diff --git a/lib/connection.c b/lib/connection.c
index b3ca7fb..0ee6816 100644
--- a/lib/connection.c
+++ b/lib/connection.c
@@ -162,25 +162,8 @@ static long __cmp_ulong(const void *a, const void *b)
   return *(ulong_t *)a - *(ulong_t *)b;
 }
 
-static int __resolvehost(const char *hostname, char *buf, int buf_len,
-                         struct hostent **rhp)
-{
-  struct hostent *hostbuf = malloc(sizeof(struct hostent));
-  struct hostent *hp = *rhp = NULL;
-  int herr = 0, hres = 0;
-
-  if(!hostbuf) return NO_ADDRESS;
-
-  hres = gethostbyname_r(hostname, hostbuf,
-                         buf, buf_len, &hp, &herr);
-
-  if (!hp) return NO_ADDRESS;
-  if(hres) return NO_ADDRESS;
-
-  *rhp = hp;
-
-  return NETDB_SUCCESS;
-}
+extern int __resolvehost(const char *hostname, char *buf, int buf_len,
+                         struct hostent **rhp);
 
 static void __destroy_rpc_list_tree(usrtc_t *tree)
 {
diff --git a/lib/support.c b/lib/support.c
index 5fc7082..a035b78 100644
--- a/lib/support.c
+++ b/lib/support.c
@@ -46,6 +46,27 @@ char *__generate_uuid(void)
   return uuidc;
 }
 
+/* networking helpers */
+int __resolvehost(const char *hostname, char *buf, int buf_len,
+                         struct hostent **rhp)
+{
+  struct hostent *hostbuf = malloc(sizeof(struct hostent));
+  struct hostent *hp = *rhp = NULL;
+  int herr = 0, hres = 0;
+
+  if(!hostbuf) return NO_ADDRESS;
+
+  hres = gethostbyname_r(hostname, hostbuf,
+                         buf, buf_len, &hp, &herr);
+
+  if (!hp) return NO_ADDRESS;
+  if(hres) return NO_ADDRESS;
+
+  *rhp = hp;
+
+  return NETDB_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 /* sexp helpers */
 int sexp_list_car(sexp_t *expr, sexp_t **sx)
 {