diff --git a/lib/wibox/widget/background.lua.in b/lib/wibox/widget/background.lua.in
index 09ded3e7c..560d74fc9 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/widget/background.lua.in
+++ b/lib/wibox/widget/background.lua.in
@@ -13,10 +13,11 @@ local setmetatable = setmetatable
 local pairs = pairs
 local type = type
 
-module("wibox.widget.background")
+-- wibox.widget.background
+local background = { mt = {} }
 
 --- Draw this widget
-function draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
+function background.draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
     if not box.widget then
         return
     end
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ function draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
 end
 
 --- Fit this widget into the given area
-function fit(box, width, height)
+function background.fit(box, width, height)
     if not box.widget then
         return 0, 0
     end
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ function fit(box, width, height)
 end
 
 --- Set the widget that is drawn on top of the background
-function set_widget(box, widget)
+function background.set_widget(box, widget)
     if box.widget then
         box.widget:disconnect_signal("widget::updated", box._emit_updated)
     end
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ function set_widget(box, widget)
 end
 
 --- Set the background to use
-function set_bg(box, bg)
+function background.set_bg(box, bg)
     if bg then
         box.background = color(bg)
     else
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ function set_bg(box, bg)
 end
 
 --- Set the foreground to use
-function set_fg(box, fg)
+function background.set_fg(box, fg)
     if fg then
         box.foreground = color(fg)
     else
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ function set_fg(box, fg)
 end
 
 --- Set the background image to use
-function set_bgimage(box, image)
+function background.set_bgimage(box, image)
     box.bgimage = surface.load(image)
     box._emit_updated()
 end
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ end
 local function new()
     local ret = base.make_widget()
 
-    for k, v in pairs(_M) do
+    for k, v in pairs(background) do
         if type(v) == "function" then
             ret[k] = v
         end
@@ -109,6 +110,10 @@ local function new()
     return ret
 end
 
-setmetatable(_M, { __call = function (_, ...) return new(...) end })
+function background.mt:__call(...)
+    return new(...)
+end
+
+return setmetatable(background, background.mt)
 
 -- vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua.in b/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua.in
index 9ee6bb70f..99f934bcc 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua.in
+++ b/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua.in
@@ -10,19 +10,20 @@ local pairs = pairs
 local type = type
 local table = table
 
-module("wibox.widget.base")
+-- wibox.widget.base
+local base = {}
 
 --- Set/get a widget's buttons
-function buttons(widget, buttons)
-    if buttons then
-        widget.widget_buttons = buttons
+function base.buttons(widget, _buttons)
+    if _buttons then
+        widget.widget_buttons = _buttons
     end
 
     return widget.widget_buttons
 end
 
 --- Handle a button event on a widget. This is used internally.
-function handle_button(event, widget, x, y, button, modifiers)
+function base.handle_button(event, widget, x, y, button, modifiers)
     local function is_any(mod)
         return #mod == 1 and mod[1] == "Any"
     end
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ end
 -- that the needed signals are added and mouse input handling is set up.
 -- @param proxy If this is set, the returned widget will be a proxy for this
 --              widget. It will be equivalent to this widget.
-function make_widget(proxy)
+function base.make_widget(proxy)
     local ret = object()
 
     -- This signal is used by layouts to find out when they have to update.
@@ -75,14 +76,14 @@ function make_widget(proxy)
 
     -- No buttons yet
     ret.widget_buttons = {}
-    ret.buttons = buttons
+    ret.buttons = base.buttons
 
     -- Make buttons work
     ret:connect_signal("button::press", function(...)
-        return handle_button("press", ...)
+        return base.handle_button("press", ...)
     end)
     ret:connect_signal("button::release", function(...)
-        return handle_button("release", ...)
+        return base.handle_button("release", ...)
     end)
 
     if proxy then
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ end
 
 --- Do some sanity checking on widget. This function raises a lua error if
 -- widget is not a valid widget.
-function check_widget(widget)
+function base.check_widget(widget)
     debug.assert(type(widget) == "table")
     for k, func in pairs({ "draw", "fit", "add_signal", "connect_signal", "disconnect_signal" }) do
         debug.assert(type(widget[func]) == "function", func .. " is not a function")
@@ -109,4 +110,6 @@ function check_widget(widget)
     debug.assert(type(height) == "number")
 end
 
