8a41d986..d3df95a6 100644
--- a/focus.c
+++ b/focus.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include "util.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "focus.h" 
 #include "client.h"
diff --git a/layout.c b/layout.c
index 8385c1fa..87e72a36 100644
--- a/layout.c
+++ b/layout.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 #include <X11/Xutil.h>
 
 #include "tag.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "widget.h"
@@ -35,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "layouts/max.h"
 #include "layouts/fibonacci.h"
 #include "layouts/floating.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/layout.h b/layout.h
index b94ba58e..0c6604cd 100644
--- a/layout.h
+++ b/layout.h
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
 #define AWESOME_LAYOUT_H
 
 #include "uicb.h"
-#include "list.h"
-#include "util.h"
+#include "common/list.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 typedef void (LayoutArrange)(int);
 
diff --git a/layouts/fibonacci.c b/layouts/fibonacci.c
index 2b45e732..2733ede1 100644
--- a/layouts/fibonacci.c
+++ b/layouts/fibonacci.c
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@
 
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "tag.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "layouts/fibonacci.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/layouts/max.c b/layouts/max.c
index 28115ed4..2d2535ff 100644
--- a/layouts/max.c
+++ b/layouts/max.c
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@
 
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "screen.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "layouts/max.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/layouts/tile.c b/layouts/tile.c
index 91433711..76fd0fd7 100644
--- a/layouts/tile.c
+++ b/layouts/tile.c
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-#include "util.h"
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "awesome.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "layout.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "layouts/tile.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/mouse.c b/mouse.c
index 61bd5ff2..b4ff3514 100644
--- a/mouse.c
+++ b/mouse.c
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "layout.h"
 #include "tag.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "event.h"
 #include "window.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "layouts/floating.h"
 #include "layouts/tile.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/rules.c b/rules.c
index adb19de8..85b63228 100644
--- a/rules.c
+++ b/rules.c
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include "util.h"
 #include "rules.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/screen.c b/screen.c
index aa514a96..d3ae8997 100644
--- a/screen.c
+++ b/screen.c
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
 
 #include <X11/extensions/Xinerama.h>
 
-#include "util.h"
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "layouts/floating.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/statusbar.c b/statusbar.c
index 07ab6280..71dd6d0c 100644
--- a/statusbar.c
+++ b/statusbar.c
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
 
 #include "statusbar.h"
 #include "screen.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "widget.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/tag.c b/tag.c
index 9b702c3c..0c848139 100644
--- a/tag.c
+++ b/tag.c
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@
 
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "tag.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "rules.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "ewmh.h"
 #include "widget.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/uicb.c b/uicb.c
index 46650b7a..0b83ac39 100644
--- a/uicb.c
+++ b/uicb.c
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
  */
 
 #include "awesome.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "mouse.h"
@@ -30,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "client.h"
 #include "screen.h"
 #include "layouts/tile.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widget.c b/widget.c
index 689dc3ad..dfec2092 100644
--- a/widget.c
+++ b/widget.c
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include "util.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "statusbar.h"
 #include "event.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widgets/focustitle.c b/widgets/focustitle.c
index a3af44c6..5efcec1b 100644
--- a/widgets/focustitle.c
+++ b/widgets/focustitle.c
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@
  */
 
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include "util.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "layout.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "screen.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widgets/graph.c b/widgets/graph.c
index 0f42f91d..f2a4e62e 100644
--- a/widgets/graph.c
+++ b/widgets/graph.c
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include "util.h"
 #include "draw.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "screen.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widgets/iconbox.c b/widgets/iconbox.c
index 57a07e7d..fa4855e7 100644
--- a/widgets/iconbox.c
+++ b/widgets/iconbox.c
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include "util.h"
 #include "widget.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widgets/layoutinfo.c b/widgets/layoutinfo.c
index 9ed11e93..d7dcc7b6 100644
--- a/widgets/layoutinfo.c
+++ b/widgets/layoutinfo.c
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
  */
 
 #include "widget.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "tag.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widgets/netwmicon.c b/widgets/netwmicon.c
index 9f3bce1f..8e01245b 100644
--- a/widgets/netwmicon.c
+++ b/widgets/netwmicon.c
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
 
 #include <X11/Xmd.h>
 #include <X11/Xatom.h>
-#include "util.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "rules.h"
 #include "ewmh.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widgets/progressbar.c b/widgets/progressbar.c
index b6c60a97..ee19a4e8 100644
--- a/widgets/progressbar.c
+++ b/widgets/progressbar.c
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@
  */
 
 #include <string.h>
-#include "util.h"
 #include "draw.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "screen.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widgets/taglist.c b/widgets/taglist.c
index 6d9b57c4..7d337159 100644
--- a/widgets/taglist.c
+++ b/widgets/taglist.c
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 #include "client.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "tag.h"
 #include "event.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/widgets/tasklist.c b/widgets/tasklist.c
index 3634d29c..eb22827d 100644
--- a/widgets/tasklist.c
+++ b/widgets/tasklist.c
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include "util.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "focus.h"
@@ -30,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "ewmh.h"
 #include "rules.h"
 #include "tag.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 #define ISVISIBLE_ON_TB(c, nscreen, show_all) ((!show_all && client_isvisible(c, nscreen) && !c->skiptb) \
                                               || (show_all && c->screen == nscreen && !c->skiptb))
diff --git a/widgets/textbox.c b/widgets/textbox.c
index 9a1fd195..c55c23d8 100644
--- a/widgets/textbox.c
+++ b/widgets/textbox.c
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include "util.h"
 #include "widget.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "screen.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index c1a149f2..b653ee2f 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 #include "window.h"
-#include "util.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;
 
diff --git a/xutil.c b/xutil.c
index fcf35d08..ea0da3de 100644
--- a/xutil.c
+++ b/xutil.c
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@
 #include <sys/wait.h>
 
 #include "config.h"
-#include "util.h"
 #include "xutil.h"
 #include "screen.h"
+#include "common/util.h"
 
 extern AwesomeConf globalconf;