diff --git a/helpers.lua b/helpers.lua
index 863bb87..1dfb09b 100644
--- a/helpers.lua
+++ b/helpers.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 --[[
                                                   
      Licensed under GNU General Public License v2 
-      * (c) 2013,      Luke Bonham                
+      * (c) 2013, Luke Bonham                     
                                                   
 --]]
 
diff --git a/widgets/abase.lua b/widgets/abase.lua
index 20cc955..075d615 100644
--- a/widgets/abase.lua
+++ b/widgets/abase.lua
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ local newtimer     = require("lain.helpers").newtimer
 local async        = require("lain.asyncshell")
 local wibox        = require("wibox")
 
-local io           = io
 local setmetatable = setmetatable
 
 -- Basic template for custom widgets 
diff --git a/widgets/base.lua b/widgets/base.lua
index 6b808b7..39b0863 100644
--- a/widgets/base.lua
+++ b/widgets/base.lua
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@
 local newtimer     = require("lain.helpers").newtimer
 local wibox        = require("wibox")
 
-local io           = io
+local io           = { popen = io.popen }
 local setmetatable = setmetatable
 
--- Basic template for custom widgets 
+-- Basic template for custom widgets
 -- lain.widgets.base
 
 local function worker(args)
diff --git a/widgets/borderbox.lua b/widgets/borderbox.lua
index c251ea8..cce8517 100644
--- a/widgets/borderbox.lua
+++ b/widgets/borderbox.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 --]]
 
 local wibox        = require("awful.wibox")
+
 local setmetatable = setmetatable
 
 -- Creates a thin wibox at a position relative to another wibox
diff --git a/widgets/calendar.lua b/widgets/calendar.lua
index c690e3f..d07a5b4 100644
--- a/widgets/calendar.lua
+++ b/widgets/calendar.lua
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ local awful        = require("awful")
 local beautiful    = require("beautiful")
 local naughty      = require("naughty")
 
-local io           = io
+local io           = { popen = io.popen }
 local os           = { date = os.date }
 local tonumber     = tonumber
 
diff --git a/widgets/fs.lua b/widgets/fs.lua
index 8127c28..f78cfe0 100644
--- a/widgets/fs.lua
+++ b/widgets/fs.lua
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ local beautiful    = require("beautiful")
 local wibox        = require("wibox")
 local naughty      = require("naughty")
 
-local io           = io
+local io           = { popen  = io.popen }
 local pairs        = pairs
 local string       = { match  = string.match,
                        format = string.format }
diff --git a/widgets/imap.lua b/widgets/imap.lua
index 1dca87c..65c425e 100644
--- a/widgets/imap.lua
+++ b/widgets/imap.lua
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ local function worker(args)
         curl = string.format("%s --url imaps://%s:%s/INBOX -u %s:%s %s -k",
                head_command, server, port, mail, password, request)
 
-        async.request(curl, function(f) 
+        async.request(curl, function(f)
             ws = f:read("*a")
             f:close()
 
diff --git a/widgets/maildir.lua b/widgets/maildir.lua
index bd79221..246341f 100644
--- a/widgets/maildir.lua
+++ b/widgets/maildir.lua
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ local wibox           = require("wibox")
 
 local util            = require("lain.util")
 
-local io              = io
+local io              = { popen  = io.popen }
 local os              = { getenv = os.getenv }
 local pairs           = pairs
 local string          = { len    = string.len,
diff --git a/widgets/net.lua b/widgets/net.lua
index 7851d5a..9575000 100644
--- a/widgets/net.lua
+++ b/widgets/net.lua
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ local notify_fg    = require("beautiful").fg_focus
 local naughty      = require("naughty")
 local wibox        = require("wibox")
 
-local io           = io
+local io           = { popen  = io.popen }
 local tostring     = tostring
 local string       = { format = string.format,
                        gsub   = string.gsub }
diff --git a/widgets/temp.lua b/widgets/temp.lua
index 4ae1c04..5994f59 100644
--- a/widgets/temp.lua
+++ b/widgets/temp.lua
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ local newtimer     = require("lain.helpers").newtimer
 
 local wibox        = require("wibox")
 
-local io           = io
+local io           = { open = io.open }
 local tonumber     = tonumber
 
 local setmetatable = setmetatable
diff --git a/widgets/yawn/init.lua b/widgets/yawn/init.lua
index 033254e..aa58ed1 100644
--- a/widgets/yawn/init.lua
+++ b/widgets/yawn/init.lua
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ local naughty      = require("naughty")
 local wibox        = require("wibox")
 
 local debug        = { getinfo = debug.getinfo }
-local io           = io
+local io           = { lines   = io.lines,
+                       open    = io.open }
 local os           = { date    = os.date,
                        getenv  = os.getenv }
 local string       = { find    = string.find,