+return base
+
 -- vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/lib/wibox/widget/imagebox.lua.in b/lib/wibox/widget/imagebox.lua.in
index 14acb8a67..cad62c9b3 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/widget/imagebox.lua.in
+++ b/lib/wibox/widget/imagebox.lua.in
@@ -12,10 +12,11 @@ local type = type
 local pcall = pcall
 local print = print
 
-module("wibox.widget.imagebox")
+-- wibox.widget.imagebox
+local imagebox = { mt = {} }
 
 --- Draw an imagebox with the given cairo context in the given geometry.
-function draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
+function imagebox.draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
     if not box.image then return end
 
     cr:save()
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ function draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
 end
 
 --- Fit the imagebox into the given geometry
-function fit(box, width, height)
+function imagebox.fit(box, width, height)
     if not box.image then
         return 0, 0
     end
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ end
 --- Set an imagebox' image
 -- @param image Either a string or a cairo image surface. A string is
 --              interpreted as the path to a png image file.
-function set_image(box, image)
+function imagebox.set_image(box, image)
     local image = image
 
     if type(image) == "string" then
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ end
 --- Should the image be resized to fit into the available space?
 -- @param allowed If false, the image will be clipped, else it will be resized
 --                to fit into the available space.
-function set_resize(box, allowed)
+function imagebox.set_resize(box, allowed)
     box.resize_forbidden = not allowed
     box:emit_signal("widget::updated")
 end
@@ -110,7 +111,7 @@ end
 local function new()
     local ret = base.make_widget()
 
-    for k, v in pairs(_M) do
+    for k, v in pairs(imagebox) do
         if type(v) == "function" then
             ret[k] = v
         end
@@ -119,6 +120,10 @@ local function new()
     return ret
 end
 
-setmetatable(_M, { __call = function (_, ...) return new(...) end })
+function imagebox.mt:__call(...)
+    return new(...)
+end
+
+return setmetatable(imagebox, imagebox.mt)
 
 -- vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/lib/wibox/widget/init.lua.in b/lib/wibox/widget/init.lua.in
index 900a7566c..39d7082d1 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/widget/init.lua.in
+++ b/lib/wibox/widget/init.lua.in
@@ -4,12 +4,15 @@
 -- @release @AWESOME_VERSION@
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-require("wibox.widget.base")
-require("wibox.widget.textbox")
-require("wibox.widget.imagebox")
-require("wibox.widget.background")
-require("wibox.widget.systray")
+-- wibox.widget
 
-module("wibox.widget")
+return
+{
+    base = require("wibox.widget.base");
+    textbox = require("wibox.widget.textbox");
+    imagebox = require("wibox.widget.imagebox");
+    background = require("wibox.widget.background");
+    systray = require("wibox.widget.systray");
+}
 
 -- vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/lib/wibox/widget/systray.lua.in b/lib/wibox/widget/systray.lua.in
index a7e504260..9cc0ac288 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/widget/systray.lua.in
+++ b/lib/wibox/widget/systray.lua.in
@@ -11,13 +11,14 @@ local capi = { awesome = awesome }
 local setmetatable = setmetatable
 local error = error
 
-module("wibox.widget.systray")
+-- wibox.widget.systray
+local systray = { mt = {} }
 
 local created_systray = false
 local horizontal = true
 local base_size = nil
 
-function draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
+function systray.draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
     local x, y, width, height = lbase.rect_to_device_geometry(cr, 0, 0, width, height)
     local num_entries = capi.awesome.systray()
     local bg = beautiful.bg_systray or beautiful.bg_normal
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ function draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
     capi.awesome.systray(wibox.drawin, x, y, base, horizontal, bg)
 end
 
-function fit(box, width, height)
+function systray.fit(box, width, height)
     local num_entries = capi.awesome.systray()
     local base = base_size
     if base == nil then
@@ -60,8 +61,8 @@ local function new()
     end
     created_systray = true
 
-    ret.fit = fit
-    ret.draw = draw
+    ret.fit = systray.fit
+    ret.draw = systray.draw
     ret.set_base_size = function(_, size) base_size = size end
     ret.set_horizontal = function(_, horiz) horizontal = horiz end
 
