diff --git a/Command/Fsck.hs b/Command/Fsck.hs
index 142f755a7f..0c58add6a3 100644
--- a/Command/Fsck.hs
+++ b/Command/Fsck.hs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import Locations
 import Trust
 import Utility.DataUnits
 import Utility.Path
+import Utility.FileMode
 import Config
 
 command :: [Command]
diff --git a/Command/Unannex.hs b/Command/Unannex.hs
index 3dedd007ef..4d4281eb07 100644
--- a/Command/Unannex.hs
+++ b/Command/Unannex.hs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import qualified Annex
 import qualified AnnexQueue
 import Utility.SafeCommand
 import Utility.Path
+import Utility.FileMode
 import LocationLog
 import Types
 import Content
diff --git a/Command/Unlock.hs b/Command/Unlock.hs
index 5817e8f221..44b92545c8 100644
--- a/Command/Unlock.hs
+++ b/Command/Unlock.hs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import Content
 import Utility.Conditional
 import Utility.CopyFile
 import Utility.Path
+import Utility.FileMode
 
 command :: [Command]
 command =
diff --git a/Command/Unused.hs b/Command/Unused.hs
index 803debef82..f62e68c30f 100644
--- a/Command/Unused.hs
+++ b/Command/Unused.hs
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ getKeysReferenced = do
 staleKeysPrune :: (Git.Repo -> FilePath) -> [Key] -> Annex [Key]
 staleKeysPrune dirspec present = do
 	contents <- staleKeys dirspec
-		
+	
 	let stale = contents `exclude` present
 	let dup = contents `exclude` stale
 
diff --git a/Content.hs b/Content.hs
index e4bbee5282..f963c48b47 100644
--- a/Content.hs
+++ b/Content.hs
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@ module Content (
 	getViaTmpUnchecked,
 	withTmp,
 	checkDiskSpace,
-	preventWrite,
-	allowWrite,
 	moveAnnex,
 	removeAnnex,
 	fromAnnex,
@@ -43,6 +41,7 @@ import Utility
 import Utility.Conditional
 import Utility.StatFS
 import Utility.Path
+import Utility.FileMode
 import Types.Key
 import Utility.DataUnits
 import Config
@@ -152,19 +151,6 @@ checkDiskSpace' adjustment key = do
 				roughSize storageUnits True n ++
 				" more (use --force to override this check or adjust annex.diskreserve)"
 
-{- Removes the write bits from a file. -}
-preventWrite :: FilePath -> IO ()
-preventWrite f = unsetFileMode f writebits
-	where
-		writebits = foldl unionFileModes ownerWriteMode
-					[groupWriteMode, otherWriteMode]
-
-{- Turns a file's write bit back on. -}
-allowWrite :: FilePath -> IO ()
-allowWrite f = do
-	s <- getFileStatus f
-	setFileMode f $ fileMode s `unionFileModes` ownerWriteMode
-
 {- Moves a file into .git/annex/objects/
  -
  - What if the key there already has content? This could happen for
diff --git a/Remote/Directory.hs b/Remote/Directory.hs
index b183042ef6..18835c5de0 100644
--- a/Remote/Directory.hs
+++ b/Remote/Directory.hs
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@ import UUID
 import Locations
 import Utility.CopyFile
 import Config
-import Content
 import Utility
 import Utility.Conditional
 import Utility.Path
+import Utility.FileMode
 import Remote.Helper.Special
 import Remote.Helper.Encryptable
 import Crypto
diff --git a/Upgrade/V1.hs b/Upgrade/V1.hs
index 78f7d3adbc..329f90ed6c 100644
--- a/Upgrade/V1.hs
+++ b/Upgrade/V1.hs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import Backend
 import Messages
 import Version
 import Utility
+import Utility.FileMode
 import Utility.SafeCommand
 import Utility.Path
 import qualified Upgrade.V2
diff --git a/Utility.hs b/Utility.hs
index ce17363488..a3d461d286 100644
--- a/Utility.hs
+++ b/Utility.hs
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 module Utility (
 	hGetContentsStrict,
 	readFileStrict,
-	unsetFileMode,
 	readMaybe,
 	viaTmp,
 	withTempFile,
@@ -24,12 +23,9 @@ module Utility (
 import IO (bracket)
 import System.IO
 import System.Posix.Process hiding (executeFile)
-import System.Posix.Files
-import System.Posix.Types
 import System.Posix.User
 import System.FilePath
 import System.Directory
-import Foreign (complement)
 import Utility.Path
 import Data.Maybe
 import Control.Monad (liftM)
@@ -43,13 +39,6 @@ hGetContentsStrict h  = hGetContents h >>= \s -> length s `seq` return s
 readFileStrict :: FilePath -> IO String
 readFileStrict f = readFile f >>= \s -> length s `seq` return s
 
-{- Removes a FileMode from a file.
- - For example, call with otherWriteMode to chmod o-w -}
-unsetFileMode :: FilePath -> FileMode -> IO ()
-unsetFileMode f m = do
-	s <- getFileStatus f
-	setFileMode f $ fileMode s `intersectFileModes` complement m
-
 {- Attempts to read a value from a String. -}
 readMaybe :: (Read a) => String -> Maybe a
 readMaybe s = case reads s of
diff --git a/Utility/FileMode.hs b/Utility/FileMode.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f5b018c84a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Utility/FileMode.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+{- File mode utilities.
+ -
+ - Copyright 2010 Joey Hess <joey@kitenet.net>
+ -
+ - Licensed under the GNU GPL version 3 or higher.
+ -}
+
+module Utility.FileMode where
+
+import System.Posix.Files
+import System.Posix.Types
+import Foreign (complement)
+
+{- Removes a FileMode from a file.
+ - For example, call with otherWriteMode to chmod o-w -}
+unsetFileMode :: FilePath -> FileMode -> IO ()
+unsetFileMode f m = do
+	s <- getFileStatus f
+	setFileMode f $ fileMode s `intersectFileModes` complement m
+
+{- Removes the write bits from a file. -}
+preventWrite :: FilePath -> IO ()
+preventWrite f = unsetFileMode f writebits
+	where
+		writebits = foldl unionFileModes ownerWriteMode
+					[groupWriteMode, otherWriteMode]
+
+{- Turns a file's write bit back on. -}
+allowWrite :: FilePath -> IO ()
+allowWrite f = do
+	s <- getFileStatus f
+	setFileMode f $ fileMode s `unionFileModes` ownerWriteMode