diff --git a/mes/module/mes/boot-0.scm b/mes/module/mes/boot-0.scm
index b31c40d6..89e6cf0d 100644
--- a/mes/module/mes/boot-0.scm
+++ b/mes/module/mes/boot-0.scm
@@ -175,6 +175,8 @@
 (mes-use-module (mes fluids))
 (mes-use-module (mes catch))
 (mes-use-module (mes posix))
+(mes-use-module (mes display))
+(mes-use-module (mes simple-format))
 (mes-use-module (mes guile))
 ;; end boot-04.scm
 
diff --git a/mes/module/mes/boot-5.mes b/mes/module/mes/boot-5.mes
index ae52ab34..8481e0dd 100644
--- a/mes/module/mes/boot-5.mes
+++ b/mes/module/mes/boot-5.mes
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@
 (mes-use-module (mes fluids))
 (mes-use-module (mes catch))
 (mes-use-module (mes posix))
+(mes-use-module (mes display))
+(mes-use-module (mes simple-format))
 (mes-use-module (mes guile))
 ;; end boot-04.scm
 
diff --git a/mes/module/mes/guile.mes b/mes/module/mes/guile.mes
index a2c9f0e7..25bca175 100644
--- a/mes/module/mes/guile.mes
+++ b/mes/module/mes/guile.mes
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ;;; -*-scheme-*-
 
 ;;; GNU Mes --- Maxwell Equations of Software
-;;; Copyright © 2016,2017,2018,2019 Jan (janneke) Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2016,2017,2018,2019,2021 Jan (janneke) Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Mes.
 ;;;
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@
 
 ;;; Code:
 
-(define-module (mes guile))
-
 (define-macro (cond-expand-provide . rest) #t)
 
 (define-macro (include-from-path file)
@@ -56,88 +54,11 @@
 
 (define (effective-version) %version)
 
-(mes-use-module (mes catch))
-(mes-use-module (mes posix))
-(mes-use-module (srfi srfi-16))
-(mes-use-module (mes display))
-(mes-use-module (mes simple-format))
-
 (define %load-path (or (and=> (getenv "GUILE_LOAD_PATH") (lambda (x) (string-split x #\:))) '()))
 
-(define (drain-input port) (read-string))
-
 (define (object->string x . rest)
   (with-output-to-string
     (lambda () ((if (pair? rest) (car rest) write) x))))
 