@@ -72,6 +73,10 @@ local function new()
     return ret
 end
 
-setmetatable(_M, { __call = function (_, ...) return new(...) end })
+function systray.mt:__call(...)
+    return new(...)
+end
+
+return setmetatable(systray, systray.mt)
 
 -- vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80
diff --git a/lib/wibox/widget/textbox.lua.in b/lib/wibox/widget/textbox.lua.in
index a439f6822..07fd79509 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/widget/textbox.lua.in
+++ b/lib/wibox/widget/textbox.lua.in
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ local setmetatable = setmetatable
 local pairs = pairs
 local error = error
 
-module("wibox.widget.textbox")
+-- wibox.widget.textbox
+local textbox = { mt = {} }
 
 -- Setup a pango layout for the given textbox and cairo context
 local function setup_layout(box, width, height)
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ local function setup_layout(box, width, height)
 end
 
 --- Draw the given textbox on the given cairo context in the given geometry
-function draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
+function textbox.draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
     cr:update_layout(box._layout)
     setup_layout(box, width, height)
     local ink, logical = box._layout:get_pixel_extents()
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ function draw(box, wibox, cr, width, height)
 end
 
 --- Fit the given textbox
-function fit(box, width, height)
+function textbox.fit(box, width, height)
     setup_layout(box, width, height)
     local ink, logical = box._layout:get_pixel_extents()
     return logical.width, logical.height
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ end
 
 --- Set a textbox' text.
 -- @param text The text to set. This can contain pango markup (e.g. <b>bold</b>)
-function set_markup(box, text)
+function textbox.set_markup(box, text)
     local attr, parsed = Pango.parse_markup(text, -1, 0)
     -- In case of error, attr is false and parsed is an error message
     if not attr then error(parsed) end
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ end
 
 --- Set a textbox' text.
 -- @param text The text to display. Pango markup is ignored and shown as-is.
-function set_text(box, text)
+function textbox.set_text(box, text)
     box._layout.text = text
     box._layout.attributes = nil
     box:emit_signal("widget::updated")
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ end
 
 --- Set a textbox' ellipsize mode.
 -- @param mode Where should long lines be shortened? "start", "middle" or "end"
-function set_ellipsize(box, mode)
+function textbox.set_ellipsize(box, mode)
     local allowed = { none = "NONE", start = "START", middle = "MIDDLE", ["end"] = "END" }
     if allowed[mode] then
         box._layout:set_ellipsize(allowed[mode])
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ end
 
 --- Set a textbox' wrap mode.
 -- @param mode Where to wrap? After "word", "char" or "word_char"
-function set_wrap(box, mode)
+function textbox.set_wrap(box, mode)
     local allowed = { word = "WORD", char = "CHAR", word_char = "WORD_CHAR" }
     if allowed[mode] then
         box._layout:set_wrap(allowed[mode])
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ end
 
 --- Set a textbox' vertical alignment
 -- @param mode Where should the textbox be drawn? "top", "center" or "bottom"
-function set_valign(box, mode)
+function textbox.set_valign(box, mode)
     local allowed = { top = true, center = true, bottom = true }
     if allowed[mode] then
         box._valign = mode
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ end
 
 --- Set a textbox' horizontal alignment
 -- @param mode Where should the textbox be drawn? "left", "center" or "right"
-function set_align(box, mode)
+function textbox.set_align(box, mode)
     local allowed = { left = "LEFT", center = "CENTER", right = "RIGHT" }
     if allowed[mode] then
         box._layout:set_alignment(allowed[mode])
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ end
 
 --- Set a textbox' font
 -- @param font The font description as string
-function set_font(box, font)
+function textbox.set_font(box, font)
     box._layout:set_font_description(beautiful.get_font(font))
 end
 
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ end
 local function new()
     local ret = base.make_widget()
 
-    for k, v in pairs(_M) do
+    for k, v in pairs(textbox) do
         if type(v) == "function" then
             ret[k] = v
         end
@@ -135,6 +136,10 @@ local function new()
     return ret
 end
 
-setmetatable(_M, { __call = function (_, ...) return new(...) end })
+function textbox.mt:__call(...)
+    return new(...)
+end
+
+return setmetatable(textbox, textbox.mt)
 
 -- vim: filetype=lua:expandtab:shiftwidth=4:tabstop=8:softtabstop=4:textwidth=80