 (define (port-filename p) "<stdin>")
 (define (port-line p) 0)
-
-(define (with-input-from-string string thunk)
-  (let ((prev (set-current-input-port (open-input-string string)))
-        (r (thunk)))
-    (set-current-input-port prev)
-    r))
-
-(define (with-input-from-file file thunk)
-  (let ((port (open-input-file file)))
-    (if (= port -1)
-        (error 'no-such-file file)
-        (let* ((save (current-input-port))
-               (foo (set-current-input-port port))
-               (r (thunk)))
-          (set-current-input-port save)
-          r))))
-
-(define (with-output-to-file file thunk)
-  (let ((port (open-output-file file)))
-    (if (= port -1)
-        (error 'cannot-open file)
-        (let* ((save (current-output-port))
-               (foo (set-current-output-port port))
-               (r (thunk)))
-          (set-current-output-port save)
-          r))))
-
-(define (with-error-to-file file thunk)
-  (let ((port (open-output-file file)))
-    (if (= port -1)
-        (error 'cannot-open file)
-        (let* ((save (current-error-port))
-               (foo (set-current-error-port port))
-               (r (thunk)))
-          (set-current-error-port save)
-          r))))
-
-(define (with-output-to-port port thunk)
-  (let* ((save (current-output-port))
-         (foo (set-current-output-port port))
-         (r (thunk)))
-    (set-current-output-port save)
-    r))
-
-(define core:open-input-file open-input-file)
-(define (open-input-file file)
-  (let ((port (core:open-input-file file))
-        (debug (and=> (getenv "MES_DEBUG") string->number)))
-    (when (and debug (> debug 1))
-      (core:display-error (string-append "open-input-file: `" file "'"))
-      (when (> debug 3)
-        (core:display-error " port=")
-        (core:display-error port))
-      (core:display-error "\n"))
-    port))
-
-(define (dirname file-name)
-  (let* ((lst (string-split file-name #\/))
-         (lst (filter (negate string-null?) lst)))
-    (if (null? lst) (if (string-prefix? "/" file-name) "/" ".")
-        (let ((dir (string-join (list-head lst (1- (length lst))) "/")))
-          (if (string-prefix? "/" file-name) (string-append "/" dir)
-              (if (string-null? dir) "."
-                  dir))))))
-
-(define (file-exists? o)
-  (access? o R_OK))
-
-(define (set-port-encoding! port encoding) #t)
diff --git a/mes/module/mes/guile.scm b/mes/module/mes/guile.scm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0ebc55c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mes/module/mes/guile.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+;;; -*-scheme-*-
+
+;;; GNU Mes --- Maxwell Equations of Software
+;;; Copyright © 2016,2017,2018,2019,2021 Jan (janneke) Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org>
+;;;
+;;; This file is part of GNU Mes.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Mes is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+;;; under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+;;; the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+;;; your option) any later version.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Mes is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+;;; WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+;;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+;;; GNU General Public License for more details.
+;;;
+;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+;;; along with GNU Mes.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+;;; Commentary:
+
+;;; Code:
+
+(define-module (mes guile)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-16)
+  #:export (drain-input
+            with-input-from-string
+            with-input-from-file
+            with-output-to-file
+            with-error-to-file
+            with-output-to-port
+            core:open-input-file
+            open-input-file
+            dirname
+            file-exists?
+            set-port-encoding!))
+
+(define (drain-input port) (read-string))
+
+(define (with-input-from-string string thunk)
+  (let ((prev (set-current-input-port (open-input-string string)))
+        (r (thunk)))
+    (set-current-input-port prev)
+    r))
+
+(define (with-input-from-file file thunk)
+  (let ((port (open-input-file file)))
+    (if (= port -1)
+        (error 'no-such-file file)
+        (let* ((save (current-input-port))
+               (foo (set-current-input-port port))
+               (r (thunk)))
+          (set-current-input-port save)
+          r))))
+
+(define (with-output-to-file file thunk)
+  (let ((port (open-output-file file)))
+    (if (= port -1)
+        (error 'cannot-open file)
+        (let* ((save (current-output-port))
+               (foo (set-current-output-port port))
+               (r (thunk)))
+          (set-current-output-port save)
+          r))))
+
+(define (with-error-to-file file thunk)
+  (let ((port (open-output-file file)))
+    (if (= port -1)
+        (error 'cannot-open file)
+        (let* ((save (current-error-port))
+               (foo (set-current-error-port port))
+               (r (thunk)))
+          (set-current-error-port save)
+          r))))
+
+(define (with-output-to-port port thunk)
+  (let* ((save (current-output-port))
+         (foo (set-current-output-port port))
+         (r (thunk)))
+    (set-current-output-port save)
+    r))
+
+(define core:open-input-file open-input-file)
+(define (open-input-file file)
+  (let ((port (core:open-input-file file))
+        (debug (and=> (getenv "MES_DEBUG") string->number)))
+    (when (and debug (> debug 1))
+      (core:display-error (string-append "open-input-file: `" file "'"))
+      (when (> debug 3)
+        (core:display-error " port=")
+        (core:display-error port))
+      (core:display-error "\n"))
+    port))
+
+(define (dirname file-name)
+  (let* ((lst (string-split file-name #\/))
+         (lst (filter (negate string-null?) lst)))
+    (if (null? lst) (if (string-prefix? "/" file-name) "/" ".")
+        (let ((dir (string-join (list-head lst (1- (length lst))) "/")))
+          (if (string-prefix? "/" file-name) (string-append "/" dir)
+              (if (string-null? dir) "."
+                  dir))))))
+
+(define (file-exists? o)
+  (access? o R_OK))
+
+(define (set-port-encoding! port encoding) #t)